Selwyn Speight interviewed by Mel Pratt for the Mel Pratt collection [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 2257309
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Speight, Selwyn, 1908-1980, interviewee
- Online Version:
- National Library of Australia digitised item
- Access Conditions:
- Access open for research, personal copies and public use.
- Description:
-
- 1974 January 23-24
- 2 tape reels (ca. 468 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, mono. ; 5 in.
- Series:
- Mel Pratt collection.
- Summary:
-
Mr Speight, journalist, discusses his early life in Fiji and New Zealand; being a cadet for the "Herald"; police rounds; reporting style of the 1920s; growth of newspapers; radio; Canberra in the 1930s; competition; reporting on funerals, films, war; experiences in Chungking, China; bombing of Tokyo; the Americans; Tali; working with Jack Turner; Yuenfu; meeting Chou En Lai; poison gas; being shot; Burma; Wingate; jungle life; interviews with Mao; Eighth Route Armey Story; Kashgar and his gramophone; Old Pratt; the tragedy of China; Chiang Kai Shek; Chinese post office during the war; Walter Reed Hospital; return to Australia, 1944; Hiroshima; "Wagga Advertiser"; Angus McLachlun; Ken Hackett; "Sydney Morning Herald"; Warwick Fairfax as a a journalist; changes in journalism; Tom Girr; Big Horse, China; Ma Chung Ying; newspaper strike 1955; return to China.
Speight speaks about the changes in China; secret service; Peking; Russia's role in Chinese development; government structure; Liu; Imperial Palace and the new city; population and resources in China; books in China; march past the Heavenly Gate; travelling through China; Marshall; talks about water; Chou En Lai; censorship; reaction to articles on China; Douglas Pringle; migration story; "Hemisphere"; Blue Douglas; Talks Department, ABC; "News Review"; "A.M."; editing tapes and distortion; training journalists; Talbot Duckmanton.
- Biography/History:
-
Selwyn Speight served as a journalist in Australia over an extensive period, working on newspapers and for the Australian Broadcasting Commission. On his retirement he became senor tutor in the Communication and Mass Media Department of the School of English, Macquarie University.
- Notes:
-
- Recorded 23-24 January 1974 at Mel Pratt's home, Canberra, A.C.T.
- Also available online http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214884592
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Timed summary and transcript (169 p.) available.
- Subject:
- Other authors/contributors:
- Pratt, Mel, -1986, interviewer
- Related Records:
-
This belongs to the Mel Pratt collection.
This collection contains 99 records. - Copyright:
-
In Copyright
You may copy under some circumstances, for example you may copy a portion for research or study. Order a copy through Copies Direct to the extent allowed under fair dealing. Contact us for further information about copying.
- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2044 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 1974
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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