Mal Walden is a former English-born Australian retired journalist and television news presenter based in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. On his retirement, he was reported to be the longest continually serving face on Australian television with a media career spanning six decades. Walden was the main presenter of the

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

Melbourne program ''Seven National News'' from 1978 to 1987 and the

Ten Network Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...

program ''

Ten Eyewitness News ''10 News First'' is an Australian television newscast, produced by Network 10. The network's ninety-minute long news program airs at 5pm each evening covering local, national and world news, including sport and weather. Weekend editions are p ...

'' from 1987 until 2013. Walden was farewelled at State Parliament hosted by Premier Denis Napthine and awarded a lifetime achievement quill by the Melbourne Press Club. Since his retirement Walden has published five books: a memoir ''The Newsman'', and ''Good News'', a selection of stories that shaped the city of Melbourne, "Don't Piss in my Pocket" a book of quotes, 'Crazy Aussie Crims" and "Aussie Icons and Legends".

Career

Walden started his media career at radio station 3YB-FM at

Warrnambool, Victoria Warrnambool (Maar: ''Peetoop'' or ''Wheringkernitch'' or ''Warrnambool'') is a city on the south-western coast of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 census, Warrnambool had a population of 35,743. Situated on the Princes Highway, Warrnambool (All ...

, in 1961, he worked as a cadet journalist in radio. After joining radio station 3DB, Walden moved to television to sister station

HSV-7 HSV is a television station in Melbourne, Australia. It is part of the Seven Network, one of the three main commercial television networks in Australia, its first and oldest station. It launched in time for the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melb ...

in early 1970 as a reporter. One of his first assignments was to go to Darwin to report on the devastation of

Cyclone Tracy Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from 24 to 26 December 1974. The small, developing easterly storm had been observed passing clear of the city initially, but then turned t ...

which ripped through the tropical city on 25 December 1974 (

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

). In 1978, he became the first working journalist appointed chief news presenter at Seven Network studio. HSV-7, replacing Brian Naylor who had moved to rival

Nine Network The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...

station

GTV-9 GTV is a commercial television station in Melbourne, Australia, owned by the Nine Network. The station is currently based at studios at 717 Bourke Street, Docklands. History GTV-9 was amongst the first television stations to begin regular ...

. On 27 March 1987, Walden was sacked by new management after HSV-7 was taken over by the Fairfax group. He was told of his dismissal only minutes before going on air to present what became his final news bulletin for the station. Exactly a month later, Mal joined the Ten Network program. ''Eyewitness News'' team at

ATV-10 ATV is a television station in Melbourne, Australia, part of Network 10 – one of the three major Australian free-to-air commercial television networks. The station is owned by Paramount Networks UK & Australia. History In April 1963, the ...

as a reporter and presenter of the segment "Mal's Melbourne", presenting human interest stories. Walden continued as relieving news presenter, reporter and weekend news presenter at ATV-10, as well as presenting special programming such as

Young Australian of the Year The Australian of the Year is a national award conferred on an Australian citizen by the National Australia Day Council, a not-for-profit Australian Governmentowned social enterprise. Similar awards are also conferred at the State and Territo ...

and ''ATV-10's 30th Anniversary''. In 1996, Walden took on the role of chief news presenter after

David Johnston David Lloyd Johnston (born June 28, 1941) is a Canadian academic, author, and statesman who served from 2010 to 2017 as Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation. He is the commissioner of the Leaders' Debates Commis ...

announced his return to HSV-7. He was appointed news presenter of the station's '' Ten News at Five'' alongside

Jennifer Hansen Jennifer Hansen is an Australian journalist and former news presenter on Network 10's ''Ten News'' in Melbourne. Alongside Mal Walden, the pair made history as the longest serving duo presenting news in Australia. Jennifer has co-hosted the br ...

and later

Helen Kapalos Helen Kapalos (born 17 March 1971) is an Australian journalist and television presenter. Kapalos is of Greek descent and the Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission; her four-year term commenced on 17 August 2015.

. In 2004, he published a detailed history of ATV-10 to commemorate the station's upcoming 40th anniversary. In September 2010, Walden was announced as presenter of Melbourne's 6:30 pm '' Ten Evening News'' bulletin which commenced in January 2011 but was axed four months later. After Helen Kapalos was dismissed in December 2012, Walden became solo presenter of ''Ten News at Five''. In 2006, Walden became the longest 'continually serving' face on Australian television, following 36 years presenting. In June 2013, Walden downscaled his role with Network Ten ahead of his intended retirement at the end of 2013 after 40 years as a news presenter and reporter. Walden became the Monday to Wednesday presenter with Stephen Quartermain presenting the Thursday and Friday night editions."Veteran Channel Ten newsreader Mal Walden to step down"
HeraldSun.com.au. 30 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013. On Wednesday 4 December 2013, he presented his last '' Ten Eyewitness News Melbourne'' bulletin thanking his family, past and present colleagues, station management and viewers.

Personal life

Walden and his wife Pauline Durham, who originally worked in the programming department at the Seven Network HSV-7 studio, have two adult children.Mal Walden profile
, ten.com.au; accessed 10 May 2015.

References

External links

news.com.au; accessed 10 May 2015. {{DEFAULTSORT:Walden, Mal Television personalities from Melbourne Journalists from Melbourne Living people Australian game show hosts Seven News presenters 10 News First presenters Australian broadcast news analysts Australian reporters and correspondents People educated at Mentone Grammar School 1943 births