Ian Cross facts for kids

Ian Robert Cross (born 6 November 1925 – died 2 November 2019) was an important New Zealand writer, journalist, and leader in broadcasting. He made a big difference to New Zealand's literature and media. His first novel, The God Boy, came out in 1957 and was very popular. He also wrote After ANZAC Day (1961) and The Family Man (1993).

Early Life and Career

Ian Cross was born in Masterton, New Zealand. He went to school at Wanganui Technical College. After finishing school, he became a newspaper reporter. He worked for The Dominion newspaper from 1943 to 1947. He was also the main reporter there from 1951 to 1956.

He worked for other newspapers too. He was a reporter for the Panamá América from 1947 to 1949. Then he worked for the Southern Cross, which was a newspaper for the New Zealand Labour Party. Later, from 1961 to 1972, he was a public relations manager for Feltex New Zealand. This job involved helping the company look good to the public.

Contributions to Literature and Media

Ian Cross did a lot for New Zealand's books and writing. He was part of many different groups and shared his ideas about literature. He also had several important jobs at the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC). The NZBC was New Zealand's main TV and radio company.

From 1973 to 1977, he was the editor of the New Zealand Listener magazine. This meant he was in charge of what went into the magazine. He then became the leader of the NZBC from 1977 to 1984. After that, he was the main boss, or chief executive, from 1984 to 1986.

Ian Cross also led several other important groups. He was the president of PEN, a writers' association, from 1968 to 1972. He also led the QEII Arts Council and the National Commission for UNESCO during the same time. These roles showed his dedication to arts and culture.

Awards and Recognition

Ian Cross received several special awards and opportunities. In 1954 and 1955, he had a special fellowship in journalism at Harvard University in the United States. This allowed him to study and learn more about journalism. In 1959, he received the Robert Burns Fellowship at the University of Otago in New Zealand.

He also won The Atlantic Monthly short story prize in 1956 for his writing. In 1988, he wrote a non-fiction book about his life called The Unlikely Bureaucrat. He released another memoir, Such Absolute Beginners, in 2007.

In 1994, Ian Cross was given a special honour. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. This award was for his great work in broadcasting and literature.

Personal Life

Ian Cross married Tui Tunnicliffe in 1952. They had four sons together. He passed away in Paraparaumu on 2 November 2019. His wife, Tui, had passed away just one month before him.