Mark Colvin facts for kids

Mark Colvin (born 13 March 1952 – died 11 May 2017) was a well-known Australian journalist. He worked for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on radio and TV. Mark was famous for hosting PM, a radio news show, from 1997 to 2017. He was based in Sydney.

Mark Colvin's Journalism Career

Starting Out in Media

Mark Colvin finished his studies at Oxford University in England. He earned a degree in English literature. In 1974, he moved to Australia. He wasn't sure what job he wanted to do.

He started a training program with the ABC in 1974. In 1975, he joined the ABC's new rock music station, Double Jay (now Triple J). He was one of the first people to work there. He reported the news, interviewed people, and made special shows.

Reporting from Around the World

Mark was good at languages like French, Italian, and Spanish. This helped him a lot in his career. In 1980, when he was 28, Mark became a foreign correspondent in London. This meant he reported news from other countries.

He covered big stories like the American hostage crisis in Tehran. He also reported on the rise of Solidarity in Poland. This was a famous workers' movement.

Mark returned to Australia in 1983. He worked as a reporter for AM and PM. He then helped create a new midday radio news show called The World Today. Mark became its first host.

In 1984, he went to Brussels as the Europe correspondent. He reported on events as the Cold War started to end. He saw the beginning of changes that led to the Iron Curtain being lifted. The Iron Curtain was a political barrier that divided Europe.

Important TV Reports

From 1988 to 1992, Mark was a reporter for Four Corners. This is a well-known TV show. He made programs about many topics. These included the French massacre of Kanaks in New Caledonia. He also reported on the loss of Australia's animals. Another story was about the peace process in Cambodia.

His report on the famine in Ethiopia won a gold medal. This was at the New York Film Festival. It was also a runner-up for an International Emmy Award.

In 1992, Mark went back to London. He reported for TV shows like Foreign Correspondent, the 7.30 Report, and Lateline. His language skills helped him report on stories like Italian organized crime.

Health Challenges and Return to Radio

In 1994, Mark went to Africa for the 7.30 Report. He covered the terrible events in Rwanda. He saw many refugees living in difficult conditions.

While there, Mark became very sick. He was diagnosed with a rare illness that affected his blood vessels. It almost killed him. After months in the hospital, he found out his hip joints were damaged. He needed both hips replaced. He spent the next 18 months recovering in Europe.

In 1997, Mark returned to Sydney. He started his role as the host of ABC Radio's PM. In November 2017, Mark Colvin was honored. He was added to The Australian Media Hall of Fame.

Mark Colvin's Kidney Transplant

On 22 March 2013, Mark received a kidney transplant. He got a kidney from a living donor. Mark allowed the process to be filmed for TV.

In May 2013, the person who donated the kidney was revealed. It was Mary-Ellen Field. Mark had met her while reporting on people affected by the News of the World phone hacking scandal. Mary-Ellen had faced problems after details from her hacked phone were reported.

Mark and Mary-Ellen became friends. She decided to donate her kidney to him. Mark told his employer about their friendship. He stopped reporting on Mary-Ellen to avoid any conflict of interest. This means he made sure his personal connection didn't affect his work.

Mark also worked to raise awareness about organ donation. He did interviews with many media groups. He wanted more people to understand how important organ donation is.

Stage Play and Autobiography

Stage Play

The story of Mark's kidney donation became a stage play. It was called Mark Colvin's Kidney. The play was written by Tommy Murphy. It was performed by the Belvoir theatre company in Sydney.

Autobiography

In 2016, Mark Colvin wrote a book about his life. It was called Light and Shadow: Memoirs of a Spy's Son.

Mark Colvin's Family

Mark Colvin came from a family with a long history. His father, John Horace Ragnar Colvin, was a diplomat during the Cold War. Mark's mother was Elizabeth Anne Manifold. Her great-great-uncle was Viscount Bruce of Melbourne. He was a Prime Minister of Australia.

Mark Colvin was married twice. He married Michele Francesca McKenzie in 1987. They had two sons, Nicolas and William.

Mark Colvin's Death

Mark Colvin died on 11 May 2017. He was 65 years old. He passed away at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick. He had lived with the rare auto-immune condition, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, for over twenty years. This condition caused his kidney failure in 2011.

After his kidney transplant, Mark was diagnosed with melanoma. Then, in 2017, he was diagnosed with lung cancer that could not be operated on. Mark asked that anyone who wanted to remember him donate to the Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation.