Ray Martin (television presenter) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ray Martin AM
Martin in 2013
Born	Raymond George Grace (1944-12-20) 20 December 1944 (age 80) Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
Education	University of Sydney
Occupation	Journalist, television presenter
Years active	1965–present
Known for	Four Corners This Day Tonight Midday with Ray Martin (1985–1993) Ray Martin Presents Up Close and Personal The Ray Martin Show 60 Minutes Carols by Candlelight (1990–2007) A Current Affair (1994–1998; 2003–2005)
Awards	Gold Logie Award (1987; 1993–1996) for his role on Midday and A Current Affair

Ray Martin (born Raymond George Grace on 20 December 1944) is a famous Australian television journalist and presenter. He has won the prestigious Gold Logie Award five times. This makes him one of the most awarded stars in Australian television history.

Ray Martin is well-known for his many roles on Channel Nine since 1978. He was a popular host of the talk show The Midday Show. He also spent a lot of time on the current affairs program A Current Affair. In 2011, he returned to 60 Minutes, a show he helped start.

Early Life and Education

Ray Martin was born Raymond George Grace in Richmond, Australia. He was the youngest of four children and the only son in his family. Around 1955, his mother changed the family's last name to Martin. This was to help her and the children move away from a difficult family situation. They moved many times, living in places like Adelaide and Tasmania.

In the early 1990s, Ray Martin discovered something special about his family history. He learned that his great-great-grandmother was an Indigenous Australian woman. She was from the Kamilaroi nation, which is near Gunnedah.

Ray Martin went to Launceston College. He then studied engineering at the University of Sydney on a scholarship. However, he decided to change his path. He chose to study to become an English and history teacher instead. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1967.

Media Career Highlights

Ray Martin started his career in television in 1965. He joined the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in Sydney as a cadet. In 1969, he became the ABC's correspondent in New York City. For the next 10 years, he covered many important events. These included race riots, protests against the Vietnam War, and Olympic Games. He also reported on presidential elections for news and current affairs shows. Some of these shows were Four Corners and This Day Tonight.

Joining Channel Nine

In 1978, Ray Martin moved to the Nine Network. He helped launch the popular show 60 Minutes. He worked alongside other reporters like George Negus and Ian Leslie.

From 1985 to 1993, he hosted Midday with Ray Martin. This was a daily variety show. He also hosted special programs like Ray Martin Presents and Up Close and Personal. On these shows, he interviewed many famous celebrities. Some of them included Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robin Williams, and Madonna.

Later Roles and Special Reports

Ray Martin hosted A Current Affair from 1994 to 1998. After that, he presented three different series. These were Our Century, The Great Debates, and Simply the Best. He then returned to 60 Minutes to work on special reports. In 2003, he became the host of A Current Affair again.

In December 2005, it was announced that he would become the Nine Network's Senior Reporter. He helped report on major events, such as the tsunami disaster in 2005. Tracy Grimshaw took over as host of A Current Affair in 2006. Ray Martin continued as a senior correspondent for Channel Nine.

He has also hosted many other big television events. These include the Logie Awards, Commonwealth Games, and World Cup Cricket. He also covered the aftermath of the 11 September terrorist attacks. In 2007, he became a co-host of the program Sunday.

Leaving and Returning to TV

Ray Martin left the Nine Network in February 2008. This was reportedly due to disagreements about budget cuts.

In October 2008, Ray Martin spoke about journalism at the annual Andrew Olle Media Lecture. He talked about how news coverage was becoming less serious.

Since 2014, Ray Martin has presented the SBS series First Contact. In 2015, he appeared on the Australian version of Who Do You Think You Are?. This show explores people's family history. In 2017, he hosted Look Me In The Eye.

In 2018, Ray Martin became a presenter on the Nine Network's travel series Helloworld. In 2020, during the first Australian COVID-19 lockdowns, he presented the ABC comedy series At Home Alone Together. This show was a funny look at lifestyle television during the pandemic.

In 2024, Ray Martin presented a three-part SBS series called Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye. This series looked at different ways people deal with death and funerals.

Awards and Honours

Ray Martin has received many awards for his work in television.

National Recognition

In 2010, Ray Martin was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This honour was for his service to the community. He helped many charitable, Indigenous, health, and sporting groups. He also received the Centenary Medal in 2001.

In 2018, Australia Post released a special collection of stamps. Ray Martin's portrait was featured on one of these stamps. This was part of a series honouring legends of Australian television. He also has a star on the Caloundra Walk of Stars, which he received in 2007.

Personal Life

Ray Martin is married to Dianne Martin. They have two children together.

His parents separated when he was young. However, they never officially divorced. This was because of the strong social views about divorce at the time. His father passed away in the mid-1980s.

Interests and Community Work

Ray Martin is a big supporter of the South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL team. He is also a current board member for the team.

He has been involved with many important organizations. He was Chairman of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF). He also chaired The Fred Hollows Foundation. He has supported children's services at Royal North Shore Hospital. From 1991 to 2000, he was a member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. As of November 2020, he is an Ambassador for the AIEF.

He is also a Brand Tasmania Ambassador. For over 30 years, Ray Martin has supported the Humpty Dumpty Foundation. This children's charity helps sick children in hospitals across Australia.

Books by Ray Martin

• Ray: Stories of My Life (2009)
• Ray Martin's Favourites: The stories behind the legends (2011)

Philanthropy

Ray Martin has been a Patron of the Humpty Dumpty Foundation since 1990. He helps raise awareness for the foundation. He also hosts many of their events. He travels across Australia to meet with medical professionals and young hospital patients.

Ray Martin was a close friend of Fred Hollows. Because of this friendship, Ray became an ambassador and chairman for The Fred Hollows Foundation. He used his journalism career to help raise awareness for this international non-profit organization. The Fred Hollows Foundation teaches surgeons how to treat blindness that can be prevented. They work in communities that don't have many resources. They especially help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia.