When Graham White sat down in 1968 to create what would become one of Australian television's most beloved series, he had a simple but revolutionary idea: show city dwellers the real stories of people living on the land.
That decision launched A Big Country, a program that would run for 23 years and forever change how urban Australia understood rural life.
White, the pioneering television executive credited with establishing some of the ABC's most iconic series, died peacefully at home on 21 September, aged 93, just a few weeks after passing his driver's licence test.
For many Australians over 60, White's work shaped their viewing habits for decades. His fingerprints were on everything from Countdown's revolutionary music programming to Rush's gritty police dramas, but it was A Big Country that he considered his proudest achievement.
From Olympic commentary to television history
White's television career began during the golden age of Australian broadcasting. He held several senior ABC roles, including head of rural broadcasting from 1953, controller of TV programs from 1971, and general manager of ABC television from 1973—a position he held for 10 years.
He also worked as a TV producer-director and was one of three Melbourne Cricket Ground commentators at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.
Those Olympics were a defining moment for Australian television, broadcast to an estimated 90,000 television sets across the nation. White's commentary helped introduce a generation of Australians to the power of live television broadcasting.
'I had seen a wonderful series on Canadian television titled This Land Of Ours. I copied it in many ways'
The program that painted rural Australia 'larger than life'
A Big Country proved to be television gold. Running from 1968 to 1991, the series produced 370 episodes across 32 series, broadcasting in prime time to consistently high ratings and winning international awards.
Each week, A Big Country documented the lives of rural Australians from across the country, explaining to city people the world of those living on the land through compelling personal stories.
The show's success wasn't accidental. Stories were discovered by ABC rural officers living and broadcasting locally across the country, who would pass them on to the Big Country unit back in Sydney.
The program trained generations of documentary filmmakers, including legendary filmmaker Bob Connolly, who cut his teeth on these 30-minute documentaries.
Each program was made with a producer, reporter, sound recordist and camera operator, and in the days when the ABC still trained crews, there would also be a camera assistant learning on the job.
Graham White's television legacy
A Big Country (1968-1991): 370 episodes documenting rural Australia
Countdown: Revolutionary music program that launched in 1974
Rush: Acclaimed police drama series
First ABC shop opened in Sydney (1982)
Trained generations of documentary filmmakers
Established satellite services for remote Australia
The man who brought television to the bush
White understood that television could be a powerful force for connecting Australia's vast distances. As former colleague and executive producer of ABC Rural in South Australia Ian Doyle noted, White recognised that regional Australia would benefit greatly from access to the national broadcaster.
'He got the government to provide a satellite service, which then made the footprint even wider, giving the remotest areas of outback Australia TV.'
This vision extended beyond entertainment. In an era when many rural Australians felt disconnected from national conversations, White's programming helped bridge the urban-rural divide that still challenges Australian society today.
A reporter who took on corruption
White's journalism sometimes put him in dangerous situations. He became embroiled in a controversy that led to a royal commission into price fixing at Melbourne Markets after discovering agents were supplying the ABC with false prices.
The scheme was designed to mislead growers into believing their produce had sold for low prices, while agents then sold the same produce for often three times as much. When White refused to broadcast the fraudulent prices, he faced serious threats.
'One of the agents said, 'If you go on broadcasting those real prices, the bale hook won't stop here and they'll dig you out of the sand in the bottom of Port Philip Bay,'' White recalled in an interview recorded a decade ago.
His courage in exposing this corruption demonstrated the investigative journalism principles that would later influence programs across the ABC network.
Graham White's lasting impact on Australian television
- Created A Big Country, which ran for 23 years and connected urban and rural Australia
- Established satellite broadcasting to reach remote communities
- Trained generations of Australian documentary filmmakers
- Pioneered the ABC shop concept, opening the first store in 1982
- Helped launch iconic programs including Countdown and Rush
- Maintained journalistic integrity even when threatened
Beyond the bush: building a television empire
White was influential in establishing other iconic series including Countdown and Rush. Countdown, which launched in 1974, became a cultural phenomenon that introduced Australian audiences to both local and international music acts. The show's impact on Australian youth culture cannot be overstated—it was appointment television for teenagers across the nation.
After opening the first ABC shop in Sydney in 1982, White continued his media innovation. Following his departure from the ABC, he worked for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in South America and the Pacific region, bringing his storytelling skills to international development work.
In 1981, he was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contribution to Australian television.
A philosophy for life
White's approach to life was as thoughtful as his approach to television. In a note to his family that perfectly captured his outlook, he wrote: 'Enjoy life. Have no regrets. No one wants to die.
Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there, but death is the destination we all will share.
No one has ever escaped it, and in a way, it is as it should be. It is referred to as the change agent, it clears out the old among us and makes way for the new... you.'
His daughter Leanne White said it was a peaceful end, with palliative care provided during his final hours at home.
A legacy that lives on
A Big Country became the precursor to Landline, which continues today, proving the enduring appeal of White's vision for connecting Australians across the urban-rural divide.
The programs White championed reflected his understanding that television could be more than entertainment—it could be a bridge between different worlds, a teacher, and a celebration of the Australian spirit.
In an era of endless streaming options and fragmented audiences, his commitment to programs that brought all Australians together feels particularly relevant.
For viewers who remember settling in on Sunday nights to watch A Big Country's latest story from the outback, or teenagers who never missed Countdown, Graham White's passing marks the end of an era when television truly had the power to unite the nation around shared stories.
What This Means For You
Did Graham White's programs shape your view of rural Australia? Do you have memories of watching A Big Country or Countdown during their heyday? Share your thoughts about how these groundbreaking shows influenced your understanding of the country we call home.
Original Article
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-24/graham-white-abc-tv-and-radio-pioneer-dies-at-93/105806806
Vale: Graham White | TV Tonight
Cited text: Pioneering television executive Graham White, credited with establishing some of the ABC’s most iconic television series, has died, aged 93. He died a...
Excerpt: White, the pioneering television executive credited with establishing some of the ABC's most iconic series, died peacefully at home on September 21, aged 93, just a few weeks after passing his driver's licence test.
https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/09/vale-graham-white.html
Vale: Graham White | TV Tonight
Cited text: White held several senior ABC roles, including head of rural broadcasting from 1953, controller of TV programs from 1971, and general manager of ABC t...
Excerpt: White's television career began during the golden age of Australian broadcasting.
https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/09/vale-graham-white.html
A Big Country—Wikipedia
Cited text: 370 episodes each of 30 minutes were produced in 32 series between 1968 and 1991 and were screened on the ABC network in prime time to high ratings.
Excerpt: A Big Country proved to be television gold. Running from 1968 to 1991, the series produced 370 episodes across 32 series, broadcasting in prime time to consistently high ratings and winning international awards.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Big_Country
A Big Country (1968—1991)
Cited text: For over 20 years A Big Country broadcast 370 programs in 32 series on prime time ABC television, winning awards and high ratings.
Excerpt: A Big Country proved to be television gold. Running from 1968 to 1991, the series produced 370 episodes across 32 series, broadcasting in prime time to consistently high ratings and winning international awards.
https://aso.gov.au/titles/series/big-country/
A Big Country (1968—1991)
Cited text: Each week, A Big Country documented the lives of rural Australians from across the country, and through those stories explained to city people the wor...
Excerpt: Each week, A Big Country documented the lives of rural Australians from across the country, explaining to city people the world of those living on the land through compelling personal stories.
https://aso.gov.au/titles/series/big-country/
A Big Country (1968—1991)
Cited text: Often, the stories were discovered by ABC rural officers living and broadcasting locally across the country, who would pass them on to the Big Country...
Excerpt: Stories were discovered by ABC rural officers living and broadcasting locally across the country, who would pass them on to the Big Country unit back in Sydney.
https://aso.gov.au/titles/series/big-country/
A Big Country (1968—1991)
Cited text: The program trained generations of documentary filmmakers including the legendary Bob Connolly who cut his teeth on these 30 minute documentaries deve...
Excerpt: The program trained generations of documentary filmmakers, including legendary filmmaker Bob Connolly, who cut his teeth on these 30-minute documentaries.
https://aso.gov.au/titles/series/big-country/
Vale: Graham White | TV Tonight
Cited text: He was influential in the establishment of Countdown, A Big Country, and Rush, and in 1981.
Excerpt: White was influential in establishing other iconic series including Countdown and Rush.
https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/09/vale-graham-white.html
Vale: Graham White | TV Tonight
Cited text: He opened the first ABC shop in Sydney in 1982 and, after leaving the ABC, he worked for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in South...
Excerpt: After opening the first ABC shop in Sydney in 1982, White continued his media innovation.
https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/09/vale-graham-white.html
Vale: Graham White | TV Tonight
Cited text: In a memoir, Mr White described the creation of A Big Country, the precursor to Landline, as a highlight.
Excerpt: A Big Country became the precursor to Landline, which continues today,
https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/09/vale-graham-white.html
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Condolences to his loved ones 
️ to shine bright in the night sky.
and comfort be extended to your loved ones.
