David Leckie was the best communicator I have ever met

David Leckie at his home in Centennial Park in Sydney. Picture: Adam Yip

Australian free-to-air television is as good as any in the world and one of the reasons for that was the contribution of David Leckie who led both the Nine and Seven networks to the number one position in the television ratings. Billionaires like Kerry Packer and Kerry Stokes paid handsomely for his services and he was worth every penny. He could be irascible, cranky, irritating and a royal pain in the bum. He was also fiercely loyal and absolutely brilliant in his chosen field. Humour was never his strong point but he was a master communicator.

Another of his qualities was courage, which he had in spades. Standing up to Kerry Packer was no easy task but Leckie did it regularly. He copped plenty of vivid criticism from Packer but was undaunted when it came to defending any member of his staff. No matter how much abuse was uttered in his direction, he would stand his ground. Packer would often speak of him in disparaging terms and in the world that Packer created around himself, that usually meant you got sacked. Kerry Packer may not have liked Leckie but he was too smart to let that get in the road of making a quid. Leckie was a true master at doing just that.

While his temperament would have prevented him from entering politics, his sense of what the average citizen wanted to watch on television was downright extraordinary. He was every bit as good as a Hawke or a Wran in understanding the mob. His gruff exterior hid a warmth he rarely allowed to escape into the public arena. At his wife Skye’s 60th birthday party he made one of the most moving speeches I had ever heard. So tenderly and proudly did he speak of his sons that a large room crowded with more than 150 people went completely silent. He also showed us that he was a formidable orator whose choice of words was spectacularly good. It is safe to say that in a dozen lifetimes you would not meet his equal when it came to being a communicator.

He knew what would make good television in the eyes of the average punter, too. Having led Nine while it was number one he moved to Seven and took it to the top also. He picked two new shows that rocketed Seven upwards in the ratings. Lost and Desperate Housewives were massively successful and their arrival at Seven sent the station skyrocketing and their next few seasons kept it there. Wherever he went success followed him hard on his heels. Even after he left his last full-time gig at Seven, he was still in demand as a consultant. The new bosses knew that they needed Leckie because no one disputed that he was the best.

The stations he led were never accused of political bias because he was scrupulous in ensuring that such an accusation could not be made. Unlike some sections of the media, employment remained steady at Leckie-run stations. He knew how to smooth the difficult temperaments of some of the stars he worked with and how to kick them where it hurts if they misbehaved. His interest in ensuring that the nightly news was relevant and up to date also built up the bottom line. He worked well with another legendary figure in Peter Meakin at both Seven and Nine. Brian Henderson, Australia’s most famous and loved newsreader, also worked well with him.

Above all, though, David Leckie was my friend and I will miss him terribly. To Skye, Ben, Harry and family I extend my sincerest condolences.

At the turning on of the television tonight, I will remember you.