David Koch (television presenter)
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 David Koch and Melissa Doyle hosting Sunrise |
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| Born: | 7 March 1956 |
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| Occupation: | Seven Network Journalist financial commentator |
David James Koch, (pronounced Kosh, nicknamed Kochie, born 7 March 1956), is an Australian television personality, and financial commentator. He currently presents Seven Network's Sunrise morning program each weekday, as co-host with Melissa Doyle. Koch and Doyle also co-host another Channel 7 production Where Are They Now?. Koch hosts Australia's top-rated small business show, My Business, which airs on Sundays on Channel 7.
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[edit] Financial journalism
Koch founded Personal Investment magazine and My Business magazine, the largest-circulation small business magazine in Australia. He also provides business and financial commentary for several publications, including Pacific Magazines and AFR Investor. He was formerly associated with Palamedia, a media organisation devoted to business and financial news.
Koch was a director of the NSW Small Business Development Corporation for eight years after its inception in 1996. As a former business owner and operator and now director of Pinstripe Media Pty Ltd (the producers of My Business TV), David speaks regularly at corporate events about small business, finance and investment issues.
[edit] Recognition
Nominated for a Silver Logie in 2004 and 2005 for Best TV Presenter, Koch has helped Seven and Sunrise's ratings against the Nine Network's Today program.
In a survey conducted by Money Management newspaper, his peers recognised Koch as one of the 10 most influential people of all time in the financial services industry. Koch has written several practical books on family and business financial management. He has also published a book of jokes which he compiled from his daily joke segment on TV.
"Kochie" as he is known, is frequently parodied on the television show Comedy Inc., played by Paul McCarthy. Reader's Digest listed him in the top 25 Most Trusted Australians.
[edit] Criticism
Since leading the Sunrise program to ratings success over rival Nine Network program Today, Koch has become a frequent target for criticism from management and on-air talent from the rival network.
In April 2006, Koch walked the Kokoda Track in remembrance of Anzac Day. He was accompanied by his son A.J; his brother and nephew; fellow newsreader Natalie Barr's husband Andrew; politicians Joe Hockey and Kevin Rudd, and Rudd's son. Their journey was documented for Sunrise and finished with a televised ANZAC day service, during which Koch's group controversially wore t-shirts advertising Channel Seven, which were prominently visible in the Sunrise program's broadcast. Koch strenuously denied any impropriety.
In May 2006, Koch and Sunrise program co-host Melissa Doyle were acquitted of contempt charges in a Melbourne Local Court. The charge arose after the name of a 14-year-old boy was published in a case in which the boy sought a guardianship order against his parents. The Seven Network and the show's producer were found guilty of the offence and convicted.[1] Both Koch and Doyle asserted their innocence of the charge on the basis that as television presenters, they were not acting as "journalists" at the time of the offending broadcast.
On May 9, 2006, Koch covered the Beaconsfield mine rescue live from Beaconsfield when the trapped miners Todd Russell and Brant Webb were rescued. Koch entered the ambulance that was transporting Todd Russell to hospital, explaining later that Russell, being a fan of Sunrise, had invited him to do so. Some media commentators accused Koch and Channel 7 of "ambulance chasing". Koch later appeared on the ABC's The Glass House and talked about the incident, defending his actions.
[edit] Trivia
- Koch is the nephew of Sir Eric Neal.
- Eldest daughter, Samantha, is a finance journalist for the Bloomberg Financial Network in Hong Kong.
- In 2005, he and his daughter Brie climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Their journey was documented in segments on Sunrise.
| Preceded by Chris Reason |
Sunrise Co-Host with Melissa Doyle {{{years}}} |
Succeeded by incumbent |
| Preceded by Andrew Robertson |
Sky News Business Anchor with Michael Pascoe {{{years}}} |
Succeeded by Brook Forster |
| SUNRISE PRESENTERS |
|---|
| Darren MacDonald - Peter Foord - Chris Bath - Georgie Gardner - Mark Beretta - Melissa Doyle - Chris Reason - David Koch - Natalie Barr |
