Mark Riley (journalist)

Mark Riley is an Australian journalist, who is chief political reporter for Seven News based in Canberra.[1]

His journalistic tactics have been widely criticised in the Australian media.[2][3]

Career

Riley started his journalism career in 1979 at The Newcastle Herald,[4] where he covered topics including the 1989 Newcastle earthquake and the murder of Leigh Leigh.

Controversy over victim blaming

Riley's extended coverage of Leigh's murder received criticism, including from the Sydney Law Review and The Australian Feminist Law Journal. One of Riley's articles, described as "disturbing" and "journalistic voyeurism",[2] was said to focus on blaming Leigh for her own sexual assault and murder.[5][6]

Late 1990s to present

Mark soon moved to The Sydney Morning Herald, where he worked in politics. In 1998, Riley was appointed New York correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and for Melbourne's The Age.[7]

Riley jointly won a Walkley Award in 1999 for his part in the SMH team's coverage of East Timor's independence.[8] Riley provided many reports for both newspapers on the 11 September terrorist attacks.[7] Returning to Australia in 2002, Riley became the Sydney Morning Herald's Chief Political Correspondent. In this position he provided commentary from Parliament House.[4]

In 2004, Mark joined the Seven Network and was appointed political editor for Seven News.

Riley regularly provides live commentary on Sunrise and various Seven News bulletins.

His journalistic approach came under fire yet again in 2011, when he was accused of ambushing the then Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott.[3]

Personal life

Mark is married to social commentator Suzanne Mostyn and they have two children.

References

  1. ↑ Meade, Amanda: Poll shapes up as battle of TV journos, The Australian, 26 July 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Carrington, Kerry (24 July 1998). Who Killed Leigh Leigh?. Sydney, New South Wales: Random House Australia. pp. 129–135. ISBN 978-0-09-183708-2.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Reporter denies Abbott 'ambush' amid anger over Digger remark". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Overington, Caroline: Ten questions: Mark Reilly, The Australian, 2 August 2010.
  5. ↑ Carrington, Kerry; Johnson, Andrew (August 1994). "Representations of crime, guilt and sexuality in the Leigh Leigh rape/ murder case". The Australian Feminist Law Journal (Taylor & Francis) 3 (29): 14.
  6. ↑ Morrow, Jonathon; San Roque, Mehera (1996). "In Her Death She Remains as the Limit of the System". Sydney Law Review 18 (4): 479.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Riley, Mark; Alcorn, Gay (2001). "September 11: The Terrorists and the Towers". Best Australian Essays (Black Inc.) 2001.
  8. ↑ Kirkpatrick, Rod: News media chronicle, July 1999 to June 2000, Australian Studies in Journalism, 9: 2000.