He’s just as excited telling me about the moment,as a rookie broadcaster on the ABC,he introduced the moon landing – “I actually got to say,‘Now,we’re crossing to Cape Canaveral for the pictures!’” – as he is talking about a neighbour’s husky he’s recently been walking.
This year newsreader Peter Hitchener celebrates half a century at Nine.Martin Philbey/Nine
“I’ve got some lovely new photographs of her and she’s beautiful,” he says,grinning. “She has one electric blue eye and one that’s brown. She’s just gorgeous!”
The 77-year-old Order of Australia recipient admonishes himself for not yet uploading an image of the dog to his second Instagram account,. The page features amateur snaps of “furry friends” he comes across through his charity work and personal life with wholesome captions like “hope you’re having a good day” and hashtags including “#havingfun #hopingyouarethesame”.
This is the kind of warmth that Victorian artist Vicki Sullivan was keen to capture in her new portrait50 Years of Good Evening,a “tribute” to the presenter who is this year celebrating 50 years at Channel Nine*,in his 58-year career. The portrait,which shows him towering over other Melbourne icons including Flinders Street Station,Federation Square and the MCG,will be entered in this year’s Archibald Prize.
“I really do think he’s a bit of a legend in the news reading world,” Sullivan says. “He is probably also one of the nicest[anchors]. He’s just got a lovely manner about him.”
Artist Vicki Sullivan with Peter Hitchener,and her portrait 50 Years of Good Evening.Supplied
That impression was formed over years of watching the evening news with her husband – the artist,who has painted other known figures like,makes a point of only choosing subjects she likes – but also from hosting him for the sitting and a private lunch.
“He is a very warm,caring person,” she says. “Very personable and easy and comfortable.”
Hitchener,or “Hitch” as he’s often called,is aware of his wholesome demeanour and reputation. In fact,he’s self-conscious it can come off as “sickly”. But,he says,it all comes from a desire to connect:“I think you have to share yourself with the audience in a way. Just be there. Be human.”
Melbourne news presenter Peter Hitchener attempts to rap,but he's not the first to lay down some rhymes on air.
During a broadcast,however,that can be a complicated proposition. Though he believes journalists shouldn’t be scared to show emotion – he recalls a producer “bursting into tears” as she gave him the copy to report the newsflash on Princess Diana’s death in 1997 – he’s adamant to never let on what he thinks about “contentious issues” or monopolise attention during a tragedy.
Now,more than a decade on,he’s hesitant to even speak about the on-the-ground reporting he did during the Black Saturday bushfires for fear mentioning the event could upset survivors and victims’ families.
Hitchener’s former colleague Brian Naylor,whom he replaced as chief weeknight newsreader upon Naylor’s retirement back in 1998,also died in the disaster.
“When things are just dreadful,you have to be objective and obviously appropriate,” he says. “Don’t share what you think because it’s not about you. It’s about the people who are suffering.”
Peter Hitchener,early in his career at Nine.Nine/Supplied
Bearing witness to tragedy is part of the job description for any news anchor. But this is why Hitch has always felt compelled to “grab on to the happy stories too”.
“If there’s an animal rescue or something that’s uplifting ... they’re terrific,” he says,exhaling sharply. “And that’s why sports are so important too:it gives people an opportunity to vent.” (Hitchener has plenty to vent about having supported St Kilda Football Club since 1974 – a club that has not won the flag since 1966.)
“If I could swap with somebody who’s looking for a job and get started all over again,I would”.
Peter Hitchener
Hitch has attracted plenty of attention for his attempts to bring this bright energy to the news desk over the years,most notably in 2016 when he rapped a news story about Vanilla Ice. But he also knows when to hold back. In 2009,the broadcaster went viral for keeping his cool when,midway through reporting on a murder,he appeared to be getting terrorised by a giant seagull.
Unlike some his age,Hitchener seems genuinely tickled by the concept of going viral – and is unfazed about the challenges new technology has brought for legacy media.
“I think things have always evolved,” he says. “You know,at one stage people said films were going to destroy the theatre. But no,theatre’s still going! ... We’ll always have free-to-air TV. It’s accessible. People know who we are. And it’s curated. It’s not something that could have been cooked up in someone’s bedroom on the other side of the world.”
It’s encouraging too,that he still seems to have a legion of young fans (no doubt helped in part by the way he engages with social media). “I would never claim to be a celebrity,” he says bashfully. “But people often seem to want selfies.”
In many ways,he says he’s envious of the younger generation who have so much excitement ahead of them – particularly those now getting a start in journalism,as difficult as it can be:“If I could swap with somebody who’s looking for a job and get started all over again,I would”.
With 9News presenter Alicia Loxley in line to replace him when he calls it a day,Hitch knows he’s “getting towards the pointy end of things”. But she may have to wait a while yet.
“I am going to keep on going until I drop,” he says with a trademark smile.
* Channel Nine is owned by Nine Entertainment Co.,which also owns this masthead.
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