In Andy Park’s 15-year, award-winning career as a broadcast journalist, the AFTRS alum has gone from radio to print, to television and back again, making his mark as a compelling storyteller. With roles at The Feed, SBS World News, ABC Television and The Age under his belt, and now taking the reigns as host of ABC’s Radio National Drive, Park has reported from fires, floods, and US aircraft carriers on everything from policy, politics, people and more. Speaking to AFTRS’ Alumni Program Manager Christine Kirkwood, Andy shares how he got his start in regional radio, the benefits of collaboration during his time at AFTRS, and his desire to remain curious, no matter the medium.
CHRISTINE KIRKWOOD: When you graduated from AFTRS in 2002, did you imagine your career unfolding as it has?
ANDY PARK: No. When I graduated my sole goal was to get a job. I was eager to get more experience and grow my confidence. My first gig was at 2ST/Power FM Nowra where my first shift was Sunday morning hosting the Buy/Swap/Sell segment. It’s basically like the Trading Post or Facebook Marketplace on air. I would take calls about people’s tinnies or trailers for sale. It was actually really fun. At the time it was a very necessary meeting place for people and it was wildly popular.
I took up radio because people told me I had a good voice. But in the beginning, I had nothing to say. So that’s why I studied journalism [at RMIT] later. I was interested in storytelling, and I was curious, but I didn’t have the right ingredients. I started with presentation skills but I didn’t really know what to present. When I look back now I feel very lucky having the opportunities I’ve had. After 15 years in journalism, I can now say I have strong opinions and a lot to say.
CK: Were you one of those kids who walked around interviewing family members or pretending you had your own TV show?
AP: No, I wasn’t. I preferred taking the radio apart to see how it worked. I did like asking questions though and following my curiosity. I forgot about my curiosity when I worked in TV because it is so process-driven. But radio is curiosity-driven. That’s what I love about my job now. I’ve come full circle.
CK: One of your best-known and most controversial pieces is Unattended Death, the story you produced for The Feed/SBS in 2014. Do you think this was your most powerful story, in terms of response, and was it just as powerful in the ways it affected you personally?
AP: That story affected me deeply. I had the woman’s diaries in my house for a couple of weeks afterwards and the pages smelled like death. I remember reading them over and over and getting quite involved in her life. It’s a good example of a life no one took notice of. It turned out to be a wonderful life and a sad life and an interesting life but no one would have known that without this story. It did cause some reaction and blowback but it also shed light on the growing epidemic of elderly people dying alone. The term ‘unattended death’ was coined around that time. It was part of a zeitgeist of stories around aged care that lead to the royal commission into aged care.
CK: You have reported extensively on climate change, what do we still need to learn about how our world is changing?
AP: You can only empathise with the climate scientists who have been telling us to take action for decades. And for so long there was no action from the private sector that it did feel hopeless. But I became interested at a time when markets were moving, investment in renewables was kicking off and corporations began making choices based on conscience. The story has become less about ‘grief over the reef’ and more about the possibility of free-market solutions which is a cause for optimism. If there’s one area that can get things done it’s the free market when it’s held to account. I’ve become really interested in this space, in particular the energy sector, as that’s where we’ve got the most to gain. I’m a father of two young daughters. I’m trying to be a good ancestor. I want them to look back and know their mother and I did as much as we could and were part of the solution.
CK: How does the immediacy of the drive slot on Radio National feel after a long stint in television?
AP: So good! Radio is so immediate compared to TV which can feel quite formulaic after making it for some time. I felt like I started to use people like paintbrushes rather than see them as deeply nuanced beings that want to express things in their own way. I got used to filing stories every two weeks in TV, whereas every day is different in radio. In one day I might have to be across topics like the religious discrimination bill, master builders taking industrial action, or the government’s nuclear submarine purchases. It’s a much broader remit. Also, Covid had a big impact on how we were able to make television and to some extent killed my passion for it. I was forced to make TV in my garage for two years which was tough. I got into TV to seek out amazing places and people and tell their stories and wasn’t able to do that properly. Radio became more and more important during the pandemic as it’s a powerful way for people to connect without being as tactile. My role on RN is a great opportunity and the station really fosters curiosity, which is what I’m all about.
.@rndrive live now on day one of #election2022 #auspol pic.twitter.com/kPkjqjB0Yd
— Andy Park (@andy_park) April 11, 2022
CK: How did you prepare yourself to step into a show with such a devoted following? [Patricia Karvelas hosted RN Drive between 2015 and 2021].
AP: I think people who always listened to RN will continue to listen. There is a broader audience we are trying to reach now though, with a wider variety of topics. What we hear is that our audience is thirsty for in-depth policy conversations. They don’t want the election treated like a horse race or entertainment. They want depth in the discussion and where else can you do that in the current media landscape? We’re very lucky to be able to do that on RN Drive. We can spend 15 minutes talking about climate change or other election issues that don’t get coverage in mainstream media. These issues are not about innate conflict or binary choices, they are more nuanced and our audience is aware of that. But in terms of preparation, you can’t prepare! I just have to trust that we’ve got a good team that has been working on the show for longer than I have, and go with them. You can’t always get it right. I’ve made mistakes and learned from them. People want someone who’s relatable and is good company and I hope I am that for our listeners.
CK: What tips do you have for up-and-coming journalists in terms of how to remain calm and politically neutral when you are faced with difficult interviews such as politicians who may be shirking answers? For example, when you spoke to Liberal candidate Andrew Constance for Radio National.
AP: You’ve got to remain professional no matter what. You are going to come up against people who are utterly loathsome. I have that experience regularly. So to be professional you have to step back and put your own biases aside. But that doesn’t mean putting aside your passion for the topic. The best journalists read about topics because they’re interested, not just because they’re assigned to them. To sum it up: be professional but remain passionate.
CK: What have you learnt from the artists you’ve interviewed, such as musician Dan Sultan?
AP: Having longer-form conversations with artists has been an unexpected joy I’ve found in the role. I love having the luxury of letting the conversation flow and seeing where it goes. Dan Sultan was great. I was also excited to speak to William Crighton. I love the way he captures his hometown of Cessnock in his songs, and writes about folkloric Australia. Being able to talk to cultural leaders from music, theatre, literature, fine arts has been a wonderful surprise to me.
CK: What is your fondest AFTRS memory?
AP: While at AFTRS I was lucky enough to get to know students in other disciplines and ended up working on various projects outside of my radio course. I hosted experimental TV shows and featured in short films. I still run into those creators. Just the other day I stumbled across a low budget film shoot in the tunnel near central station, being directed by one of the TV graduates from my time. It was really inspiring to see him still creating and experimenting with something new.
CK: Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
AP: I started in radio, then went to newspapers, then television. All three of those industries have been in decline, probably due to my participation (!) but I feel like it’s hard to predict what medium your skills will be utilised in. I didn’t think I’d come back to radio, as I became obsessed with visual storytelling and thought television was where I’d stay. But who could have predicted Covid and how it would limit visual storytelling? What’s most important to me, no matter what the medium, is to remain curious and I hope I continue being so.
