Charles Moses

Sir Charles Moses CBE (21 January 1900 – 9 February 1988) was a British-born Australian administrator who headed the Australian Broadcasting Commission (later to become the Australian Broadcasting Corporation) from 1935 until 1965.

Biography and Career

Charles Moses was born in Little Hulton, Lancashire, England. Educated at Oswestry School, Moses graduated from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1918 and emigrated to Australia in 1922. After a few years as a farmer and seller of cars, he joined the ABC in 1930 as a radio sports announcer, although the first broadcast was not made until 1 July 1932. In 1935, he was promoted to General Manager. In 1942, he escaped from Singapore with General Gordon Bennett. With the arrival of television in Australia in 1956, he oversaw the ABC's move to provide Australia's first national television service, ABC-TV, in time for the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.

Moses retired in 1965 and was succeeded as head of the ABC by Sir Talbot Duckmanton. He was made a Commander of the Order of British Empire (CBE) in 1954 and was knighted in 1961.

From 1965 to 1977, Moses served as the first Secretary-General of the Asian Broadcasting Union (now known as the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union), a non-profit professional association of broadcasters.

Death and legacy

He died in Sydney in 9 February, 1988, aged 88. The Charles Moses Stadium at the Sydney Showground at Sydney Olympic Park is named in his honor.

References

• Inglis, Ken S., This Is the ABC 1932 – 1983, Black Inc 2006
• Inglis, Ken S., Whose ABC? 1983 – 2006, Black Inc 2006
• Global Media Journal: A Biography of Sir Charles Moses