Set to retire at the end of the year, Graham opens up about the changing television landscape and the lessons learned over four decades at Seven.
In this special edition of MEDIA McKnight we celebrate the extraordinary career of my old boss at Channel Seven promos, Graham Donald.
Graham has spent his entire career at Seven, and after 45 years, has announced he will be retiring at the end of the year.
It’s hard to overstate the impact Graham has had during that time. He’s been there through the highs and the lows, and he’s helped shape the network for over four decades.
Graham joined me for an exclusive interview, which you can watch in the YouTube player below:
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:51 Can you believe 45 years at one company?
01:37 Starting as a trainee at Seven in the early ’80s
03:08 From pulling cables to revolutionising promos
05:03 The boss who shaped Graham’s career
08:09 Surviving the network politics
10:35 Seven’s “number two” attitude and the Big Brother panic
12:04 Blue Heelers: 2.5 million average, 3.5 million peak
13:31 Classic promo: Blue Heelers
16:55 The biggest misconception about network promos
23:24 Classic promo: Dancing with the Stars and Pauline Hanson
25:11 Why promo departments never leak
26:33 “Roast chook”: how a negative became Seven’s strength
30:14 The secret Y2K logo change
32:00 Lost, Desperate Housewives and becoming number one
34:05 What Graham is most proud of
37:59 Is Graham ready to retire?
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