4KQ News Director John Knox has been awarded the Centenary Medal for long service to Radio Broadcasting, nurturing young people and support for charity.
General Manager 4KQ/97.3 Peter Verhoeven told radioinfo:
“Considering John’s contribution to Broadcasting I am just delighted that he has been recognised not only for his service to the Broadcasting Industry but also
for nurturing young people and his continuous support for charity. I know that John’s family and the staff at 4KQ are very proud of his achievement and recognition.”
Knox was born in Sydney and, with his wife, Valma, has 4 children and 7 grandchildren.
Knox’s first radio job was at 2RG, Griffith, then he moved to 4BH in Brisbane in 1960, featured as the host of “Ring a Request” and “Lady Luck”.
The call of the Bush in 1962 found him at Longreach as Assistant Manager/Breakfast Announcer for the Central Queensland Broadcasting Network, which eventually bought the high rating 4IP where Knox was made Chief Announcer/Breakfast and where he eventually moved into News.
In 1981 Knox was the Time Club’s Goldie Award winner for Top Male Announcer. In 1993 he was 1 of 4 Inaugural Members of the Queensland Time Club Hall of Fame for service to the Broadcasting Industry. And in 1994 he was a finalist in the Australian Best Newsreader awards.
He became co-owner of the AIR-TV broadcasting school (Australian Institute of Radio and Television) which ran for over 20 years with successful students reading like a who’s who in radio, TV and the commercial world.
At one time Knox was also the background voice on Channel Nine, then Channel 2, and featured on many national and local TV commercials. He has also lectured in Broadcast Journalism at Bond University, and as guest lecturer at QUT in Radio Broadcasting.
In the field on Charity Work, John Knox has been a member of the committee of the Box Flat Mine Disaster Fund, the Kianga Disaster Relief Fund, Crime Stoppers Queensland, the Blood Bank Ethics Committee, the ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee, and the Steering Committee for the Year of Older Persons in 1999.
The recent award of the Centenary Medal is the latest achievement/recognition in his long and satisfying career.