Logie Awards

Logie Awards
Current: Logie Awards of 2024
Gold Logie Award statuette
Awarded forExcellence in Australian television
Sponsored byTV Week
LocationSydney, Australia
CountryAustralia
Presented byTV Week
First awarded1959; 65 years ago (1959) (as The TV Week Awards)
Websitewww.tvweeklogieawards.com.au
Television/radio coverage
Network
Runtime3 hours+

The TV Week Logie Awards (known colloquially as The Logies) is an annual ceremony celebrating and honouring the best shows and stars in Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine TV Week. The event is telecast live and billed as "television's night of nights". The first ceremony was hosted in 1959 as the TV Week Awards.

The Gold Logie is the most prestigious award and the industry's highest honour; it's awarded to the Most Popular Personality on Australian Television for the previous year. The award receives much publicity and media attention. Awards are presented in 20 categories, representing both industry and public voted prizes

The event has been strongly associated with the Nine Network, who have hosted the ceremony on the most occasions, and TV and former radio personality Bert Newton, particularly in the early days, who served as a solo host of the ceremony on 17 occasions, with a constant run from 1966 until 1980 and as co-host on three other occasions. Over the years, the Logies have been hosted in Melbourne and Sydney. From 2018 to 2022, the ceremony was held on the Gold Coast before the 2023 ceremony was announced as moving to Sydney for the first time in 37 years.

History

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Known from their inception as the TV Week Awards, the awards were instigated by TV Week magazine with the first voting coupons provided in the magazine in late 1958, two years after the introduction of television in Australia. The first awards were presented on 15 January 1959 on an episode of In Melbourne Tonight. Only Melbourne television personalities were nominated and awards were given in eight categories, including two for American programs.[1]

The most prestigious award in 1959 was Star of the Year presented to IMT host Graham Kennedy. The following year, Kennedy coined the name Logie Awards, to honour the Scottish engineer and innovator who contributed to the development of television as a practical medium, John Logie Baird.[2]

The Logie statuette was designed by Alec De Lacy, chief designer for Melbourne-based trophy makers KG Luke Ltd. The first Gold Logie, the equivalent of the Star of the Year Award, was presented in 1960, and again won by Graham Kennedy. The record for most "Gold Logie" wins—at five apiece—is a tie between Kennedy and Ray Martin.

The 2020 and 2021 ceremonies were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4]

Logie institutions and milestones

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Year Event
1960 The ceremony, instituted the previous year as the TV Week Star Awards, now officially becomes known as "Logie Awards", in reference as an honour to TV inventor/engineer John Logie Baird, the name is chosen by entertainer Graham Kennedy, after he won what was known the previous previously year as the "Star of the Year Award", which itself would become the Gold Logie.
1961 The awards ceremony is televised for the first time, with the ABC screening the first half-hour of the awards in Sydney.
1962 Australian variety presenter, singer and actress Lorrae Desmond, later best known for her role in serial A Country Practice, becomes the first female star to win a Gold Logie, for her music variety program The Lorrae Desmond Show.
1963 The planned televised ceremony was cancelled due to the intended host, Tony Hancock cancelling a trip to Australia.
1968 There was no award for the Most Popular Female in Television. According to Bert Newton, who was hosting that year, "it appears no one was deemed worthy enough to receive it". He pleaded with the producers to never be put in that position again.[5]
1973 The media was invited for the first time to attend the Logies.
1974 Number 96 star Pat McDonald became the first "soap star" actress (not television personality) to win the Gold Logie.
1975 The Logie Awards are broadcast in colour for the first time.
1976 The first and only fictional character to win a Logie of any kind was Norman Gunston, who won the Gold Logie, with his portrayer Garry McDonald, accepting the award in character.
1981 The Logie Awards after being held in Melbourne for 20 years return to Sydney and are broadcast for the first time on Network Ten.
1984 The Hall of Fame Logie was introduced by TV Week, awarded to recognise outstanding and continued contribution to television by an individual or program with the first induction being television pioneer and producer Hector Crawford (see below, under Logie Hall of Fame).
1988 Actress and future international pop star Kylie Minogue became the youngest person to win a Gold Logie, aged 19 for her role as Charlene Robinson in soap opera Neighbours.
1989 The Seven Network screens the Logie Awards for the first time.
1997 Agro's Cartoon Connection won its seventh consecutive Logie Award for Most Popular Children's Program, ending the longest undefeated streak of the Logies of either show or person.
2010 Actor Ray Meagher became the oldest person to win an award, at age 66, for his portrayal of Alf Stewart in Home and Away.
2006 A new Logies category was introduced, named the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer, to honour Kennedy's career and legacy and to commemorate the 50th year of continued broadcasting of television in Australia.
2016 The Logies accepted for the first time nominations from locally produced digital content. Also in 2016, presenter Waleed Aly (whose parents where born in Egypt) became the first non-Caucasian person to win the Gold Logie.
2017 TV Week announced that after 30 years, the awards ceremony will no longer be held in Melbourne, due to the withdrawal of financial support by the Victorian government. The Logie awards ceremony will be instead held at The Star Gold Coast on the Gold Coast, Queensland for four years, with support of the Queensland Government.[6][7]

The decade of the 2010s was the first decade where no one won the Gold Logie award more than once.

2020 It was announced on the 29 April that the Logie Awards scheduled for 28 June 2020, were being cancelled outright prior to any voting or nominations taking place, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony was set to return on 28 November 2021, but was again cancelled on 4 September 2021. It later took place on 19 June 2022.[8]
2022 The Logie Award for Most Popular Presenter is renamed as the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter, in tribute to Bert Newton, a television personality and presenter who was a Hall of Fame inductee.[9]
2023 The first time that an Indigenous person, Mark Coles Smith, was nominated for the Gold Logie. Kween Kong from RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under, became the first drag queen nominated for a Logie. 6 of the nominees for Most Outstanding Actress are from a subscription television network.[10]
2024 The Logies announced a major overhaul of award categories for the 2024 ceremony. Whilst the Gold Logie Award, Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter and Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent will remain publicly voted, the previous most popular and most outstanding categories will be replaced by a "best" category which will be determined using a combined score from a jury, viewing data and public voting. The acting awards will be separated into drama and comedy categories, whilst the drama and miniseries category will also be separated. The new category format is more similar to the style used in the United States Emmy Awards.[11][12]

Logie Hall of Fame

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Main article: Logie Hall of Fame

The prestigious Logie Hall of Fame was first introduced in 1984; former conductor, turned television producer and pioneer and founder of Crawford Productions, Hector Crawford was the first inductee. The induction was a posthumous honour for TV cameraman Neil Davis, actor Maurie Fields, conservationist Steve Irwin, news anchor Brian Naylor, journalist Peter Harvey and television executive Brian Walsh.

Rebecca Gibney[13] was the fourth woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining former recipients Ruth Cracknell, Noni Hazlehurst and Kerri-Anne Kennerley. The Logies have been criticised for its lack of women inductees in the category[14]

TV programs

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Four Corners (1961–)
Neighbours (1985–2022; 2023–)
Play School (1966–)
Home and Away (1988–)
60 Minutes (1979–)

These are the only programs that have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.[15]

Nomination and voting procedures

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Public voting

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Voting for the Most Popular Logie categories is done using an online form, or by SMS (short message service) voting for the final nominees. Ten of the Logie Award categories are fan awards. In the past, the "Most Popular" Logies categories were voted by the readers of TV Week magazine using a coupon.

SMS (short message service) voting was introduced in 2006 for the Gold Logie. In 2008, Internet votes could be cast for the first time without having to buy a copy of the TV Week magazine.[16]

Before 2018, public voting usually lasted for four weeks, beginning in December or January, while the ceremony itself was in late April or early May. Since 2018, voting begins in March and the ceremony is held in July.

Industry voting

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The Most Outstanding categories are voted on by a jury comprising members of the Australian TV industry peers. There were 15 categories in the industry awards at the Logie Awards of 2018.

Eligibility

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To be eligible to receive a Logie, a program must be Australian produced, set in Australia and have a predominantly Australian cast. Although in other years there has been a Logie for overseas programs, these awards are no longer part of the awards. People eligible for a Logie must have appeared on an Australian-produced show that was broadcast on Australian television in the previous year.

There are long-held suspicions that network publicists engage in mass voting to rig the results. However, no hard evidence had emerged for this, other than the experiment by the satirical newspaper The Chaser, who attempted to have low-profile SBS newsreader Anton Enus nominated for the Gold Logie. They did so by getting their small readership to buy copies of TV Week and vote for Enus for the award. While the attempt failed (they came "reasonably close", to earning a nomination for Enus, according to a "TV Week Insider"), their failure gives some cause for the widespread derision in the industry (particularly the 'quality' end) towards the popular-vote awards.[17]

Community television, Channel 31, personalities and shows are eligible for nomination for Logies, however since their audiences are far smaller than those of the commercial channels and public broadcasters, they are at a tremendous disadvantage. For a time they had their own community television awards, known as the Antenna Awards. Despite this, in 2009 the Logies were dogged by minor controversy after organisers refused to allow an acclaimed community television show, The Bazura Project, to be nominated in the category of Outstanding Comedy Show, stating "As TV Week does not cover community television within the magazine, we are unable to consider individual programs on this platform." The ABC's Media Watch program first reported the story on Monday 9 March 2009,[18] with many media outlets covering the growing support for the community television program since.

Logies ceremonies by year

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Logies 2011 ceremony
Year Gold Logie winner(s) Venue Host Broadcaster
1959 Graham Kennedy
Panda Lisner 		Awards presented on In Melbourne Tonight Graham Kennedy
Guest Presenter – Googie Withers 		GTV-9
1960 Graham Kennedy Brighton Savoy Hotel, Brighton, Melbourne Hugh O'Brian
1961 Bob Dyer Chevron-Hilton Hotel, Sydney Jimmy Edwards ABN-2 (ABC)
1962 Lorrae Desmond
Tommy Hanlon, Jr. 		Chevron Hotel, Melbourne Gerald Lyons
Awards Presented by Bob Dyer
1963 Michael Charlton On board cruise liner Changsha. Originally to have been
Chevron-Hilton Hotel, Sydney.[19][20] 		Originally to have been
Tony Hancock with Marie McDonald 		Originally to have been ABC[21]
1964 Bobby Limb On board the Lloyd Triestino cruise liner Marconi Nine Network[citation needed]
1965 Jimmy Hannan Palais De Dance, Melbourne Gerald Lyons ABC[citation needed]
1966 Gordon Chater Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network[citation needed]
1967 Graham Kennedy
Hazel Phillips 		Zodiac Room on board cruise liner the Fairstar
1968 Brian Henderson Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne
1969 Graham Kennedy
1970 Barry Crocker
Maggie Tabberer
1971 Gerard Kennedy
Maggie Tabberer
1972 Gerard Kennedy
1973 Tony Barber
1974 Graham Kennedy
Pat McDonald
1975 Ernie Sigley
Denise Drysdale
1976 Norman Gunston
Denise Drysdale
1977 Don Lane
Jeanne Little
1978 Graham Kennedy
1979 Bert Newton Hilton Hotel, Melbourne
1980 Mike Walsh
1981 Bert Newton Centrepoint Convention Centre, Sydney Michael Parkinson Network Ten
1982 Hilton Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1983 Daryl Somers Wentworth Regent Hotel, Melbourne Mike Willesee Network Ten
1984 Bert Newton Hilton Hotel Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1985 Rowena Wallace World Trade Centre, Melbourne Greg Evans Network Ten
1986 Daryl Somers State Theatre, Sydney Mike Willesee Nine Network
1987 Ray Martin Hyatt on Collins, Melbourne Don Lane Network Ten
1988 Kylie Minogue Daryl Somers Nine Network
1989 Daryl Somers Bert Newton Seven Network
1990 Craig McLachlan Mark Mitchell Network Ten
1991 Steve Vizard World Congress Centre, Melbourne Daryl Somers Nine Network
1992 Jana Wendt Radisson President Hotel, Melbourne Steve Vizard[22] Seven Network
1993 Ray Martin Grand Hyatt, Melbourne Bert Newton Network Ten
1994 World Congress Centre, Melbourne Ray Martin Nine Network
1995 Concert Hall, Melbourne Andrew Daddo
Noni Hazlehurst 		Seven Network
1996 Melbourne Park Centre, Melbourne Daryl Somers Nine Network
1997 Lisa McCune The Palladium Room, Crown Towers, Melbourne
1998
1999 Andrew Denton
2000
2001 Georgie Parker Shaun Micallef
2002 Wendy Harmer
2003 Rove McManus Eddie McGuire
2004
2005 Eddie McGuire
Rove McManus
Andrew O'Keefe
2006 John Wood Bert Newton
Ray Martin
Daryl Somers
Lisa McCune
Georgie Parker
2007 Kate Ritchie Adam Hills
Dave Hughes
Fifi Box
2008 No host. Only a series of presenters.
2009 Rebecca Gibney Gretel Killeen
2010 Ray Meagher Bert Newton
2011 Karl Stefanovic Shane Bourne
2012 Hamish Blake No host. Only a series of presenters.
2013 Asher Keddie
2014 Scott Cam
2015 Carrie Bickmore
2016 Waleed Aly
2017 Samuel Johnson
2018 Grant Denyer The Star, Gold Coast
2019 Tom Gleeson
2022 Hamish Blake Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
2023 Sonia Kruger The Star, Sydney Sam Pang Seven Network
2024 Larry Emdur

Awards ceremony

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The Logie Awards ceremony is televised and became generally more elaborate as years went by. The awards have mostly been held in a ballroom, rather than a theatre, which is common for the Emmy Awards and Academy Awards. Dinner is served just before the ceremony and drinks are served during the ceremony.

Bert Newton, who has won the Gold Logie four times, hosted the awards a total of 19 times. GTV-9/Nine Network is also strongly associated with the history of the Logies. Nine has hosted the awards 46 times in their 60-year history.

The Seven Network will take over from the Nine Network as host broadcaster.[23][24] Seven had last broadcast the Logie Awards in 1995.[25][26]

Controversies

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In 1973, American actor Michael Cole generated controversy after accepting an award while apparently drunk, uttering the word "shit" in a short, incoherent acceptance speech. This was the first time such profanity had been said on Australian television.[27] According to Bert Newton, Channel Nine received thousands of complaints about the use of the word, however, when it was edited for the repeat transmission Newton stated "they got double the calls complaining it had been dropped."

In 1979, during a notable appearance with Muhammad Ali as co-presenter, Newton made a comment "I like the boy!" (in reference to a series of TV advertisements Bert had recently done). Ali became upset at the comment, as the term "boy" carried negative racial connotations for many black Americans, although Newton was oblivious to this use of the term and claimed this was not his intention. After realising his faux pas, Newton quickly apologised to Ali on stage.[28]

The most difficult guest to interact with, according to Newton, was Vic Morrow in 1967. He would just stand there saying nothing, silently handing out the Logies. According to Bert, "every so often, I'd say 'how are you going, Vic?' and he would just nod his head."[5]

Grant Denyer's 2018 Gold Logie win has proved controversial with people believing he only won because of Tom Gleeson's campaign.[29] Gleeson has shrugged off those suggestions.[30]

Tom Gleeson's 2019 Gold Logie win has proved controversial with him not being so humble by the victory.[31]

The trial of the man accused of raping Brittany Higgins was delayed because of comments from Lisa Wilkinson's acceptance speech.[32]

Every year before public voting opens, major commercial networks ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine, and 10 are restricted in the number of personalities and programs they can submit for consideration in the publicly voted category, including up to 10 names in both the Most Popular Actor and Actress categories, 15 names for Most Popular Presenter and five programs for Most Popular Drama. These restrictions often are introduced over those who are not listed in the voting form, and as a result, they are not eligible to be nominated for an award.

Live performers

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Many local and overseas performers have appeared at the Logie Awards ceremony. While it had been a tradition to choose performers with a television connection, this has not always been the case.

In 2001, Ricky Martin was the headline performer. In 2002, Destiny's Child performed, with Elton John and Shakira making appearances. In 2004, it was Michael Bublé with Delta Goodrem. In 2011, Katy Perry performed and presented an award, while 2012 saw One Direction and Delta Goodrem perform on the night with appearances from Flo Rida, Tony Bennett and Seal. In 2013, it was Bruno Mars and 2014 Ed Sheeran.[33]

Award categories

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Public voted categories

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Gold Logie

Silver Logie

Program awards

Industry voted categories

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Gold Logie

Silver Logie

Former categories

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Most wins

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Programs

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As of 2017, Home and Away is the most successful program in Logies history, having won 49 awards since it premiered in 1988. Neighbours is the second most successful having won 31 Logies since it began in 1985. A Country Practice follows as the third most successful program, having won 29 awards throughout its twelve-year run. Blue Heelers is fourth with 25 Logies.

People

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Television personalities with the most national wins (excluding state-based Logie awards) are:

Rank Name Total Wins Awards Won
1 Rove McManus 10 3 Gold Logies (2003–05) and 7 consecutive Most Popular Presenter (2003–09)
2 Bert Newton 9 4 Gold Logies (1979, 1981, 1982, 1984), 4 Best Compere (1970, 1972–1974), Hall of Fame inductee (1988)
3 Graham Kennedy 8 6 Gold Logies (1959, 1960, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1978), 1 Special Gold Logie – Star of the Decade (1967), Hall of Fame inductee (1998), 10 state Logies
3 Daryl Somers 8 3 Gold Logies (1983, 1986, 1989), 3 Most Popular Light Entertainment Personality (1993, 1995–1997), 1 Most Popular Light Entertainment/Comedy Personality (1990) and 1 Most Popular Comedy Personality (1995)
3 Ray Martin 8 5 Gold Logies (1987, 1993–1996), 2 TV Reporter of the Year (1981, 1983), 1 Most Popular Light Entertainment Personality (1995)

Actors/actresses with the most national wins:

Rank Name Total Wins Awards Won
1 Lisa McCune 10 1 New Talent (1995), 5 Most Popular Actress (1996–2000) and 4 Gold Logies (1997–2000)
2 Georgie Parker 7 1 New Talent (1990), 4 Most Popular Actress (1991 – 1993, 2001), 2 Gold Logies (2001, 2002)
3 Asher Keddie 7 5 Most Popular Actress (2011–2015), 1 Most Outstanding Actress in a Series (2014), 1 Gold Logie (2013)
4 Kate Ritchie 5 2 Gold Logies (2007, 2008), 3 Most Popular Actress (2006–2008)
4 Martin Sacks 5 5 Most Popular Actor (1997–2001)

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Crook, Frank (2 May 2008). "Logies celebrate 50 years". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 March 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2008.
  2. ^ "Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent". ninemsn.com.au. Archived from the original on 31 August 2009.
  3. ^ Coronavirus pandemic forces cancellation of 2020 Logie Awards ABC News 29 April 2020
  4. ^ Logies cancelled for a second year mediaweek 4 September 2021
  5. ^ a b TV Week magazine, 13 March 1993, pp. 16–18. "The Way We Were" text by Bert Newton, edited by Chrissie Camp.
  6. ^ Simonot, Suzanne (7 September 2017). "And the Logies go to...The Gold Coast". Goldcoastbulletin.com.au. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  7. ^ Moore, Tony (7 September 2017). "Logie Awards set for the Gold Coast". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  8. ^ Knox, David (21 March 2022). "Logie Awards 2022 sets the date". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  9. ^ Knox, David (14 June 2022). "Logie Awards 2022: presenters". TV Tonight. TV Tonight. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  10. ^ David Knox. "Logie Awards: 2023 guide". TV Tonight.
  11. ^ Mitchell, Thomas (28 February 2024). "'No more popularity contests': Logies announce major overhaul". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  12. ^ Knox, David (20 June 2024). "Logie nominations announced on Sunday". TV Tonight. TV Tonight. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Rebecca Gibney inducted into Logies Hall of Fame".
  14. ^ Stephenson, Alison (14 April 2016). "Stars slam glaring problem with Logies". News.com.au. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  15. ^ Jonathon Moran (19 April 2015). "Logies Hall of Fame awaits Australia's favourite soap Home and Away". The Sunday Telegraph.
  16. ^ "Logies voting switch a boon". Herald Sun. News.com.au. 4 February 2008. Retrieved 24 May 2008.
  17. ^ Taylor, Chris (17 May 2003). "The insider". smh.com.au. Retrieved 4 September 2007.
  18. ^ "Project Logies, Media Watch Episode 05". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 March 2009.
  19. ^ "The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), 27 March 1963, p. 8: ABC Announcers Take TV Awards". Nla.gov.au. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  20. ^ "TV Week Logie Awards: 50 years ago". Televisionau.com. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  21. ^ "The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), 18 March 1963, p. 14: THIS WEEK ON ABC-3". Nla.gov.au. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  22. ^ "Tv Week". Archived from the original on 26 January 2014.
  23. ^ Banks, Andrew (13 September 2022). "Coup for Seven as network wrestles back TV Week Logies from Nine". Mumbrella. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  24. ^ Davison, Katherine (13 September 2022). "Logies 2023 to be broadcast on Channel 7 and 7plus". Sunrise. Seven News. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  25. ^ Cartwright, Lexie (13 September 2022). "Logies jumps ship to rival network in major broadcast shake-up". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  26. ^ Schelle, Caroline (13 September 2022). "Logies making the switch to Seven for first time in 28 years". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  27. ^ "The Logies". ABC.
  28. ^ "Bert Newton's infamous Muhammad Ali moment remains one of Australian TV's most memorable". ABC News. 31 October 2021.
  29. ^ "Tom Gleeson: 'You don't blame me, you thank me'". Nine.
  30. ^ "Logies 2018". TV Tonight.
  31. ^ "Tracy Grimshaw slams Gleeson over Gold Logie win". Yahoo!.
  32. ^ "Trial of Brittany Higgins accused delayed after Lisa Wilkinson's Logies speech". TheGuardian.com. 21 June 2022.
  33. ^ "7 international superstars who have performed at the TV WEEK Logie Awards". Nowtolove.com.au. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  34. ^ Knox, David (4 November 2015). "Logies announce new categories, voting to open shortly". TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 November 2015.

General and cited references

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