Ian Johnstone
Veteran broadcaster Ian Johnstone was born the son of an English banker and a Scottish villager. Ian Johnstone studied English at Durham University then moved to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) to work as an administrator in a school. It was in Africa that Ian met a Kiwi who convinced him and his new wife to move to “to the best country in the world - New Zealand”.
Upon arriving in the country in 1961, he worked as a teacher for a time before becoming a radio announcer in Timaru. As television was being rolled out across the country, he was moved to Wellington by the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation to read the news on both radio and TV.
He went on to become a popular presenter and reporter hosting many different TV shows including Close Up, Compass and Town and Around during the 1960's.
In 1970 Ian relocated to Fiji where he worked in radio for the South Pacific Comission for four years. He then returned to New Zealand to co-host the nightly current affairs programme, Tonight at Nine with Lindsay Perigo.
Going on to produce an extensive list of documentaries around the world, special reports and other TV programmes, Ian Johnstone established himself as one of the most respected voices in New Zealand's television history.
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