John Pilger: A Life in Journalism

John Pilger in the Outlook studio with George Arney

John Pilger is one of the world's best known investigative journalists and currently celebrating two career landmarks: 50 years in journalism and 40 years of making ground-breaking television documentaries.

Australian by birth, he has been based in United Kingdom since the early sixties.
Over the years he has received a number of human rights and journalism awards, as well as honorary doctorates.

During his career, John Pilger has investigated a wide range of subjects including politics, global economic issues, war and terrorism. Known for his polemical campaigning style, Pilger's pieces often focus on the fate of ordinary people who've become the victims of cynical, manipulative, power politics.

Presenter George Arney started the Outlook interview by introducing a clip from one of John Pilger's earlier documentaries from 1980, Cambodia: Year One.

Listen Listen to the Outlook interview (Duration: 14.28)

(first broadcast 11/11/08)

Growing up in a political family with a strong anti-authority streak, Pilger has always been on the side of an underdog: believing that all journalists should be outsiders as best as they can because only then can they be truly independent.

As well as being an optimist- perhaps a lesser known fact about Pilger is that he enjoys swimming and has swum "pretty well every day of his life in some very extraordinary places."

Heroes: The Films of John Pilger 1970-2007 has recently been released

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