La Trobe University

Faculty Member, Journalism

Associate Professor

About

Lawrie Zion is Associate Professor of Journalism, one of the coordinators of La Trobe's Master of Global Communications degree, and editor-in-chief of the online magazine, upstart (www.upstart.net.au) which showcases student writing, and provides a forum for emerging journalists.

Lawrie Zion graduated in History from the University of Melbourne in 1981 and went on to write a PhD at Monash University examining the pop music scene in Australia during the 1960s. For much of the last two decades he has worked in the media, including a nine-year stint at ABC radio, where he was based at Triple J.

He also has made several radio documentaries, including a two-part feature on Barry Humphries, and a profile of Crowded House while the band was touring the USA in 1994. He has worked as a writer, researcher and interviewer for ABC TV documentary series Long Way To The Top and ‘Love Is In The Air’. In 2006, he worked on the Crowded House Farewell to the World DVD, hosting the commentary track and conducting interviews.

From 2004 to 2006 he was the film writer for The Australian, prior to which he wrote for a range of publications including The Age, the US-based trade paper The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone Australia and HQ. He was also a regular guest on the Ten Network's The Panel. During 2001-2 he lectured at The University of Melbourne's Media and Communications program, and he continues to appear regularly on ABC radio.

During 2006 and 2007 he joined forces with Princess Pictures to write and research a one-hour documentary about the Australian accent called The Sounds of Aus. The program, which was presented by John Clarke, was broadcast on ABC TV on November 8 and is available on DVD. In 2008 The Sounds of Aus won Chicago's Hugo prize for best international documentary and was nominated for a Logie. It was also a finalist in the category Best Documentary Social & Political Issues in the 2008 Enhance TV ATOM Awards.

Contact Information