Jack Gleeson (businessman)
John "Jack" Fredolin Gleeson AM (12 July 1922 - 30 January 2018) was an Australian businessman.[1]
He was best known for his work in the Australian television industry and he is often credited with introducing commercial television to North Queensland.[2]
Gleeson was born in Warwick, Queensland.[3] He attended the Marconi School of Wireless in Sydney before working as a wireless operator in the merchant navy.[3][4]
Beginning his media career as a radio technician at Cairns radio station 4CA in 1942, his business interests in the industry began with the acquisition of 4AY in the 1950s.[3]
Gleeson helped form Telecasters North Queensland after registering the company in 1959 after which he successfully applied for a regional television license from the Australian Broadcasting Control Board, enabling the company to establish TNQ7 in Townsville in 1961 - the first regional television station in Queensland.[5]
TNQ7 station later became known as NQTV and then QTV as it expanded its signal to southern parts of Queensland as it became a Network Ten affiliate during aggregation in 1991. At the time, Gleeson had been preparing QTV to become a Nine Network affiliate, and was critical of their decision to unexpectedly drop a pre-arranged affiliation agreement with QTV just days before aggregation took place, forcing the station into an affiliation partnership with Ten instead.[6]
Gleeson purchased the Queen's Hotel in 1977, and converted it into a television studio where local news bulletins and other local programs were produced until 2001.[7]
Aside from television, Gleeson also had other business interests owning local Townsville property developing company Gleeson Group which he established in 1977.[8][9]
He received an Order of Australia in 1985 for service to the radio and television industry.[2]
Gleeson was appointed a papal knight in the Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.[2]
In 2015, he was named as a Queensland Great.[10]
As a devout Catholic, Gleeson supported such organisations as St Vincent de Paul and Street Chaplains, and was involved with Knights of the Southern Cross and Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.[2] He also made a significant financial contribution to the Sacred Heart Cathedral refurbishment in Townsville.[2]
In 2006, Australian Catholic University announced it had established The Gleeson Family Scholarship, to be awarded annually to a student commencing undergraduate study at the Brisbane campus.[11] ACU Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Sheehan praised Gleeson at the time, describing him as a selfless and tireless contributor to the community and to the church.[11] Gleeson had received a Doctor of the University from ACU in 2005.[11]
Gleeson also authored several books in a series about his life, publishing his fourth book called You Just Get On With It in 2013.[12]
Gleeson died at the age of 95 on 30 January 2018. His death prompted a number of public tributes including from Townsville mayor Jenny Hill, local media personality Steve Price, politician Ted Lindsay and Chamber of Commerce president Debbie Rains.[2][7]
His funeral was held at Sacred Heart Cathedral on 5 February 2018, which was attended by more than 600 people.[13][14]
Gleeson's wife Joyce died in 2012.[4] They have five children, including Paul Gleeson who is also known for his association with the television industry, sitting on the board of Ten Network Holdings for 18 years.[12][15]
At the time of his death, Jack Gleeson had 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.[13]
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References[edit]
- ↑ Obituary: John Fredolin "Jack" Gleeson AM KSG KC*HS Hon. DUniv (ACU), Heaven Address website. Accessed 1 May 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Warburton, Bettina (30 January 2018)[www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/townsvilles-first-man-of-television-jack-gleeson-dies-peacefully/news-story/a4f0b69cf2f8859f021417f724645c50 Townsville's first man of television dies peacefully], Townsville Bulletin, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 4CA Cairns: J. F. Gleeson, Radio Heritage Foundation website. Accessed 1 May 2018.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 (26 July 2012) Lived life to the full, Townsville Bulletin, News Corp Australia. Accessed 1 May 2018.
- ↑ (3 November 2012) Townsville Eye, Townsville Bulletin, News Corp Australia. Accessed 1 May 2018.
- ↑ (27 December 1990) Nine Network drops affiliation deal in Qld, The Canberra Times. Retrieved from National Library of Australia 1 May 2018.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Calder, Philip (30 January 2018) Loss of a legend, 9 News North Queensland, Southern Cross Austereo. Accessed 1 May 2018.
- ↑ Our Story, Gleeson Group website. Accessed 1 May 2018.
- ↑ Raggatt, Tony (22 August 2015) Major makeover in CBD, Townsville Bulletin, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- ↑ Queensland Greats Awards: 2015 Recipients - John (Jack) Gleeson, Queensland Government website. Accessed 1 May 2018.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 (19 October 2006) ACU announces $50k for Gleeson scholarships, Australian Catholic University. Accessed 1 May 2018.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 (14 September 2014) Queensland's Top 150 rich list: Gleeson Family, The Courier-Mail, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Riley, Rachel (5 February 2018) [www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/jack-gleeson-funeral-father-of-townsville-laid-to-rest/news-story/28b7a51689da1edd82e316f560dd28fe Jack Gleeson funeral: 'Father of Townsville' laid to rest], Townsville Bulletin, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- ↑ Calder, Philip (5 February 2018) Fond farewell, 9 News North Queensland, Southern Cross Austereo. Accessed 1 May 2018.
- ↑ (17 August 2016) Ten completes board overhaul, SBS News, Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
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