Media Watch host Paul Barry will leave the ABC show in December.
The 72-year-old veteran of the public broadcaster announced his departure on Thursday afternoon.
‘It’s a great privilege to host Media Watch and I’ve enjoyed it enormously,’ Mr Barry said.
‘But I’ve been in the hot seat for 11 years and it’s time to give someone else a go.’
‘Thanks to all our viewers. I’ll be with you until December. And I’m sure the program will go on to great things without me.
‘I’m hanging up the mic at the end of this year. But lots of fun to be had before then.’
Media Watch host Paul Barry will leave the ABC show in December
Mr Barry first hosted Media Watch in 2000 before his return in 2013. It is unclear if he will remain at the network.
The investigative reporter ruffled plenty of feathers in the media business due to his uncompromising approach.
While he was known for twisting the knife into commercial media outlets, he was also his own network’s harshest critic – which didn’t win him many friends at the ABC.
One notable highlight from his tenure hosting Media Watch came in 2013 during his stoush with columnist Andrew Bolt, who had asked Barry to reveal his salary on air.
Much to everybody’s surprise, Barry did just that: $191,259.
One notable highlight from his tenure hosting Media Watch came in 2013 during his stoush with columnist Andrew Bolt, who had asked Barry to reveal his salary on air. He happily obliged
An ABC spokesperson said: ‘The award-winning journalist will leave the show at the end of the year with a track record of independent commentary, analysis and robust discussion about the media industry and its ethics – or lack thereof.’
The ABC will announce a new host later this year.
The English-born journalist has won countless awards for his investigative journalism, and first joined the ABC in 1987, a year after he moved from the UK.
