Norman Banks (broadcaster)

Banks was born in Sandringham, Victoria, on 12 October 1905, the youngest of five children. His father, Charles Cecil Banks, died before he was born. His mother, Alice, worked as a draper to support the family after her husband's death.{{Australian Dictionary of Biography|last=Lack|first=John|year=2009|id=A170055b|title=Banks, Norman Tyrell (1905–1985)|access-date=9 October 2024}}

Banks studied at St Aidan's Theological College, Ballarat and later at Ridley College, in Melbourne, with the intention of becoming an Anglican priest. However, at the age of 24, he decided to abandon his training and pursue a career outside the clergy, though he remained a member of the church throughout his life.{{Cite web |title=Norman Banks |url=https://halloffame.melbournepressclub.com/article/norman-banks |access-date=9 October 2024 |website=MPC – Hall of Fame |publisher=Melbourne Press Club |language=en}}

He worked as a car salesman for S.A. Cheney Motors and traveled to England and the United States as a company representative. After experiencing financial difficulties and returning to Australia, he worked on a farm in Colac owned by Joseph Gilmore, before marrying Gilmore's daughter, Lorna May, at Christ Church on 6 May 1930.{{Australian Dictionary of Biography|last=Lack|first=John|year=2009|id=A170055b|title=Banks, Norman Tyrell (1905–1985)|access-date=9 October 2024}}

While in the United States, Banks developed an interest in the radio industry and gained some broadcasting experience. Soon after his marriage, Banks sought a position at 3KZ, following the advice of his mother. He began his career as a radio announcer, and his broadcasts reportedly attracted competitive offers from other stations to recruit him from 3KZ.{{cite news |last1=Long |first1=Ash |date=22 June 2005 |title=Radio shock: Norman Banks joins 3AW |url=http://www.overnighters.com.au/ob050622_12.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831012736/http://www.overnighters.com.au/ob050622_12.pdf |archive-date=31 August 2007 |access-date=9 October 2024 |work=Melbourne Observer |page=12}} Over the next 20 years, Banks broadcast from Melbourne, including programs such as Voice of the Voyager, Voice of the People, Voice of the Business Girl, Voice of the Shopper, Husbands and Wives, Junior Information, Spelling Bee, Victoria Varieties, Myer Musicale and "OBs" (outside broadcasts) of football, tennis, athletics, swimming, and other events.

Although not the first to broadcast the Victorian Football League (VFL) (Melbourne's 3AR broadcast former Carlton player Rod McGregor's descriptions of play at least as early as 1927),{{Cite news |date=1927-05-14 |title=ROD MCGREGOR TO DESCRIBE FOOTBALL. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/54266524 |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=The Register (Adelaide) |pages=6}} Banks was one of the early football radio broadcasters. In the early days of radio, the VFL was cautious of the new medium, concerned that spectators might react negatively to the presence of a radio broadcaster.{{cn|date=December 2024}} Consequently, Banks was not initially allowed to broadcast from the grounds but found ways of observing the games without being seen. At Princes Park, Carlton, in 1931, he broadcast his first football match while standing on a ladder at the end of the dressing room. On another occasion at Princes Park, he broadcast from a hardwood plank protruding from a ladies' toilet. At Lakeside Oval, he once broadcast from an 18-meter steel tower.{{Cite web |title=Norman Banks |url=https://halloffame.melbournepressclub.com/article/norman-banks |access-date=9 October 2024 |website=MPC – Hall of Fame |publisher=Melbourne Press Club |language=en}}

On Victory in Europe Day, 1945, Banks was assigned to report from the celebrations at the end of World War II. Despite having been recently injured in a car accident, he broadcast the victory celebrations from central Melbourne.

On Christmas Eve, 1937, Banks reportedly saw a woman listening to carols alone by the light of a candle. This image inspired him to organize a community event to help those who were lonely at Christmas. Banks staged the first Carols by Candlelight in 1938. On that first night, 10,000 people gathered at midnight in Alexandra Gardens to sing carols with a 30-strong choir, two soloists, and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Band.{{cite web|title=A tradition is born|url=http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=1209#tradition|publisher=Vision Australia|access-date=24 December 2010|archive-date=8 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208082025/http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=1209#tradition|url-status=dead}}

The event became an annual tradition and is now broadcast by 3AW on radio and Nine Network on television as a fundraiser for Vision Australia.

Banks applied to 3KZ management in 1952 for leave to attend the Helsinki Olympics. Banks stated to the station manager that he would resign if not permitted to go. His resignation was accepted immediately.

Within days, he had signed with rival station 3AW and was able to attend the Helsinki Olympic Games, publishing his notes as The World in my diary; from Melbourne to Helsinki for the Olympic Games in 1953.{{Cite web |title=bspgallery: Australian history a-i |url=https://www.bspgallery.com.au/aust.htm |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=www.bspgallery.com.au}}

At 3AW, he covered the Olympics, football, current affairs, and outside broadcasts around Melbourne, as well as hosting in-studio programs. He served as the station's News Editor for a period. He worked at 3AW until 1978, a career spanning 26 years.

Although Barry Jones was the first to conduct live on-air interviews in Australia, Banks is credited with pioneering talk radio in 1960.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Banks was known on radio in the 1960s and 1970s for expressing his conservative opinions, including defenses of apartheid in South Africa and the monarchy.{{Citation |last=Lack |first=John |title=Norman Tyrell Banks (1905–1985) |work=Australian Dictionary of Biography |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/banks-norman-tyrell-12170 |access-date=2025-02-01 |place=Canberra |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |language=en}} These views were often presented in on-air debates with journalist Claudia Wright{{cite web |title=Wright, Claudia (1934–2005) |url=http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE3823b.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910100659/http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE3823b.htm |archive-date=2011-09-10 |access-date=24 December 2010 |publisher=The Australian Women's Register}} or broadcaster Ormsby Wilkins, who called him "a sanctimonious old hypocrite".

An accident at a football event, followed by another in the 3AW corridors, severely impaired his vision. His final on-air words were "the humble people, the little people… for your trust, loyalty and support."

In 1953, Banks was appointed an MBE for his services to broadcasting.{{Cite news |year=1953 |orig-date=1 June 1953 |title=ORDERS AND AWARDS |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18369225 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |page=1 |edition=Late}}

He was inducted into the Melbourne Cricket Ground's Rogues Gallery in 1998, with his citation reading—

:An original football caller with 3KZ in 1931, he later moved to 3AW, combining sport and current affairs. (He) Called football for three decades. (He) Covered Helsinki and Melbourne Olympics. {{Cite web |last=Club |first=Melbourne Press |date=2017-05-31 |title=Norman Banks |url=https://halloffame.melbournepressclub.com/article/norman-banks |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=MPC - Hall Of Fame |language=en}}

In 1996, Banks was an inaugural inductee into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in the Media category. His citation read—

: A pioneer of football broadcasts on 3AW and 3KZ. In 1931, (he) broadcast his first match from Princes Park standing on a ladder at the end of the dressing rooms. (His) Broadcasting career spanned 60 years.{{cite web |title=Media Inducted |url=https://www.afl.com.au/hall-of-fame/media |website=afl.com.au |access-date=28 December 2024}}

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• {{Cite book |last=Ross |first=John |title=The Australian Football Hall of Fame |year=1999 |publisher=HarperCollinsPublishers |location=Australia |isbn=0-7322-6426-X | pages=142 }}

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Category:1905 births

Category:1985 deaths

Category:Radio personalities from Melbourne

Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire

Category:3AW presenters

Category:Australian rules football commentators

Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees

Category:Alumni of St Aidan's Theological College, Ballarat

Category:Alumni of Ridley College, Melbourne

Category:People from Sandringham, Victoria