Thirty years ago, Australian children's television was a wasteland of dated imports and endless repeats.
Today, Australia has a system of production and regulation of children's television programs that is the envy of producers around the world. Patricia Edgar was one of the main agents of this change, as a member of the Australian Broadcasting Control Board, Chair of the Children's Programme Committee for the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal, and as founding Director of the Australian Children's Television Foundation.
In the course of her extraordinary public career, Edgar has inspired many followers and provoked some bitter enemies. This important, and candid, memoir – which coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of television broadcasting in Australia – exposes the behind-the-scenes conflicts and extraordinary backbiting that accompanies those who dare to buck the status quo. It is a story of the politics of creativity, intrigue, loyalty and betrayal, commitment and opportunism, and a must-read for any one interested in Australian politics and culture.