Jim McCarter (♦)

Advertiser Rural Journalist. Inducted on 27th April 2018.

Born at Kadina on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula in 1937, Jim McCarter’s roots in rural journalism come from a period very few people today have experienced. Following completion of his education at Urrbrae Agricultural High School, he obtained a position as a cadet journalist with the Advertiser’s rural publication, ‘The Chronicle’ in 1954.

In the early 1960’s, Jim expanded his role as a rural journalist at ‘The Chronicle’ by broadcasting agricultural stories on the Advertiser Broadcasting Network’s statewide radio stations 5AD, 5PI, 5MU & 5SE in a program called ‘Life on the Land’.

Jim McCarter became Editor of ‘The Chronicle’ in 1969, a role he held until the Advertiser decided to close that publication in 1976. He then took up the position of Rural Editor at the Advertiser in an effort to maintain the communication of rural and agricultural content to that publication’s statewide readers. His weekly “On The Land” section epitomised quality rural journalism and was a much anticipated read for many regional and metropolitan people.

A highlight of Jim’s career at the Advertiser was convincing the management of that publication to become official sponsor of the Yorke Peninsula Field Days, something very close to his heart. In recognition of his long service to the YP Field Days Committee, that body awarded Jim with Life Membership.

After 38 years reporting rural issues to South Australians, Jim McCarter retired from the Advertiser in 1992.

Jim McCarter left a number of lasting legacies to the craft of rural journalism in this state. In addition to establishing the benchmark for quality agricultural journalism and well-mannered communication, he pioneered the formation of Rural Media South Australia in the 1970’s.

Jim served as RMSA President and Secretary for many years, with Honorary Life Membership being bestowed upon him by RMSA as a genuine gesture of its appreciation.

Bruce Mitchell

Bruce - who comes from a farming background in Western Victoria - joined the Rural Media Association in 1991 when he was Rural Reporter at The Advertiser.

In 1992 he joined the Stock Journal as Senior Journalist and became secretary of the RMA.

Over the next eight years he was involved in the annual Royal Show Awards, the Dalgety Awards and later the creation of the Telstra Awards.

He later became Editor, Special Publications with Rural Press overseeing National Grape Grower, The Grower and Farmer and Stockowner.

He was made a Life Member in 1998.

Bruce is currently editor of Australian Forest & Timber News and Australasian Timber Magazine.

Ian Doyle OAM

Former ABC Rural Journalist and rural industry communicator
Inducted 18th October 2013

Ian Doyle came to SA in 1981 as a raw ABC rural radio recruit from North Queensland.

Ian pursued studies at James Cook University, graduating with a Degree in Economics and then studied at the University of Queensland, graduating with a Diploma of Education.

He went teaching at a college in Charters Towers, until one day ABC television’s rural department came to town and Ian was asked to assist with the mock-up of a close-up visual effect.

The bug had bitten and Ian knew his life was destined to be up-front, in the rural media and with the ABC.

In 1981 he applied for the position of Rural Officer with ABC Rural Radio at Port Pirie, about as far away from North Queensland as you can get, both physically and agriculturally. Ian was now living in the land of wheat and sheep, rather than pineapples and sugarcane.

Wife Jane was at Ian’s side throughout his time in Port Pirie and has been ever since.

Later that year, Ian left Port Pirie and headed down to the big-smoke in Adelaide to take up a more senior role with ABC Rural.

Ian has fronted the ABC Country Hour, reported for Landline and Countrywide television, hosted the nationally broadcast Australia All Over radio program on Sunday mornings, managed the ABC Rural Department in South Australia and has acted in the role of national boss of ABC Rural.

He’s produced internationally renowned feature television pieces on subjects such as river boats, tuna boats and an outback postman.

He was President of Rural Media South Australia from 1987 until 2019. His intensity of effort and foresight of industry trends did a lot to assist other rural journalists for nearly three decades.

Ian left the ABC for greener pastures in 1997, to run Doyle Media Services, providing a diversity of rural media, communications training and event management services.

He was recognised for his contributions to rural media with an Order of Australia Medal in the 2021 Queens Birthday Honours List.

Robert Snewin

Bob has always been a country lad at heart and spent much of his younger days living with his grandparents on their farm at Keith.

Bob started his working life in the ANZ Bank until the middle 1970s when he joined the dairy industry working for the Mount Gambier Dairy Co-op. Eventually he was appointed as Manager of the Australian Dairy Corporation (ADC) in South Australia in 1987. This role ultimately was expanded and Bob was then made Regional Manager for South Australia, West Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory. During his time in the RM role he completed many projects for the dairy industry in the regions. In 2005, Bob was made redundant from the ADC and was appointed CEO of the Craniofacial Foundation where he finished his working life in 2019 and retired.

It was during the late 80s and early 90s Bob attended Rural Media luncheons and struck up a friendship with then President of RMSA, Ian Doyle. In 1992, Ian Doyle restructured the committee of the RMSA and asked Bob to become the Treasurer of the organisation. Further in 1993 Bob took over the Secretarial role for RMSA. Bob was made an honorary life member of RMSA in 2005 - an award he truly cherishes.

Now fully retired Bob still enjoys the RMC roles and the challenges of taking the organisation to a new level.

Dale Manson

Dale Manson spent a 34 year career with the South Australian Government, primarily in the area of communication and community capacity development in the livestock industry. He produced and presented a daily rural program on commercial regional radio for 28 years.

Dale is an Honorary Life Member of Rural Media & Communicators SA/NT and has been on the Board for over 30 years.

He has chaired the Judging Panel of the SA & NT Rural Journalist of the Year Awards for the past thirteen years.

Ian Turner

Ian Turner has been involved in rural industry for most of his life and in the regional/rural media scene for five decades, initially as a publicity officer/correspondent for several organisations on KI.

He was managing editor of The Islander newspaper for 2 years (1992 & 1993) before production moved to Adelaide.

Joining Rural Press (Stock Journal) in July 1995, he became Livestock Manager from 1998-2003.

Ian resigned from Rural Press to start a PR/Marketing/Communications business (Superior Selections) which he ran for 18 years with approximately 40 clients from all mainland states & NZ, until his retirement in 2019.

Over the years he's travelled more than 650,000 km and has been published in more than 50 newspapers and websites.

In a long career, he's been Editor of The Muster magazine (official journal of the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association) and the Australian Poll Dorset Journal.

He published Merino SA Newsletter (Stock Journal Insert), the Centenary History Book of the Wisanger Football Club on Kangaroo Island, the Centenary of the Suffolk Sheep Breed in Australia, the Australian Suffolk Year Book, and the Australian Corriedale Journal

Ian joined the Rural Media SA board in the early 2000s and has been Chair of the Photography Awards for several years.

John Rothwell

John Rothwell spent 27 years at the Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Society of SA - including 20 years as the Chief Executive Officer.

A long time supporter of RMC SA/NT he retired after the 2022 Royal Adelaide Show.

Among John's many achievements was the development of the Kingsway event area and the Goyder Pavilion, along with the establishment of the weekly Farmers Market at the Showground.

He was also a Director on the board of Agricultural Shows of Australia and the US-based International Association of fairs and Expositions.

Trevor Ranford

Trevor joined RMC SA/NT (then Rural Media SA) in 1993, when he became the General Manager of the Apple and Pear Growers of SA. 

Trevor has made a significant contribution to agriculture in this state and nationally for many years. Other roles have included CEO of Summerfruit Australia, the Cherry Growers of Australia; the Hazelnut Industry; the Chestnut industry, the Walnut Industry, the Pistachio Growers Association; owner/manager of South Australian Horticultural Services for the last 47 years; and Owner/Director of Trevor Ranford Pty Ltd, providing a consultancy business service to industry Associations and Organisations.

In 2022, Trevor Ranford received an Australian Biosecurity Award in the Industry category. He was recognised for his contribution to the management of the 2010 - 2020 national chestnut blight emergency response.

Trevor walks tall in the world of Australian Agriculture, but we want to recognise and celebrate Trevor for his enormous contribution to Rural Media & Communicators SA/NT for more than three decades. He has been one of the most regular faces at our meetings and has rarely missed an event. Significantly he has promoted RMC SA/NT to others and made a point of bringing many, many people to our events over the years. He is generous in every way and has provided sponsorship and fresh produce to events like our annual awards function for decades.

In recognition of all this and so much more, it’s our pleasure to bestow upon Trevor Ranford, Life Membership of Rural Media & Communicators SA/NT.

Leigh Radford OAM

ABC Rural Journalist, Broadcaster, Executive Manager and International Rural Media Advocate
Inducted 9th December 2016

The decades since Leigh commenced his media journey in 1988 have been marked by contribution and achievement.

He was the most senior member of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s executive management team to have ever been based in Adelaide, having managed the largest rural media broadcast group in the world.

And Leigh has been responsible for shaping the careers of many of today’s top rural journalists, including a number who have gone on to become internationally renowned Foreign Correspondents.

Leigh Radford has made his mark on the international stage, representing the entire Australian rural media sector, private and Government, as the Australian delegate to the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists.

He has travelled extensively overseas to represent our national interest, convening the judging panel of the world broadcast rural media awards and influencing rural media policy internationally.

Leigh Radford graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Arts – Bio Geography, with a major in English.

He’s worked as a storeman, truck driver and in a potato processing factory.

He toyed with the prospect of spending his life as an Environmental Officer for Western Mining at Roxby Downs.

But in 1988, Leigh was successful in his application to ABC Rural for a trainee position, making him the third generation of Radfords to work at the ABC. His son, Luke is the fourth generation.

After initial training in Melbourne, he was posted to Sale and Horsham as the Rural Officer.

From there he transferred back to South Australia in 1990 as the ABC Rural Officer at 5CK 691 Port Pirie, the town where his father had established the GTS 4 television station and where Leigh had spent a number of his childhood years.

The next move was down to Adelaide as the ABC Country Hour radio presenter and ABC television weather presenter.

In 1996 he rose to become the Country Hour’s Executive Producer.

In 1999 Leigh enjoyed a temporary role heading the ABC’s Rural Department across Australia as National Editor, prior to becoming permanent head of ABC Rural in South Australia.

In September 2016, Leigh was also awarded the status of Honorary Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation in recognition of exceptional service and commitment to rural and regional.

And in 2019 he was awarded the Order of Australia medal.