Chris Masters – investigative journalist, Four Corners, ABC, author of Jonestown (about Alan Jones), Gold Walkley winner.
One of his most “perfect” stories, where everything worked pretty smoothly, was about the Rainbow Warrior bombing (which killed a man), and turned into a worldwide scoop on the French Government’s “state-sponsored terrorism”.
He had to fly to various countries and at one stage the French spies were so desperate to evade him that they sank their getaway yacht and got picked up by a submarine.
“For that story, one in 100, I was always in the right place at the right time.”
But for the other 99 stories, it’s “usually painful, every step of the way”.
“You’re extracting secrets – information that people are extremely resistant to give.
“[When you ring] they never say, ‘You beaut, I’ll put the kettle on.’ ”
“A lot of the battle is winning their trust. And you do that by being trustworthy. Eventually you’ll find some people who are eager to cooperate.”
Continue reading Chris Masters, Walkley media conference
Cotton Ward 