Acclaimed sports journalist Rebecca Wilson passes away
Friends, family and colleagues are mourning the passing of Rebecca Wilson
Sports journalist, columnist and broadcaster Rebecca Wilson has passed away, reports News Corp.
The award-winning sports journalist at The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph lost her long and very private battle to cancer this morning.
Her husband John Hartigan and sons Tom and Will this morning said:
“Our amazing Bec lost her long battle against breast cancer early today.
“We are so proud that she was so fearless in her chosen role as a sports journalist. She brushed aside evil trolls, bullies and organised crime figures to prosecute her craft.
“She proved that women had an equally important role in sports journalism as her male counterparts.
“We dearly love and miss our Bec.”
Back in 2012 Mediaweek was lucky enough to spend some time with Rebecca Wilson in the studios of 2UE where she was then part of the daily sports show.
Listen to her podcast with James Manning and Brenden Wood here.
In a note to staff this morning, News Corp Australia executive chairman Michael Miller said in part:
It is with great sadness that I share with you that our friend and colleague Rebecca Wilson has passed away early this morning.
Rebecca has been part of the News Corp family for more than 30 years and I’ve counted her as a close personal friend for some 20 of those years.
She was one of Australia’s most respected sports journalists – expert, passionate and utterly fearless.
Rebecca told it like it was, how it should be, and no one was ever left wondering what she thought. She was courageous, she was bold, she was determined and she never gave up. Her private fight against the cancer that took her life is testament to that spirit.
She was a pioneer in female sports journalism, and excelled in a career across print, television and radio. Her columns were a must-read and her opinions provocative and fierce. She also had an exacting radar for jibberers.