"I would have done it for the love of it — it was just a wonderful career."

At the ABC, we're celebrating our 90th birthday this year, which makes us almost exactly the same age as John Pickup.

Pickup started working at the ABC in the 1950s, first in the mailroom, then as a sound effects officer — where one of his most memorable assignments involved recording a rhinoceros at Taronga Zoo.

That's just one of the stories he told Late Night Live as he reminisced about a career that spanned four decades.

Read more in this article by Sophie Kesteven and Anna Whitfeld.

Then take a look at the history of television drama, from the live plays performed in TV's early years to the ongoing series, soaps and miniseries that replaced them.

From The History Listen, it's a story of live risk-taking, cultural cringe, and shows "for all tastes".

This weekend also marks the start of NAIDOC week, so keep an ear out for stories celebrating Indigenous culture and history across the ABC.

You might like to start with our Aboriginal arts and culture program, AWAYE!, who recently profiled award-winning author Tony Birch.


Until next time,

Rosie Ryan, digital editor
 

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Meet the television pioneers who helped create a new art form, shook off the cultural shackles of England, and paved the way for the Australian shows that went on to conquer the world.

John Pickup found himself holding a microphone in one hand, kneeling inches away from a rhinoceros. Then, he had to improvise.

Tony Birch admits that, until his late teens, the only form of self-expression he knew was violence. So, how did the self-described "delinquent" grow into a celebrated writer?