At a time when trust in media is constantly tested and audiences crave substance over noise, broadcasters who can inform, challenge and connect are invaluable. This edition of The Company We Keep features Mark Gibson, host of ABC Radio Perth’s Breakfast program, whose career has spanned some of the country’s biggest newsrooms and most defining moments.
Meet Mark Gibson
With more than three decades in journalism, Mark Gibson has built a reputation as a skilled storyteller and a steady voice during breaking news. His career has taken him from radio to 25 years in television and back to radio again – covering everything from global events to deeply personal community stories.
At ABC Radio Perth, Mark brings clarity, compassion and curiosity to the morning audience, creating space for meaningful conversation and thoughtful debate. His program reflects what he values most; honest journalism, strong interviewing and a genuine connection to the people of Western Australia.
Q&A with Mark Gibson
Q1) What first drew you into journalism and was there a moment when you knew you’d found your calling?
From early on, I was drawn to the craft of storytelling. Writing came naturally to me and journalism felt like a pathway where those skills could be put to real purpose. It wasn’t until university that I discovered broadcast journalism and that broadened everything. The idea that storytelling could live not only on the page, but through voice, interviews and live communication.
My career began in radio, followed by 25 years in television, and now I’ve come full circle back to radio. Storytelling has been the constant through it all. One defining moment came in my early twenties when I moved from Perth to Sydney and secured a role at Channel 10. A few years later, I found myself reading the news on television. That was the point where I realised, I’d made the right leap – that this was the career I was meant to be in.
Q2) You’ve worked across television and radio, what has each medium taught you about connecting with audiences and, which do you find most rewarding today?
Television and radio are similar in purpose but completely different in how they connect with people. Television is driven by visuals, you tell stories through pictures and those images often become the moments people remember. Whether it’s a major world event, a breaking news story, or even a goal in a footy match, the pictures stay with you. In television, that ability to show people what happened is incredibly powerful.
Radio, on the other hand, relies entirely on the craft of voice and emotion. You have to paint a picture for the listener using words, tone, pauses and silence. Sometimes the most powerful tool is silence – a pause that lets someone open up. My role is often to draw the very best out of a guest, whether through questions or simply giving them space, and radio allows for a level of intimacy and emotional connection that surprises people. When radio works well, it stops someone in the middle of their morning rush or keeps them sitting in the car for an extra 30 seconds just to hear how the story ends.
Both mediums are rewarding in different ways, but radio has a unique ability to move people without visuals, and that’s what makes it such a compelling space to work in.
“When radio works well, it can move people without visuals – that’s what makes it such a compelling space to work in.”
Q3) As someone who has reported on everything from breaking news to human-interest stories, how do you decide when a story needs empathy, when it needs scrutiny and, when it needs both?
It depends entirely on the story. If you’re interviewing someone who has experienced loss or trauma, empathy is essential – you’re dealing with people at their most vulnerable and the responsibility is to handle those moments with care. On the other hand, when the focus is on government, policy or public accountability, that’s where scrutiny becomes critical. Those stories require you to ask critical questions and sometimes apply pressure to get to the truth.
There are also situations where empathy and scrutiny intersect. Issues like homelessness or mental health are good examples – you want to understand the human experience but you also need to explore the broader factors that contribute to the situation, whether that’s policy, services or community support. It’s a fine balance and much of it comes down to judgement and experience.
Live radio adds another layer because you only get one chance to articulate things the right way. Sometimes you’ll pause, sometimes you’ll push and sometimes the words don’t come out exactly as intended, but over time you develop a sense of when to lean into compassion and when to lean into accountability. So much of the job is navigating that balance in real time.
Q4) Journalism can be emotionally taxing, how do you process the difficult stories you’ve had to work on?
It’s one of the most challenging parts of the job. Journalism often focuses on tragedy or conflict, and over the years I’ve covered more sad and confronting stories than I can count. The Bali bombings in 2002 had the biggest impact on me. I flew to Bali the morning after the attacks and found myself walking through the rubble before the Australian Federal Police had even arrived. The scene was overwhelming and devastating and it became deeply personal when I realised members of the Kingsley Football Club in Perth, where I’d played as a kid, were among those killed.
I spent seven days filing stories from sunrise to late at night. By the end, I had to call my boss and say, “I need to come home.” Processing that experience took a long time and it taught me the importance of compartmentalising and, when necessary, seeking support.
Earlier in my career in Sydney, I covered murder scenes, fatal crashes and countless traumatic events. You learn to detach yourself to a degree, but some stories cut deeper than others. The key is finding a way to move forward without becoming numb, while still recognising that you’re an observer to an event, not a participant. That balance is essential to staying healthy in this profession.
“There are stories where empathy and scrutiny intersect, it’s a fine balance and so much of it comes down to judgement and experience.”
Q5) Many young journalists look up to you as a mentor. What advice do you give those entering the industry about building credibility and resilience in such a high-pressure environment?
It is a high pressure environment, there are tight deadlines and plenty of criticism. But if you love storytelling, it’s one of the most rewarding careers there is. You get to witness history, tell important stories and make an impact.
What I tell young journalists is that the pressure and the reward go hand-in-hand. You have to be prepared to work hard, stay curious and maintain your integrity. You will be criticised, sometimes by colleagues, often by the public and occasionally by people who don’t know you at all. Developing a thick skin doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s crucial if you want to last in the industry.
Credibility comes from consistency: being fair, being accurate and approaching every story with professionalism. And above all, keep your hunger for telling stories. If you stay committed, keep pitching ideas and remain genuinely interested in the world around you, the career becomes incredibly fulfilling.
Q6) Community trust in media is a recurring debate. From your perspective, what do journalists and broadcasters need to do better to rebuild and maintain that trust?
Rebuilding trust really comes back to doing the basics well, being accurate, fair and transparent. I’m proud to work at the ABC, which consistently ranks as Australia’s most trusted media brand, and I think audiences respond when they can see that journalists genuinely care about getting things right and treating people with respect.
There’s also a real opportunity for the industry to rethink the balance of stories we choose to highlight. People are increasingly fatigued by fear-driven headlines, exaggerated angles and constant negativity. We don’t always need the “blood and guts” approach. Whenever we share uplifting, community-focused or solutions-based stories on radio the feedback is overwhelmingly positive, people want to feel informed without feeling overwhelmed.
There are negative aspects of the world and very positive ones, and I think we often forget to show that balance. If the industry focused more on thoughtful, constructive storytelling and less on fear, exaggeration and shock value, trust would naturally begin to rebuild. Small shifts in tone and intention can make a big difference to how people feel about the media as a whole.
Mark Gibson’s career reflects the enduring power of good storytelling. Whether navigating moments of crisis or celebrating the everyday wins of Western Australians, he brings compassion and authenticity to every interview. As this edition of The Company We Keep shows, Mark’s contribution goes beyond journalism – he helps build a more informed, connected and hopeful community.
