Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy’s wide-ranging television career spans 50 years and counting. McCarthy won a keen following when he anchored coverage of the 1974 Commonwealth Games. After five years presenting Television One’s network news (alternating with Dougal Stevenson), he became a producer and director, and did time as TVNZ’s head of sports. McCarthy set up his own company in 1990, and continues to make shows for cable television.
Hamish McKay
After starting his career commentating local rugby in Palmerston North, Hamish McKay went on to become one of New Zealand's best-known sports broadcasters. The longtime TV3 sports anchor commentated over 70 rugby test matches, including TV3’s coverage of the 2007 and 2011 World Cups. He also presented on travel series Time of Your Life, and was a repeat victim on Pulp Sport. McKay left TV3 in April 2016.
Peter Montgomery
Peter Montgomery’s colourful and vibrant commentaries made him “the voice of New Zealand yachting”. Through the 1980s and 1990s, Montgomery played a major part in the sport’s move to mass popularity and had a central role in radio and TV coverage of Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup campaigns. On dry land, he has covered many other sports, and made the Eden Park side-line his own over two decades of rugby commentaries.
Denis Harvey
Denis Harvey's career encompasses a range of leadership positions – but he is best known for his contributions to sports coverage, especially his work across multiple years of America's Cup and Olympic sailing. Harvey spent three decades working for state TV, including seven years commanding sport, and four as TVNZ's overall head of production. These days he balances work in broadcasting and production.
Peter Williams
Veteran presenter Peter Williams has been working continuously in broadcasting ever since starting in radio as a teen. In 1979 he joined TV One as a sports show host and commentator, and went on to present from the Olympics and the Rugby World Cup. In the mid 90s the longtime cricket fan began a move into news; these days he reads the news on Breakfast and for primetime weekend bulletins on TV One.
Keith Quinn
Legendary sports broadcaster Keith Quinn has come to be known as the voice of All Black test rugby in New Zealand. He has worked on countless All Black tours, and covered every Rugby World Cup since they began. Quinn worked for the NZBC/TVNZ for four decades, as both presenter and commentator. Aside from rugby, he has covered seven Olympic Games, ten Commonwealth Games, and three Paralympics.
Bernadine Oliver-Kerby
Bernadine Oliver-Kerby’s 25 plus years in broadcasting have ranged from sports reporting (including All Blacks tests and the Olympics) to reading the news — she was a longtime co-presenter on the One News weekend slot. Oliver-Kerby has hosted sports show Skoda Game On, the Halberg sports awards and quiz show New Zealand’s Brainiest Kid; she is also an award-winning radio newsreader.
John McBeth
John McBeth's commentating career began after injuries put paid to his senior rugby playing days. He became Radio New Zealand's lead rugby commentator in 1985 and took that position at TVNZ in 1992. With his trademark sense of humour never far away, he has covered Olympic and Commonwealth Games and America's Cup yachting along with many other sports.
Ric Salizzo
After time as a sports reporter for both radio and TVNZ, Ric Salizzo spent time as media liaison officer for the All Blacks, and formed his own production company on the back of light-hearted rugby tour documentaries The Good, the Bad and the Rugby, and Blood, Sweat and Touring. In 1996 he created and co-hosted the long-running sports entertainment show SportsCafe.
Phillip Leishman
The name Phillip Leishman is synonymous with sports broadcasting in New Zealand. Over a four decade career he presented sports news and major events from the Olympics to rugby tests, plus a globally-syndicated golf show. He also branched out into popular quiz shows and entertainment specials (notably Wheel of Fortune). Leishman died on 25 February 2013, after a battle with cancer. He was 61.