Current:Home > BackJohn Pilger, Australia-born journalist and filmmaker known for covering Cambodia, dies at 84-LoTradeCoin
John Pilger, Australia-born journalist and filmmaker known for covering Cambodia, dies at 84
View Date:2025-01-14 21:16:59
LONDON (AP) — John Pilger, an Australia-born journalist and documentary filmmaker known for his coverage of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, has died, his family said Sunday. He was 84.
A statement from his family, posted on X, formerly Twitter, said Pilger died on Saturday in London.
“His journalism and documentaries were celebrated around the world, but to his family he was simply the most amazing and loved dad, grandad and partner,” the statement said.
Pilger, who has been based in Britain since 1962, worked for Britain’s left-leaning Daily Mirror newspaper, broadcaster ITV’s investigative program “World In Action” and for the Reuters news agency.
He won an International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences award for his 1979 film “Year Zero: The Silent Death Of Cambodia,” which revealed the extent of the Khmer Rouge’s atrocities. He followed that with a 1990 documentary titled “Cambodia: The Betrayal,” which examined international complicity in the Khmer Rouge remaining a threat.
He also won acclaim for a 1974 documentary looking into the campaign for compensation for children after concerns were raised about birth defects when expectant mothers took the drug Thalidomide.
Pilger was known for his opposition to American and British foreign policy, and he was also highly critical of Australia’s treatment of its Indigenous population.
In more recent years, he campaigned for the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has fought a lengthy battle against extradition to the United States.
Kevin Lygo, managing director of media and entertainment at ITV, described Pilger as “a giant of campaigning journalism” who offered viewers a level of analysis and opinion that was rare in mainstream television.
“He had a clear, distinctive editorial voice which he used to great effect throughout his distinguished filmmaking career. His documentaries were engaging, challenging and always very watchable,” Lygo said.
“He eschewed comfortable consensus and instead offered a radical, alternative approach on current affairs and a platform for dissenting voices over 50 years,” he added.
veryGood! (462)
Related
- Crews battle 'rapid spread' conditions against Jennings Creek fire in Northeast
- Welcome to Plathville Star Olivia Plath's 15-Year-Old Brother Dead After Unexpected Accident
- A SCOTUS nursing home case could limit the rights of millions of patients
- Play explicit music at work? That could amount to harassment, court rules
- Who is Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida congressman Donald Trump picked to serve as attorney general?
- The Fate of Vanderpump Rules and More Bravo Series Revealed
- New VA study finds Paxlovid may cut the risk of long COVID
- New omicron subvariants now dominant in the U.S., raising fears of a winter surge
- West Virginia governor-elect Morrisey to be sworn in mid-January
- CVS and Walgreens announce opioid settlements totaling $10 billion
Ranking
- Social media star squirrel euthanized after being taken from home tests negative for rabies
- Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's Latest PDA Photo Will Make You Blush
- Persistent Water and Soil Contamination Found at N.D. Wastewater Spills
- Climate Forum Reveals a Democratic Party Remarkably Aligned with Science on Zero Emissions
- Sister Wives’ Meri Brown Shares Hysterical Farmers Only Dating Profile Video After Kody Split
- Isle of Paradise Flash Deal: Save 56% on Mess-Free Self-Tanning Mousse
- Yes, Color Correction for Your Teeth Is a Thing: Check Out This Product With 6,700+ 5-Star Reviews
- Play explicit music at work? That could amount to harassment, court rules
Recommendation
-
Kentucky woman seeking abortion files lawsuit over state bans
-
Natalee Holloway family attorney sees opportunity for the truth as Joran van der Sloot to appear in court
-
Inside a Michigan clinic, patients talk about abortion — and a looming statewide vote
-
Los Angeles county DA's office quits Twitter due to vicious homophobic attacks not removed by social media platform
-
Craig Melvin replacing Hoda Kotb as 'Today' show co-anchor with Savannah Guthrie
-
More older Americans become homeless as inflation rises and housing costs spike
-
'Running While Black' tells a new story about who belongs in the sport
-
A SCOTUS nursing home case could limit the rights of millions of patients