Rob Kelvin

Rob Kelvin
Born (1944-09-20) 20 September 1944 (age 80)
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
OccupationTelevision presenter
Years active1971–2011
Spouse
Anna Kelvin
​
(m. 1966)​
ChildrenRichard Kelvin
Jesse Kelvin

Rob Kelvin (born 20 September 1944) is an Australian former television news presenter. He was a presenter of the weeknight edition of Nine News Adelaide produced by NWS-9. Kelvin presented the bulletin with Kevin Crease until February 2007, when Crease retired after being diagnosed with cancer. Kelvin presented with Kelly Nestor and then Michael Smyth until he retired in December 2010.[1]

Early life

Kelvin attended Woodville High School and studied economics at university. He worked as a Patrol Officer in Papua New Guinea from 1964 to 1970 and returned to Australia in 1971 where he joined Lee Murray's Radio School in Melbourne.[2]

Career

Kelvin began broadcasting at Townsville's 4AY until a cyclone blew away part of his house. He then shifted to Swan Hill's 3SH.[3] After radio roles in Sale and Hobart, he returned to Adelaide's 5AD as a radio journalist. He joined NWS9 in 1979 doing various presenting and reporting roles before becoming a newsreader in 1983.[3] After being joined at the news desk by Kevin Crease in 1987, the pair would enjoy considerable ratings success, taking Nine News Adelaide to the top of the ratings in the 1990s.[4]

Kelvin' sporting coverage has included working on the Commonwealth Games in both Brisbane (1982) and Auckland (1990) and covering the Adelaide editions of the Australian Grand Prix on track from 1985 to 1995. A long time motor racing fan, Kelvin was also track commentator for more than 15 years at Rowley Park Speedway and later at its replacement Speedway Park.[3]

Kelvin presented his final regular bulletin on New Year's Eve 2010, ending his 32-year career with the Nine Network.[2] He continued to appear as a stand-in presenter for 6pm news bulletins for Channel 9 in Adelaide during 2011.[5]

Personal life

Rob married Anna in 1966, and they had two sons, Richard and Jesse.[2] Richard was kidnapped, tortured and murdered in 1983 when he was 15.[6] Suspected serial killer Bevan Spencer von Einem, a leading suspect in Adelaide's unsolved Family Murders, which saw five young men abducted and killed between 1979 and 1983, was convicted of Richard's murder in November 1984 and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

References

  1. ^ Ryan, Aaron (1 November 2010). "After 32 Years – Rob Kelvin Announces Retirement from Nine News Adelaide". TV Central. Archived from the original on 7 November 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "Tats all, folks – news reading legend inks in his retirement". Sunday Mail. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  3. ^ a b c "media magic". samotor Magazine. RAA. July–August 2005. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  4. ^ Leo, Jessica (28 September 2011). "Nine news ratings woes the big story". The Advertiser. Adelaide. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  5. ^ "Kelvin's return helps viewer rise". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  6. ^ "Cheers As Murder Trial Ends". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 November 1984. p. 5. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
Media offices
Preceded by
Roger Cardwell
 Nine News Adelaide
Weeknight presenter
with Caroline Ainsle (1983–1987), Kevin Crease (1987–2007), Kelly Nestor (2007–2009), Michael Smyth (2009–2010)
1983 – 31 December 2010 		Succeeded by