‘Speakeasy’ afternoon show on wide range of topics

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33883, 1 July 1975, Page 27

‘Speakeasy’ afternoon show on wide range of topics

The two hosts of “Speakeasy,” Marcia Russell and Jeremy Payne, hope to remove some of the mystique surrounding television through their programme.

They feel that television in the past has not had a close enough identity with its viewers and they see “Speakeasy” as a vehicle to close the gap. Both have varied backgrounds.

Marcia Russell was born in Auckland and in 1958 joined the “New Zealand Herald” as a cadet reporter. In 1961, she left for London and worked as a public relations officer, journalist and scriptwriter.

She returned home in 1964 and after a period working for trade publications, joined | the “Herald" as assistant! editor of the women's page. The following year she was; appointed editor of “Thursday" magazine and pioneered a new approach to womens’ magazines in New Zealand. She resigned from the magazine late last year! and joined the N.Z.B.C. INVESTIGATOR Her co-host is Jeremy | Payne, well known to Auck-j land television viewers for his investigative reporting on the “Look North” pro-i gramme. He was bom ini Essex and was a reporter on: a London weekly before! travelling to Wellington I where he was appointed an information officer for the Navy.

In 1968, he joined the popular “Town and Around” programme in Auckland. He left it the following year and after writing and producing for a film company in Auckland returned to London where he worked on the editorial staff of the 8.8. C. “Man Alive” series.

Early last year he was invited back by Maurice Smyth to join the new “Look North” team.