Welcome to Quick Q – Monday Media’s weekly Q&A series dedicated to finding out more about the personalities that matter most in the media landscape.

Every week The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age asks key figures across corporate media, business, sport, federal politics, radio, television and culture to answer a series of questions about their lives, careers, hobbies and news habits.

This week’s conversation is with veteran TV producer and journalist, Anita Jacoby. Jacoby is the chair of the ABC Advisory Council, associate member of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and author of Secrets Beyond the Screen.

How did you get your big break?
My big break was at 24 pitching a weekly half hour TV show, Weekend Sydney to Seven’s Managing Director, Ted Thomas. He loved the idea and before co-creator Helen Grasswill and I knew it, we had a prime-time show airing Fridays at 7pm. It taught us so much about the nuts and bolts of making television along with setting up and managing a production company.

What are daily news media habits?

Twitter first thing, followed by ABC TV, Radio National, the main local digital news sites including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Guardian, The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Which living person do you most admire?
Sir David Attenborough. He’s the definition of a gentleman, sending a beautifully handwritten note of thanks after receiving a copy of an interview we’d shot with him in London for the ABC’s Elders series. Sir David’s all class, conscience and such a great champion for humanity and the environment.

Your guilty streaming pleasure? There’s no guilt when it comes to streaming, only willing consumption: Ted Lasso, Stranger Things, The Morning Show.

Which phrase do you overuse? I’m only kidding!