#Kerry packer nde series

Of the 58 in the study, 30 patients were never in danger of dying, despite their belief at the time. The researchers then looked through the medical records of each person to see whether they had really been ‘near death’. The study looked at the experiences of 58 people who believed they were about to die during a medical procedure and had subsequently reported a ‘ near death experience‘ – often the classic ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ experience, the feeling of the consciousness had left the body like an outside observer, enhanced clarity of thought and the flashback of life’s memories. However, it did something quite different from most other studies – it actually checked to see whether the patients were actually near death or not – and many of them weren’t. James also moved PBL and the family-owned Conspress into new technology ventures in telecommunications and the internet, such as the jobs website Seek and ninemsn, a joint venture with Microsoft.I’ve just discovered this fantastic 1990 study from The Lancet that investigated near death experiences reported by patients. He is currently looking at picking up gaming assets in Asia. Last year, James spearheaded the successful acquisition of Perth's Burswood casino, despite opposition from his father.

It was a decision that delivered enormous profits as James was instrumental in building up PBL's gaming division, which now accounts for about half of the group's earnings. Mr Powers later became chairman of John Fairfax and James took over as chairman of PBL.Īlthough he kept a watchful on eye on his son's business activities and his advice was often sought, Kerry gave James the freedom to take the business in new directions. James formally took the job as managing director of PBL in 1996 with American-born Brian Powers as chairman, although it was widely acknowledged that Mr Packer maintained an active interest in the day-to-day running of the business. But in its second year, Australians warmed to the new game, particularly when night matches were introduced. Access to traditional venues was denied, audiences shunned the games and sponsors were disappointed. After winning a resounding victory in the High Court against the cricket establishment, Mr Packer's rival tour faced a rocky start. Rather than white flannels, the new teams were sometimes dressed in colourful 'pyjamas' and played shortened versions of the traditional five-day Test matches.

#Kerry packer nde series

So when a rival Packer competition, World Series Cricket, was launched the following year, many leading players rushed to join, splitting the game and throwing the establishment into crisis.

But he was beaten by the ABC, despite offering more than seven times the amount of money the Government network had bid.Ĭompared with other sports, cricketers were poorly paid. In 1976, with colour television being introduced into Australia, Mr Packer bid for the exclusive Australian rights to televise Test cricket matches. He was also responsible for bringing television into the homes of Australians with his Channel Nine in 1956.Īn arch conservative, Sir Frank unashamedly used his media outlets to ram home his political views and actively campaigned on behalf of the federal Liberal-Country Party coalition during election time. A bombastic man who in 1967 advocated the 'killing of 500 Negroes' as a cure to stop black revolutionary violence in the US, Frank Packer started The Australian Women's Weekly and transformed the Daily Telegraph into one of Sydney's leading newspapers. His grandfather, Robert Clyde Packer, was described by The Times, London, as a successful Sydney journalist who became a newspaper executive and one of the founders of Smith's Weekly and the Daily Guardian.īut it was Kerry's father, Sir Frank Packer, who created the empire. He was the third generation of his family to enter the media world. Mr Packer inherited control of one of Australia's biggest media empires and never shrank from the challenge or responsibility that ownership entailed.