David Koch (analyst)
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David James Koch ( ), nicknamed "Kochie" ( ), is an Australian
television presenter A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces or hosts television show, television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. It is common for people ...
and financial journalist. He is best known as a host of the
Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...
's breakfast program, ''
Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning, at the start of the Sun path. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon. Terminology Although the S ...
'', from 2002 until 2023. He began his media career in
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
as a
financial journalist Business journalism is the part of journalism that tracks, records, analyzes, and interprets the business, economic and financial activities and changes that take place in societies. Topics widely cover the entire purview of all commercial act ...
, writing for a number of different publications before eventually moving to television. Koch has been the chairman of the
Port Adelaide Football Club Port Adelaide Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, Alberton, South Australia. The club's senior men's team plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), where it is nicknamed the ...
, an
Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional sports, professional competition of Australian rules football. It was originally named the Victorian Football League (VFL) and was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition ...
(AFL) club since October 2012.


Early life and education

David James Koch was born in
Adelaide, South Australia Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
to a Jewish family. He trained as an accountant.


Financial journalism

Koch started as a cadet on the business pages of ''
The Australian ''The Australian'', with its Saturday edition ''The Weekend Australian'', is a broadsheet daily newspaper published by News Corp Australia since 14 July 1964. As the only Australian daily newspaper distributed nationally, its readership of b ...
'' newspaper before joining '' BRW'' magazine soon after its launch in the early 1980s. He was one of the founders of consumer finance journalism in Australia and created ''Personal Investment'' magazine, which made him the youngest editor in the
Fairfax Media Fairfax Media was a media (communication), media company in Australia and New Zealand, with investments in newspaper, magazines, radio and digital properties. The company was founded by John Fairfax as John Fairfax and Sons, who purchased ''The ...
group. He then launched ''Personal Investment'' magazines in New Zealand and the UK. He produced Britain's first "rich list" which started in ''Money Magazine'' which he had bought for Fairfax. In 1988, he launched trade publishing group Australian Financial Press in a joint venture with Fairfax. AFP went on to create ''Business Magazine'', ''New Accountant'' and ''Money Management'' magazines. He provides business and financial commentary for several publications, including
Pacific Magazines Pacific Magazines was a magazine publisher operating in Australia owned by Seven West Media. In March 2020, it was acquired by Are Media, Bauer Media Australia in April 2020. In June 2020, Mercury Capital acquired Pacific Magazines as part of i ...
,
Yahoo Finance Yahoo Finance is a media property that is part of the Yahoo network. It provides financial news, data and commentary including stock quotes, press releases, financial reports, and original content. It also offers online tools for personal fina ...
, and the "Your Money" section of
News Ltd News Corp Australia is an Australian media conglomerate and wholly owned subsidiary of News Corp. The group's interests span newspaper and magazine publishing, Internet, market research, DVD and film distribution, and film and television prod ...
newspapers. Koch was a director of the NSW Small Business Development Corporation Ltd for eight years after its inception in 1996. As a former business owner and operator and now director of Pinstripe Media Pty Ltd, he speaks regularly at corporate events about small business, finance and investment issues. Koch has presented a weekly small business program on the Seven Network, ''Kochie's Business Builders''. It was produced by Koch's company Pinstripe Media. In 2007, Koch launched Pinstripe Media, a video production and content marketing agency that manages a network of sites including Startup Daily, Flying Solo and Kochie's Business Builders. In 2013, Koch launched KBB Digital, a
digital marketing Digital marketing is the component of marketing that uses the Internet and online-based Information technology, digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones, and other digital media and platforms to promote products and service ...
agency for small business which is an extension of the Kochie's Business Builders brand. In 2020, in partnership with Kylie Merritt, Koch launched ausbiz, an Australian business and finance streaming platform. In August 2023, Koch joined
Compare the Market Australia Comparethemarket.com.au is an Australian price comparison website operated by Compare the Market Pty Ltd, part of Innovation Holdings Australia Pty Ltd and BHL Holdings Limited. It offers a service for customers to compare a range of general in ...
as an economic director.


Television career


Sunrise

Koch was co-host of
Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...
's
Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning, at the start of the Sun path. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon. Terminology Although the S ...
breakfast program for 21 years, from 2002 until 2023. He was initially hired to replace
Chris Reason Chris Reason (born 1 October 1965) is a journalist, foreign correspondent and news anchor for the Seven Network Australia. He has been with the network for more than three decades, starting as Crime Reporter at Channel Seven in Brisbane i ...
who stepped down after a cancer diagnosis towards the end of 2002; however, his position later became permanent. He and his original co-host,
Melissa Doyle Melissa Jane Doyle (born 10 February 1970) is an Australian television presenter, author and journalist. She was previously co-host of the Seven Network's breakfast television program ''Sunrise'' from 2002 to 2013 alongside David Koch and h ...
, hosted the program over a period that saw viewer ratings grow until ''Sunrise'' became the leading breakfast television show in Australia. In May 2006, Koch & Doyle were acquitted of
contempt of court Contempt of court, often referred to simply as "contempt", is the crime of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law and its officers in the form of behavior that opposes or defies the authority, justice, and dignity of the co ...
charges in a Melbourne Local Court after the name of a 14-year-old boy was published in a case in which the boy sought an irreconcilable differences order against his parents. The Seven Network and the show's producer were convicted of the offence. In August 2022, the
Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...
released a statement declaring Sunrise had won the breakfast TV ratings in its timeslot for the 19th year in a row. Koch's name and image have been falsely used in several online
scam A scam, or a confidence trick, is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their Trust (emotion), trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using a combination of the victim's credulity, naivety, compassion, vanity, confidence ...
s in Australia, which Koch warned ''Sunrise'' viewers about in January 2023. Koch announced on 28 May 2023 that he would leave the program to spend time with family and to manage the Port Adelaide Football Club. After a 21-year tenure, he is Australia's longest-serving breakfast television host, having broadcast 16,000 hours of live TV across 5,300 shows, and conducted 50,000 interviews.
Matt Shirvington Matt Shirvington (born 25 October 1978) is an Australian former athlete and television presenter who held the Australian 100m national sprint title from 1998 to 2002. Shirvington is the third fastest Australian sprinter of all time. He qualifi ...
was announced as his replacement on 5 June 2023. His last broadcast was on 9 June 2023.


Other

Koch also co-hosted another Seven Network production, '' Where Are They Now?'', also with then-''Sunrise'' co-host Melissa Doyle. He also hosts a show for small businesses, ''Kochie's Business Builders'', which airs on Sundays on the Seven Network. He has also co-hosted
Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...
's annual Christmas TV special
Carols in the Domain Carols in the Domain is an annual Australian Christmas concert event held in the Domain Gardens in Sydney. It began in 1983, and features many national and international performers and guest appearances. It is a free event, broadcast around Aus ...
eight times between 2014 and 2022.


Recognition

Koch was nominated for a silver Logie in 2004 and 2005 for Best TV Presenter. In 2007, readers of ''Banking and Finance Magazine'' voted Koch Australia's Best Finance Journalist, while the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia presented him with the "Small Business Champion award" in recognition of his support of Australian small business. Koch was named 2007
Australian Father of the Year The Australian Father of the Year Award is presented annually to "a distinguished father who has demonstrated support, guidance and love to his children or other children through his working role or family life." Awards The award was inaugurated ...
by the Australian Father's Day Council on 31 August 2007. Koch was honoured with the
Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...
(AM) in 2024, "for significant service to media as a television presenter and to economic journalism".


Parodies

After he had published a book of jokes compiled from his daily joke segment on TV, the book was parodied in an episode of ''
The Chaser's War on Everything ''The Chaser's War on Everything'' is an Australian television satire, satirical comedy series broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television station ABC1. It has won an Australian Film Institute Awards, Australian Film In ...
'' where reading jokes from "Kochie" was the only thing that got a laugh at a stand-up comedy club. Koch was frequently parodied on the television show '' Comedy Inc.'', in which he was played by
Paul McCarthy Paul McCarthy (born August 4, 1945) is an American artist who lives and works in Los Angeles, California. Life McCarthy was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1945. He studied art at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, and later continued to ...
. ''
Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...
'' listed him in the top 50 Most Trusted Australians.


Port Adelaide Football Club

Koch was the number one ticket-holder of
Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional sports, professional competition of Australian rules football. It was originally named the Victorian Football League (VFL) and was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition ...
team
Port Adelaide Football Club Port Adelaide Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, Alberton, South Australia. The club's senior men's team plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), where it is nicknamed the ...
from 2007, jointly with Australian model and actress
Teresa Palmer Teresa Mary Palmer (born 26 February 1986) is an Australian actress and model. Following her film debut in '' Wolf Creek'' (2005), Palmer had supporting roles in films such as '' The Grudge 2'' (2006), '' Bedtime Stories'' (2008), ''The Sorcer ...
in 2009. On 2 October 2012, Koch was announced as the chairman of the club, effective from the beginning of 2013, succeeding Brett Duncanson.


Other activities

Koch appeared on Australian soap opera ''
Home and Away ''Home and Away'' (''H&A'') is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Alan Bateman and commenced broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. Bateman came up with the concept of the show during a trip to Kangaroo Point, N ...
'' in 2007 and appeared on ''
All Saints All Saints' Day is a Christian holiday. All Saints, All Saints Day or Feast of All Saints may also refer to: Art and entertainment * ''All Saints'' (film), a 2017 Christian drama film * ''All Saints'' (TV series), an Australian hospital drama * ...
'' in 2004 as an
Elvis impersonator An Elvis impersonator is an entertainer who impersonates or copies the look and sound of American musician and rock singer Elvis Presley. Professional Elvis impersonators, commonly known as Elvis tribute artists (ETAs), work all over the wor ...
. He played the voice of the News Report in the Australian version of the 2009 DreamWorks film, ''
Monsters vs. Aliens ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' is a 2009 American animated science fiction comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Conrad Vernon and Rob Letterman from a screenplay written by Let ...
''. In October 2014, Koch launched his website rescue competition (Rescue My Website), to help change the digital lives of three Australian small businesses. He has climbed
Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Kilimanjaro () is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world, at above sea level and above its plateau base. It is also the highest volcano i ...
twice to raise money for charity and walked the
Kokoda Track The Kokoda Track or Trail is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs overland – in a straight line – through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The track was the location of the 1942 World War II battle between Japane ...
.


Philanthropy

Koch is a patron of
Youth Off The Streets Youth Off The Streets is an Australian non-denominational not-for-profit youth organisation. The organisation works with young people and their families and communities in an endeavour to create safety, offer support and provide opportunities to ...
' Koch Centre For Youth and Learning in Sydney's Macquarie Fields, which opened in 2011. He has also been involved with the
Channel Seven Perth Telethon The Channel Seven Perth Telethon, regionally known simply as Telethon, is an annual telethon established in 1968 by philanthropist James Cruthers, Sir James Cruthers and Brian Treasure, and produced by TVW, a Seven Network-owned television statio ...
, an annual event raising money for charities, including the Perth Children's Hospital and Melbourne's
Good Friday Appeal The Good Friday Appeal is an annual fundraising activity on behalf of the Royal Children's Hospital, in Melbourne, Australia. The event occurs on Good Friday every year. In 2023, the appeal raised over $23 million, setting a new record. More ...
, raising money for the
Royal Children's Hospital The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH), colloquially referred to as the Royal Children's, is a major children's hospital in Parkville, Victoria, Parkville, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Regarded as one of the great C ...
. Koch has been involved in 13 consecutive Good Friday Appeal fundraisers. Through a ''Sunrise'' campaign and his involvement in ShareLife, Koch influenced the federal government to establish a national authority (the Organ & Tissue Authority) to oversee Australia's organ transplant system. Previously Australia had the highest level of registered organ donors per head of population in the world but one of the lowest transplant rates. The new national authority aims to bring Australian transplant rates up to world's best practice. Koch was Chairman of the 'Organ and Tissue Authority Advisory Council' but resigned on-air, during a ''Sunrise'' broadcast on 27 May 2015, in protest over a government review of organ donation. Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash had failed to advise him about the review.


References


External links


Kochie's Business Builders: Kochie's small business websiteYour Money & your Life: Kochie's personal finance website''Sunrise'' on Seven
*
Pinstripe Media: Kochie's Video & Content Marketing AgencySmall Business First: Kochie's Small Business NetworkKochie's Digital Marketing Agency
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Koch, David 1956 births Living people Australian television journalists Australian television presenters Australian financial writers Australian people of German-Jewish descent Australian financial analysts Television in Sydney Journalists from Sydney Mass media people from Adelaide Port Adelaide Football Club administrators Members of the Order of Australia