Veteran newsman Jeff McMullen received an Honorary Doctorate of Journalism from Central Queensland University (CQU) Thursday afternoon (22 August) during CQU's Sydney International Campus graduation ceremony.

"Dr McMullen's award reflects the importance CQU places on credible journalism," said Dr Alan Knight, CQU's Professor of Journalism and Media Studies. The former ABC foreign correspondent and 60 Minutes reporter has consulted with CQU Journalism students on the global and ethical responsibilities of journalists in the 21st century. Professionals, like McMullen, often visit CQU to instruct students and provide real-world training and advice to new reporters. "Journalism students need to be exposed to quality professionals who deal with the sort of ethical issues that Jeff's encountered. It's essential that we instruct them and remind ourselves of the importance of communicating with integrity," Knight said.

CQU is one of only three Australian Universities with a full professor in Journalism. It houses a digitised journalism centre and provides online journalism programs. CQU also arranges for systematic work experience for students and helps them develop close links with the media industry while studying.

McMullen was educated at Sydney's Macquarie University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in literature, history and political philosophy.

At the age of 18, he became the youngest ABC foreign correspondent of his day, reporting from Papua New Guinea and later from Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and India. Later he was the ABC's New York correspondent, then Washington correspondent. After eighteen and a half years with the ABC, Jeff joined Australia's Sixty Minutes television program in 1984, and became its longest serving reporter after spending sixteen years travelling the world, reporting on hundreds of stories, which were shown in 60 different countries.

Widely respected for his honesty and integrity as a reporter, he has covered everything from political coups, attempted Presidential assassinations, violent conflicts, genocide, environmental issues and numerous other international events and issues.

McMullen was presented with a United Nations Media Peace Prize in 1984 for a trilogy of Four Corners films from the war zones of Central America. His story on the slaughter of the indigenous people of Guatemala was screened before an American Congressional Committee and influenced its vote to suspend military aid to that regime. In 1988, he received an International Current Affairs Award (Pater) for his story about the effort to save the life of Ian Grey, an Australian missionary who faced execution in Mozambique after assisting the Renamo guerrillas in one of the most violent African conflicts.