Norman Swan

Norman Swan is a Scottish Australian medical doctor, journalist and radio producer.

Swan was born in Scotland and studied medicine at the University of Aberdeen graduating in 1976.

Swan moved to Australia, where he started work with the Australian Broadcasting Commission in 1982. He was the general manager of ABC Radio National for three years from 1990, and in that time recruited Phillip Adams, Geraldine Doogue and Wendy Harmer as program presenters. Swan co-hosted the Radio National program Life Matters between 1996 and 2001, and has produced and presented ABC radio program The Health Report from its inception in 1982.

On ABC TV, Swan has presented both Catalyst and Quantum, appeared on Tonic and, on commercial television, appeared on the Australian version of The Biggest Loser as the resident health expert.

Swan was awarded the Gold Walkley for revealing scientific fraud conducted by gynaecologist Dr William McBride. Swan's investigation sent "shock waves throughout the medical world" and led to McBride's de-registration as a medical practitioner. Swan has won three Walkley Awards, a Media Peace Award from the United Nations Association of Australia, and the highest honour in Australian science journalism, the Michael Daley Award.

Swan's son, Jonathan, is an award-winning national political correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. From SMH (Aug. 2010):

Biggest achievement - "I know it's trite but I'm desperately proud of my three children [aged 25, 23 and 21]. And helping Radio National survive in the early '90s [when he ran the station for three years]. I feel that's contributed to Australian cultural life."

Personal philosophy - "I want to live in a country where everyone can achieve their potential. Britain [where he lived until 1978] is still a bit class-bound. And, secondly, I'm Jewish and I believe in the Talmudic principle to do unto others as one would have done to oneself."