My own words

the long version

Judy Bailey has been one of New Zealand's most respected and popular television journalists for three decades. From fledging regional news reporter on Top Half in the eighties to delivering the flagship One News into our homes every weekday, Bailey has been an enduring presence - through the good news and the bad. This is the story of how a rather shy young girl grew up to become a successful journalist, pursuing a career in the competitive and cut-throat world of television, while trying to maintain privacy for herself and a normal life for her family. And it hasn't all been plain sailing. For the first time Judy Bailey will talk about the shock of suddenly becoming one of the most vilified women in the business when her salary package was leaked to the public; she became the news herself when the ensuing scandal led to her departure. "My own words" reveals some of the darker side of stardom and opens the door into the rather bizarre world of broadcasting management. Although Judy Bailey's story is peppered with famous names and events, it is the close friendships that meant so much. She writes with charm and warmth about the things that really matter to her.