Peter Manning, former ABC News boss, has died aged 81 following a health battle at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He was a prominent figure in Australian journalism, best known for reviving Four Corners and for his unwavering commitment to independent, fearless reporting that defined his career.

Manning served as executive producer of Four Corners between 1985 and 1989 and won the Walkley Award for Outstanding Contribution to Journalism last year. ABC managing director Hugh Marks described him as one of the great names in ABC journalism, noting that his legacy endures through the generations of journalists and leaders he mentored and the high standards he set for public interest journalism.