"I HAVE KNOWN LINDSAY PERIGO FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES, AS A FIRST-CLASS INTERVIEWER UNEQUALLED IN INTELLIGENCE, SKILL, IMPARTIALITY AND PATIENCE in both prime television time, where he had a weekly, highly regarded slot, and later on when he headed BBC World Service. During this later period I supplied regular commentaries for Lindsay on issues of the day. I consider him unequalled, in my experience in his intelligence, his ability to go to the heart of these important issues, and in his courtesy. It has been very much our loss that he is at present not featuring in television's current trend towards lightweight infotainment, rather than much-needed analysis of the realities of socio-political happenings of importance. Lindsay quite simply, is far better than any of those at present conducting what pass for current affairs programmes."
-- Amy Brooke, children's author
"I THINK HE'S EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD AT JOURNALISM, A SKILLED INTERVIEWER, HUGELY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN MUSIC, singing and especially the subject of Mario Lanza. He made me look at the subject in a new, fresh way. I saw a wonderful interview he did with tenor Jose Carreras where he asked questions that only someone extremely knowledgeable in the field of voice would have asked. I was highly impressed with his journalism skills and all-round musical knowledge."
-- Aaron Caruso, American tenor
"YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB. Doesn't happen too often!"
-- Jose Carreras, Spanish tenor
"HE BRINGS TO HIS CRAFT A WIDE BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE, ESPECIALLY OF AMERICAN HISTORY, POLITICS, AND CULTURE, as well as a general knowledge whose breadth and scope is quite unusual. A colorful entertainer, he never fails to provide intellectually valuable content. As an interviewer he manages to bring out the most nuanced and fascinating revelations from his subjects, with a graciousness and humor that would certainly do credit to American discourse, as well."
-- Casey Warren Fahy, novelist ('Fragments')
"MR PERIGO HAS HAD VERY EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN ALL ASPECTS OF JOURNALISM — radio, television, and the print media. He is very highly regarded for his professionalism, for his integrity, and for his intelligence, and his reputation as a journalist is quite exceptional."
-- Dr. Don Brash, former Leader of the National Party, former Governor of the Reserve Bank
"HIS INTERVIEWS ARE UNIQUE IN THEIR INTELLECTUAL DEPTH and his remarkable ability to bring clarity, humor and life to his subject. The extraordinary range of Mr. Perigo's mind and interests is unmatched in his profession, and whether as a journalist, writer or public speaker, he is always a consummate professional. I agree with the many colleagues of his who regard Mr. Perigo as one of those exceptional journalists whose skill, wit and knowledge combine to create programs that both inform and entertain — while setting the very highest standards in the field.
"While the United States has many brilliant journalists and interviewers, it has none who can equal his outstanding quality."
-- James S. Valliant, author ('The Passion of Ayn Rand's Critics')
"DURING HIS TELEVISION CAREER HE WAS IDENTIFIED AS A TOP-RANK BROADCAST INTERVIEWER, and more recently on radio is a fine general broadcaster : he handles three-hour on-air sessions with aplomb, dealing with every topic under the sun and phone callers with the most unexpected enquiries ( a live-to-air situation which demands a first class mind and speed of thought).
"We share an interest in operatic music - a subject in which he is very knowledgeable, and has travelled several times to Australia and United States to further his knowledge. (He has become authoritative on the life and career of the late Mario Lanza and is often consulted internationally on this matter). "
-- Max Cryer, TV and radio personality
"WE HOLD LINDSAY IN THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE REGARD. He is unmatched in his knowledge and insight of the political scene. He is very popular with the New Zealand audience because he has appeared so frequently on radio and television and has a reputation for integrity."
-- Mitchell Harris, General Manager, Radio Live
"AN ATTENTION TO DETAIL, COMBINED WITH HIS INTEGRITY AND A FORMIDABLE INTELLECT, earned him the respect that was rightly his due.
"Mr. Perigo's range of demonstrated talents includes a very active journalism: Service in the Parliamentary Gallery and, as editor, publisher, commentator and editorial writer. To my knowledge there is none other in New Zealand's contemporary scene that has demonstrated a similar range of ability. "
-- Philip Sherry, former Principal Network Newsreader, TVNZ
"WHETHER INTERVIEWING LUCIANO PAVAROTTI, JOSÉ CARRERAS, INCUMBENT PRIME MINISTERS, OR ME, LINDSAY PERIGO WAS AND IS THE CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL.
"Whether conducting interviews on television or radio, his rare intelligence, personable manner and extremely thorough preparation ensures that he not only receives high acclaim from the viewing or listening audience but also immense respect from his interviewees. For example, because of Lindsay Perigo's extensive musical knowledge, I recall José Carreras giving him glowing praise (live on camera) for a truly memorable interview after Mr Carreras' battle with cancer.
"As a former interviewee myself, like many others, I can fully understand and appreciate why Lindsay Perigo rose to the very top in his field. He is, without a doubt, one of those rare journalists whose skill, intelligence and knowledge combine to produce interviews that measure up to the highest international standards."
-- Chris Lewis, NZ Tennis Number One (1976-85), Wimbledon Finalist, 1983.
"HE WAS HIGHLY RATED BY MYSELF AND THE RADIO NEW ZEALAND NEWS MANAGERS and in 1981 the team with Lindsay received a Mobil Radio Award: Best New Zealand-produced Radio News and Current Affairs Programme.
"I believe he is a journalist of extraordinary ability."
-- Michael D. Lee, former Producer, 'Morning Report,' Radio New Zealand
"NOT ONLY HAS HIS JOURNALISTIC PROWESS ALWAYS IMPRESSED ME, but as a fellow music-lover, his incredible depth of classical music knowledge, truly amazes me."
-- Paul Rayner, artist
"TVNZ had long since been denuded of its muscular daily current affairs programming (remember Eyewitness News? Lindsay Perigo was brilliant)."
-- Toby Manhire, "Campbell's Style Irreplaceable," NZ Herald, May 22, 2015
"LINDSAY PERIGO IS ONE OF THE FINEST COMMUNICATORS I HAVE EVER SEEN.
Like the great opera singers he loves, he has an exceptionally broad range, from the abstractions of philosophy, to the concretes of political events, which he apparently tracks in minute detail. It is not surprising to me that he earned a reputation as the leading interviewer on New Zealand television for his ability to probe the thinking of his guests."
-- Dr. David Kelley, Executive Director, The Objectivist Center, in Perigo! Politically Incorrect!, 1999
"IMAGINE A PERSON WHO COMBINES THE RUTHLESS WIT OF OSCAR WILDE, THE EARTHY ELOQUENCE OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, AND THE REVOLUTIONARY ZEAL OF THOMAS PAINE. That is Lindsay Perigo. To describe him as a broadcaster, a writer, a publisher, and a political activist is functionally accurate, but it does not do him justice. He is a troublemaker, a gadfly, and a debunker of mindless platitudes and empty promises. Indeed, he is a perfect gadfly: charming, articulate, and—to his enemies—terrifying."
-- Dr. Larry Sechrest, late Professor of Economics, Sul Ross University, Texas, in Perigo! Politically Incorrect!, 1999
"IN MY PLAYING CAREER, I TOOK ON ADVERSARIES LIKE McENROE, BORG, CONNORS AND LENDL—mere child's play compared to the drooling beast of an adversary that Lindsay Perigo has taken on: the rampant kiwi culture of mediocrity, conformity and welfarism."
-- Chris Lewis, former NZ tennis #1 and Wimbledon finalist, 2009
"IN A WORLD WHERE MOST OF US PULL OUR PUNCHES AND HIDE OUR TRUE FEELINGS, Lindsay writes with fierce intensity, caring not whether his readers agree with him or not."
-- Don Brash, former Reserve Bank Governor and National Party leader, 2009
Awards
Mobil Radio Award
Best Spoken Factual Programme, The Nixon Years, 1979
Mobil Radio Award
Best Newscaster, 1980
Bill Toft Memorial Trophy
Broadcaster of the Year, 1980