Media heavyweight Sam Chisholm has been farewelled by hundreds at a funeral in Sydney, including a throng of Australian television identities.
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The former Nine Network boss, who died on July 9 after a brief battle with illness, aged 78, spent four decades working in Australian and British media.
Former Seven boss David Leckie, former News Corp Australia head John Hartigan and long-time Nine News Sydney newsreader Brian Henderson were among mourners at St Swithun's Anglican Church in Pymble on Friday.
Former Nine journalists Ian Leslie and Peter Meakin and singer Kamahl also attended.
Chisholm's widow Sue, his daughter Caroline and his Sky UK deputy David Chance recalled precious times spent with the man who took over Nine in 1975 aged just 35.
Long-time Nine music director Geoff Harvey, who composed many of the themes used on the network, played organ and piano before also addressing the service.
New Zealand-born Chisholm led Nine until 1989, when he took over Britain's Sky Television and oversaw its merger with competitor British Sky Broadcasting.
The new Rupert- Murdoch-owned company BSkyB was instrumental in the creation of the English Premier League and Chisholm later sat on the board of Tottenham Hotspur.
He retired from the pay television company in 1997, but remained on as a director for another two years.
Amid deteriorating health, he returned to Australia at the end of the 1990s. He underwent a double lung transplant in 2003, having been born with an enzyme deficiency that affected his lungs.
Chisholm was inducted into Australia's television Hall of Fame in 2004, when he was also awarded a Gold Logie.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his service to medical research and health organisations in Australia.
Australian Associated Press