Watson's television career in Australia commenced in the 1970s as a reporter for
ABC TV current affairs programs
This Day Tonight and
Four Corners. In 1977 and 1978, Watson was a reporter for the ABC's travel show
Holiday hosted by
Bill Peach. In 1978, Watson worked as a producer on the
Nine Network's new public affairs program
60 Minutes. He returned to the ABC in early 1979 as the host of
Statewide. Later that year, Watson filmed a television pilot for a new science and technology show which was given the working title of
Today Tomorrow which Watson later described as "awfully dull". After the ABC decided not to continue with the show, preferring to establish another science program called
Quantum,
Towards 2000 was reworked for the
Seven Network. The show was renamed to
Beyond 2000 with Watson continuing on as a reporter. Watson was praised for his entertaining and passionate style of reporting, which drew comparisons to "
The Nutty Professor" in the media. He continued with
Getaway until he left at the end of 1998 and was succeeded by
Ben Dark.
Aviation documentaries Throughout his career, Watson produced and presented many documentaries relating to the aviation field as well as writing a number of books on the subject. In 1989, Watson established a production company called Jeff Watson Productions, although he admitted the company consisted of "just me and the cat". In 2007, Watson produced a documentary called
Southend to Sydney – The Return of the 707 which featured him flying from England to Australia with
John Travolta following the restoration of a 50-year-old
Qantas Boeing 707. Watson's aviation documentaries include: •
Spitfire Over Australia (1989) •
Confederate Airforce (1991) •
Kittyhawk (1991) •
Classic Aeroplanes (1996) •
The Last Plane Out Of Berlin (1999) •
Southend to Sydney – The Return of the 707 (2007) •
The Shape of Things To Come (2007) ==Awards==