Australian TV audiences across the country have fare-welled and thanked SBS newsreader Lee Lin Chin after she announced her resignation from the broadcaster last week.

Hundreds of social media posts applauded Chin – who was born in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta and raised in Singapore – for representing diversity on national television.

“You give Asians hope that, yes, we can be in an industry where not many Asians are present. Farewell Queen!” one social media user said.

“Lee, for women, for diversity …Thankful for your example,” said another.

Fans even gathered in Melbourne’s Federation Square to watch her final news bulletin on Sunday.

“Having spent the bulk of my professional life at SBS, this isn’t by any means an easy decision. I shall be leaving a happy and satisfying role as a newsreader. My friends and colleagues for whom I have fervent respect will be deeply missed,” she said.

SBS Managing Director Michael Ebeid said: “SBS would like to pay tribute to Lee Lin and thank her for her significant contribution to SBS, but also to the wider Australian media industry. Lee Lin is truly one of a kind and we will miss her colourful personality gracing our screens on the weekend. Lee Lin embodies everything that SBS stands for and will always be part of the SBS family. We respect her decision to embrace new projects and wish her all the very best for the future.”

A radio and television presenter and journalist, Ms Lee is best known as the weekend presenter of SBS World News.

She has been a news presenter and journalist for many years, and more recently has become a social media star.

In 2016, she was nominated for the Gold Logie, first SBS personality to be nominated for the award in the station’s 36-years.

Ms Chin migrated to Australia in 1980 where she began working for SBS TV as a translator for Chinese-language films.

Wanting to return to broadcasting, Ms Chin worked for ABC Radio in Newcastle and Darwin.

In 1992, she moved to SBS World News, presenting the weekend news, where she remained until her retirement last week.

More recently, Ms Chin has been involved in creating small segments for SBS’s The Feed where she presents small comedy segments including ‘Pranked with Lee Lin Chin’, ‘Lee Lin and ‘Celebrity Chin Wag’ as well as the comedic cooking show ‘Lee Linguine’.

Asked if she had a message for fans on Sunday she told SBS News: “I’m not disappearing from the face of the earth, so if they see me I will have all the time in the world to engage with them … as long as they don’t ask for selfies.”

But on Sunday, fans and colleagues alike wanted to know one thing: what next?

“I have not retired, simply resigned. Retirement is death,” a post on her Twitter account this week read.

Laurie Nowell
AMES Australia Senior Journalist