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Australia's Newspaper Empires #2
Media Monsters: The Transformation of Australia's Newspaper Empires
In 1941, the paper emperors of the Australian newspaper industry helped bring down Robert Menzies. Over the next 30 years, they grew into media monsters.
This book reveals the transformation from the golden age of newspapers during World War II, through Menzies' return and the rise of television, to Gough Whitlam’s 'It's Time' victory in 1972.
During this crucial period, twelve independent newspaper companies turned into a handful of multimedia giants. They controlled newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations. Their size and reach was unique in the western world.
Playing politics was vital to this transformation. The newspaper industry was animated by friendships and rivalries, favours and deals, and backed by money and influence, including from mining companies, banks and the Catholic Church.
Even internationally, Australia's newspaper owners and executives were considered a shrewd and ruthless bunch. The hard men of the industry included Rupert Murdoch, Frank Packer, Warwick Fairfax's top executive Rupert Henderson, and Jack Williams, the unsung empire builder of the Herald and Weekly Times.
In Media Monsters, Sally Young, the award-winning author of Paper Emperors, uncovers the key players, their political connections and campaigns, and their corporate failures and triumphs. She explores how the companies they ran still influence Australia today.
This book reveals the transformation from the golden age of newspapers during World War II, through Menzies' return and the rise of television, to Gough Whitlam’s 'It's Time' victory in 1972.
During this crucial period, twelve independent newspaper companies turned into a handful of multimedia giants. They controlled newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations. Their size and reach was unique in the western world.
Playing politics was vital to this transformation. The newspaper industry was animated by friendships and rivalries, favours and deals, and backed by money and influence, including from mining companies, banks and the Catholic Church.
Even internationally, Australia's newspaper owners and executives were considered a shrewd and ruthless bunch. The hard men of the industry included Rupert Murdoch, Frank Packer, Warwick Fairfax's top executive Rupert Henderson, and Jack Williams, the unsung empire builder of the Herald and Weekly Times.
In Media Monsters, Sally Young, the award-winning author of Paper Emperors, uncovers the key players, their political connections and campaigns, and their corporate failures and triumphs. She explores how the companies they ran still influence Australia today.
554 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2023
13 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Sally Young
9 books2 followersSally Young is professor of political science at the University of Melbourne. She is editor-in-chief of the Australian Journal of Politics and History.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 25, 2023
An exhaustive history of the Australian newspaper industry. This is volume two which runs from 1941 to 1972. Very detailed but still very readable. I found it a bit overwhelming at times, trying to keep up with the details, especially with all the jumping backwards and forwards in time but it's worth persevering with. There are some useful timeliness which help keep you in context and many summaries of who owned which papers in which cities at various dates. Excellent reference book.
August 14, 2023
As most comprehensive history of post-war media machinations in Australia
I enjoyed Sally Young’s “Paper Emperors,” but this sequel is even better. It covers the post WW2 history of not just Australian media and its almighty proprietors, but how they impacted directly and indirectly on politics and the country at large, culminating in the election of Gough Whitlam, which is where - sadly - the book ends. Throughly researched and meticulously presented, with obvious academic rigour, it is still an easy read. Sally knows her subject material very well, and writes with the confidence of knowledge, and without falling into the trap of showing the disdain that many of the power-hungry men who dominate much of the story, deserve. She wisely leaves that judgement to the reader.
I enjoyed Sally Young’s “Paper Emperors,” but this sequel is even better. It covers the post WW2 history of not just Australian media and its almighty proprietors, but how they impacted directly and indirectly on politics and the country at large, culminating in the election of Gough Whitlam, which is where - sadly - the book ends. Throughly researched and meticulously presented, with obvious academic rigour, it is still an easy read. Sally knows her subject material very well, and writes with the confidence of knowledge, and without falling into the trap of showing the disdain that many of the power-hungry men who dominate much of the story, deserve. She wisely leaves that judgement to the reader.
December 13, 2023
An amazing and comprehensive overview of the history of the Australian press, following on from the first volume Paper Emperors. The author skilfully describes the immense influence the press barons have had on Australian politics. In many ways, the ‘misinformation crisis’ of today is nothing new - the hyper partisanship of Fairfax, HWT, Murdoch, and Packer up until 1972 as described in the book is exactly the same power wielded by Murdoch, Nine, and Seven today. Sally Young exposes the Australian press for what it really is. This is a very important text, and is highly recommended for anyone who closely follows Australian politics. Eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews