Frank Packer
Encyclopedia
Sir Douglas Frank Hewson Packer, KBE (3 December 19061 May 1974), was an Australian media proprietor
who controlled Australian Consolidated Press
and the Nine Network
.
, in the eastern suburbs
of Sydney, New South Wales
, to Ethel Maude Packer (nee Hewson) (1878-1947) and Robert Clyde Packer
(1879-1934), who started the family's association with the media as a journalist
in New South Wales. His father, R.C. Packer, became editor of The Sunday Times and was a founder of Smith's Weekly
and The Daily Guardian, which was published by Smith's Newspaper Ltd.
He attended Wahroonga Grammar School and Sydney Church of England Grammar School
; however he did not sit for the Intermediate Certificate
. In 1923, Packer became a cadet journalist on his father's paper, The Daily Guardian. Four years later he was a director of the company. In 1933, Packer started the Australian Women's Weekly
and then transformed The Daily Telegraph
into one of Australia's leading newspapers.
Packer inherited his media interests on his father's death in 1934. In 1936, he joined with Ted Theodore
's Sydney Newspapers and Associated Newspapers to form Australian Consolidated Press
. He was chairman of ACP from 1936 until 1974.
When television was introduced to Australia in 1956, Packer, along with the other major newspaper publishers (Fairfax
, HWT
and David Syme
), became a significant television network shareholder under the federal government's "dual formula", which allowed each capital city to have two commercial networks and one ABC
.
The Packer media empire was known for its conservative leanings, and was a strong backer of long-serving Prime Minister
Robert Menzies
.
Packer was a keen yachtsman, boxer, golfer and polo player. He was on the Australian Jockey Club
's committee for 12 years and won the Caulfield Cup
with his horse, Columnist. He was also chairman of a syndicate that built the yachts Gretel and Gretel II to challenge for the America's Cup
in 1962 and 1970.
In 1972, Sir Frank Packer sold his newspaper flagship, The Daily Telegraph
, to Rupert Murdoch
, a decision he reportedly regretted.
In 1992, journalist Max Walsh
told the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Print Media that Frank Packer had exerted undue newsroom influence. "Sir Frank was knee-deep in [the] editorial policy of the Telegraph," Walsh said.
and Kerry
, with his first wife, Gretel. Gretel Packer died in 1960.
Packer married for the second time in June 1964 to Florence Adeline Vincent (nee Porges) in London.
in 1972. He was interred at the Packer family mausoleum at South Head Cemetery.
(CBE) in 1951.
He was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1959, for services to journalism and the newspaper industry.
In the New Year's Honours of 1971 Sir Frank Packer was promoted within the Order of the British Empire to Knight Commander (KBE), for services to Australian and international yachting.
He was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame
in 1999.
, Frank Packer was portrayed by Australian actor Tony Barry
.
Media proprietor
A media proprietor is a person who controls, either through personal ownership or a dominant position in any media enterprise. Those with significant control of a public company in the mass media may also be called "media moguls", "tycoons", "barons", or "bosses".The figure of the media proprietor...
who controlled Australian Consolidated Press
Australian Consolidated Press
ACP Magazines , a subsidiary of the Nine Entertainment Co., is an Australian media company. It publishes the Australian Women's Weekly and the Australian edition of Woman's Day....
and the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
.
Biography
FRabk Packer was born in Kings CrossKings Cross, New South Wales
Kings Cross is an inner-city locality of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 2 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, in the eastern suburbs
Eastern Suburbs (Sydney)
The Eastern Suburbs is a general term used to describe the metropolitan area directly to the east and south-east of the Sydney central business district in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Eastern Suburbs can refer to the suburbs within the local government areas of Woollahra, Waverley, Dover...
of Sydney, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, to Ethel Maude Packer (nee Hewson) (1878-1947) and Robert Clyde Packer
Robert Clyde Packer
Robert Clyde Packer was the founder of Australia's Packer media dynasty, which used to own Publishing and Broadcasting Limited now owns Consolidated Press Holdings and Crown Limited....
(1879-1934), who started the family's association with the media as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
in New South Wales. His father, R.C. Packer, became editor of The Sunday Times and was a founder of Smith's Weekly
Smith's Weekly
Smith's Weekly was an Australian tabloid newspaper published from 1919 to 1950. An independent weekly published in Sydney, but read all over Australia, Smith’s Weekly was one of Australia’s most patriotic newspaper-style magazines....
and The Daily Guardian, which was published by Smith's Newspaper Ltd.
He attended Wahroonga Grammar School and Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
; however he did not sit for the Intermediate Certificate
Intermediate Certificate
The Intermediate Certificate was a certificate awarded in Australia for the successful completion of three years of high school. This was at around age 14 — what is called Year 9 today. Currently students in New South Wales can leave school at age 15. Apparently this has been the case since...
. In 1923, Packer became a cadet journalist on his father's paper, The Daily Guardian. Four years later he was a director of the company. In 1933, Packer started the Australian Women's Weekly
Australian Women's Weekly
The Australian Women's Weekly is an Australian monthly women's magazine published by ACP Magazines, a division of PBL Media based in Sydney. Audited circulation in 2009 exceeded 500,000 copies monthly, making it the largest magazine in Australia.-History:...
and then transformed The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Nationwide News, part of News Corporation.The Tele, as it is also known, was founded in 1879. From 1936 to 1972, it was owned by Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press. That year it was sold to...
into one of Australia's leading newspapers.
Packer inherited his media interests on his father's death in 1934. In 1936, he joined with Ted Theodore
Ted Theodore
Edward Granville Theodore was an Australian politician. He was Premier of Queensland 1919–25, a federal politician representing a New South Wales seat 1927–31, and Federal Treasurer 1929–30.-Early life:...
's Sydney Newspapers and Associated Newspapers to form Australian Consolidated Press
Australian Consolidated Press
ACP Magazines , a subsidiary of the Nine Entertainment Co., is an Australian media company. It publishes the Australian Women's Weekly and the Australian edition of Woman's Day....
. He was chairman of ACP from 1936 until 1974.
When television was introduced to Australia in 1956, Packer, along with the other major newspaper publishers (Fairfax
John Fairfax
John Fairfax , English-born journalist, is notable for the incorporation of the major newspapers of modern day Australia.-Early life:...
, HWT
The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd
The Herald and Weekly Times Limited is a newspaper publishing company based in Melbourne, Australia. It is owned and operated by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited, who purchased HWT in 1987.-Newspapers:...
and David Syme
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
), became a significant television network shareholder under the federal government's "dual formula", which allowed each capital city to have two commercial networks and one ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
.
The Packer media empire was known for its conservative leanings, and was a strong backer of long-serving Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
.
Packer was a keen yachtsman, boxer, golfer and polo player. He was on the Australian Jockey Club
Australian Jockey Club
The Australian Jockey Club was founded in January 1842. It morphed from the former Australian Racing Committee set up in May 1840 to set the standards for racing in the colony...
's committee for 12 years and won the Caulfield Cup
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...
with his horse, Columnist. He was also chairman of a syndicate that built the yachts Gretel and Gretel II to challenge for the America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
in 1962 and 1970.
In 1972, Sir Frank Packer sold his newspaper flagship, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Nationwide News, part of News Corporation.The Tele, as it is also known, was founded in 1879. From 1936 to 1972, it was owned by Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press. That year it was sold to...
, to Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
, a decision he reportedly regretted.
In 1992, journalist Max Walsh
Max Walsh
Max Walsh is an Australian economic and political commentator, journalist, author and broadcaster. Max has held senior positions with two of Australia’s largest publishing companies and television networks.-Career:...
told the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Print Media that Frank Packer had exerted undue newsroom influence. "Sir Frank was knee-deep in [the] editorial policy of the Telegraph," Walsh said.
Family life
Frank Packer was married to Gretel Joyce Bullmore (1907-1960) on 24 July 1934 at All Saints Anglican Church, Woollahra. He had two sons, ClydeClyde Packer
Robert Clyde Packer , usually known as "Clyde", was the son of Australian newspaper magnate Frank Packer and the elder brother of media baron Kerry Packer...
and Kerry
Kerry Packer
Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, AC was an Australian media tycoon. The son of Sir Frank Packer and Gretel Bullmore, the Packer family company owned controlling interest in both the Nine television network and leading Australian publishing company Australian Consolidated Press, which were later...
, with his first wife, Gretel. Gretel Packer died in 1960.
Packer married for the second time in June 1964 to Florence Adeline Vincent (nee Porges) in London.
Death
On 1 May 1974, Sir Frank Packer died of heart failure, leaving an estate valued at $100 million. On his death he passed his empire to Kerry, as he had fallen out with his eldest son Clyde PackerClyde Packer
Robert Clyde Packer , usually known as "Clyde", was the son of Australian newspaper magnate Frank Packer and the elder brother of media baron Kerry Packer...
in 1972. He was interred at the Packer family mausoleum at South Head Cemetery.
Honours
Frank Packer was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE) in 1951.
He was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1959, for services to journalism and the newspaper industry.
In the New Year's Honours of 1971 Sir Frank Packer was promoted within the Order of the British Empire to Knight Commander (KBE), for services to Australian and international yachting.
He was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame
America's Cup Hall of Fame
The America's Cup Hall of Fame, located at the Herreshoff Marine Museum of Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, honors individuals for outstanding achievement in the America's Cup sailing competition...
in 1999.
Portrayal in media
In the 2011 television miniseries Paper Giants: The Birth of CleoPaper Giants: The Birth of Cleo
Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo is a 2011 Australian two part television miniseries about the beginning of Cleo magazine and its creator, Ita Buttrose...
, Frank Packer was portrayed by Australian actor Tony Barry
Tony Barry
Tony Barry is an Australian actor who has performed in 55 feature films and 45 television series, across a four-decade career.-Filmography:He is known for his roles in the 2008 film Australia, Return to Snowy River, Never Say Die, the 1988 film Surfer and The Coca-Cola Kid.After acting in...
.
Further reading
- R.S.Whitington. Sir Frank - The Frank Packer Story. Published by Cassell Australia, 1971. (ISBN 0304939978)
- Bridget Griffen-Foley. Sir Frank Packer: The Young Master, Published by Harper Collins, 2000. (ISBN 0732264227)