The Argus (Australia)
Encyclopedia
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
established in 1846 and closed in 1957. Widely known as a conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
newspaper for most of its history, it adopted a left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
leaning approach from 1949. The main competitor over the life of the newspaper was David Syme
David Syme
David Syme was a Scottish-Australian newspaper proprietor of The Age and regarded as "the father of protection in Australia" who had immense influence in the Government of Victoria.-Early life and family:...
's more liberal-minded The Age
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...
newspaper.
History
The newspaper was originally owned by William Kerr, a journalist who had worked with the Sydney GazetteSydney Gazette
The Sydney Gazette was the first newspaper in Australia. Governor King authorised the publication of what was initially called 'The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser in 1803. Subsequently the first edition was published 5 March...
before moving to Melbourne in 1839 to work on John Pascoe Fawkner
John Pascoe Fawkner
John Pascoe Fawkner was an early pioneer, businessman and politician of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In 1835 he financed a party of free settlers from Van Diemen's Land , to sail to the mainland in his ship, Enterprize...
's Port Phillip Patriot. The first edition was published on 2 June 1846.
The paper was known for its scurrilous abuse and sarcasm and by 1853 Kerr lost ownership through a series of libel suits and was published under the name of Edward Wilson
Edward Wilson (journalist)
Edward Wilson was an English Australian journalist and philanthropist.Wilson was born at Hampstead, London. He was educated at a private school and then entered a business house at Manchester. He went to London and in 1842 emigrated to Australia...
. The paper was also to become a stablemate to the weekly The Australasian which was to become The Australasian Post
Australasian Post
Australasian Post, or "Aussie Post," was Australia's longest-running weekly picture magazine.The origins of Australasian Post date back Saturday 3 January 1857 to the first volume of the publication Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle...
in 1946.
During the Depression in 1933 it launched the Melbourne Evening Star in competition with The Herald
The Herald (Melbourne)
The Herald was a broadsheet newspaper published in Melbourne, Australia from 1840 to 1990.The Port Phillip Herald was first published as a semi-weekly newspaper on 3 January 1840 from a weatherboard shack in Collins Street. It was the fourth newspaper to start in Melbourne.The paper took its name...
newspaper of The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd
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:...
, but was forced to close the venture in 1936.
In 1949 the paper was acquired by the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
based Daily Mirror newspaper group. On 28 July 1952 the Melbourne Argus became the first newspaper in the world to publish colour photographs in a daily paper.The paper had interests in radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and in 1956, the new medium of television broadcasting, being part of the consortium General Telecasters Victoria (GTV), and the GTV-9
GTV-9
GTV is a commercial television station in Melbourne, Australia owned by the Nine Network. The station is currently based at a new high-tech, purpose-built studios at 717 Bourke Street, Docklands.-History:...
television station. In 1957 the paper was sold to the Herald and Weekly Times group, under the management of Chief Executive Keith Murdoch
Keith Murdoch
Sir Keith Arthur Murdoch was an Australian journalist and the father of Rupert Murdoch, the CEO and Chairman of News Corp.-Life and career:Murdoch was born in Melbourne in 1885, the son of Annie and the Rev...
(Rupert's father), who utilised the printing presses, but closed the Argus and sold off the broadcasting interests. The last edition was on 19 January 1957.
The Argus Building
The Argus building, constructed in 1926 on the corner of La TrobeLa Trobe Street, Melbourne
La Trobe Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs roughly from east to west and forms the northern boundary of the CBD ....
and Elizabeth street
Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
Elizabeth Street is one of the main north-south streets in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837.- Geography :...
s, is classified by the National Trust and is on the Victorian Heritage Register
Victorian Heritage Register
The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...
of Heritage Victoria.
In 1991, an innovative office building was built next door and named The Argus Centre, an award winning building by Nonda Katsalidis
Nonda Katsalidis
Nonda Katsalidis is an Australian architect.He is currently a practicing director of architecture firm Fender Katsalidis Architects in partnership with Karl Fender.-Life:Katsalidis migrated to Melbourne, Australia as a 5 year old...
.
In 2004 La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
bought the site of the old Argus building with the intention to redevelop and house legal and business schools in the building, as well as a ground floor shopping precinct.
See also
- List of newspapers in Australia
- Frederick William HaddonFrederick William HaddonFrederick William Haddon , was an Australian journalist and newspaper editor.Haddon was born at Croydon, England, the son of Richard Haddon, a schoolmaster and landscape artist, and his wife Mary Caroline, née Wykes...
- Argus sub-editor in 1863, editor 1867–1898 - Edward Wilson (journalist)Edward Wilson (journalist)Edward Wilson was an English Australian journalist and philanthropist.Wilson was born at Hampstead, London. He was educated at a private school and then entered a business house at Manchester. He went to London and in 1842 emigrated to Australia...
- Howard WilloughbyHoward WilloughbyHoward Willoughby was an Australian journalist. Notably he was the first Australian war correspondent, he wrote against penal transportation to Australia and in favour of the federation of Australia....
- Original Argus system, system for determining the Premiers of the Victorian Football LeagueAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
's competition in 1901 - Amended Argus system, system for determining the Premiers of the Victorian Football LeagueAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
's competition from 1902 to 1930
Further reading
- Don Hauser, The Printers of the Streets and Lanes Of Melbourne (1837 - 1975) Nondescript Press, Melbourne 2006
- Jim Usher (ed) The Argus - life and death of a newspaper Australian Scholarly Publishing, Melbourne 2008 (ISBN 1 74097 143 4)