Collection 3293 - Fairfax Media (Wagga Wagga)

Open original Digital object

Identity area

Reference code

RW 3293

Title

Fairfax Media (Wagga Wagga)

Date(s)

  • 1998-2014 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

1.45m; 6 type one boxes; 8 volumes

Context area

Name of creator

(1868 -)

Biographical history

The first issue of the Wagga Wagga Advertiser was released on 10 October 1868 for the cost of 6 pence. The paper was co-founded by two wealthy local pastoralists, Auber George Jones and Thomas Darlow, whilst the first editor was Frank Hutchison, an Oxford graduate. These men believed that the growing prosperity and importance of the Wagga Wagga district required greater representation in the press. The paper would aim to give proper importance to the subject of agriculture and to be devoted to people from all socio-economic levels.

Originally the Wagga Wagga Advertiser was only published bi-weekly, on Wednesday and Saturday, and would consist of only 4 pages. By February 1880, the paper was published tri-weekly, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, due to popular demand. In 1881, the paper was reduced in price from 6 pence to 2 pence, to make it more affordable. The paper finally became 'daily' on 31 December 1910.

At about the same time, the newspapers' offices relocated from Fitzmaurice Street to Trail Street under the guidance of owner Stephen Sullivan, who originally joined the paper in 1868 as a 21 year old printer. When the partnership between Jones and Darlow dissolved in 1871, Sullivan and his father-in-law, J. Mackay, bought the 'Advertiser' in partnership. Sullivan was to continue an association with the paper until shortly before his death in 1933, a total of a little over 60 years.

With Sullivan's death, The Daily Advertiser was left to his daughters, Alice and Forbie, who sold the paper to a company owned by Rupert "Rags" Henderson and Hanne Anderson (later, Fairfax) about 20 years later. On 23 July 1962, the Wagga Wagga Daily Advertiser was reduced in size from a broadsheet to the smaller 'tabloid' size. When the paper celebrated its centenary in October 1968, it was only the fourth provincial daily newspaper in NSW to do so.

It was during Henderson's time as owner that the Riverina Media Group was created. General Managers of the Group included: John Charles Jackson (1961- 992), Graham Gorrel (1992-2000), Wayne Geale (April 2000- ?), Paul McLoughlin (?- present). After Henderson's death, the company passed to his daughter, Margaret Jarrett, and then to her daughter in turn, Alicia Jarrett in 2002.

In 2007, Rural Press Ltd bought the Riverina Media Group, just a few weeks before Rural Press itself was merged into Fairfax Media. At the time, the Group published 7 newspapers in the Riverina (including The Daily Advertiser (Wagga), Riverina Leader (Wagga), The Rural, The Area News (Griffith), The Southern Cross (Junee), The Colypoint Observer (Coleambally and Darlington Point), and The Irrigator (Leeton) and the "Seniors Newspapers" for five states.

Since 1962, editors of The Daily Advertiser have included Taffy Davies (1962-1963), Jack Dennis (1964-1978), Greg Walker (1978-1979), Graham Gorrel (1979-1992), Michael McCormack (1992 - 2002), Paul McLoughlin (2002 - ?), Daniel Johns (2015-2017) and Ross Tyson (2017-present).

The Daily Advertiser is currently a subsidiary of Fairfax.

Name of creator

(1911 -)

Biographical history

The entity that became Australian Community Media (ACM) began its existence as The Land in 1911. In subsequent decades, The Land acquired various other community newspapers and the resulting media company was renamed Rural Press Limited in 1981.

On 6 December 2006 it was announced that Rural Press Limited and John Fairfax Holdings would merge to form a new company estimated in value at $12 billion. The merger with Fairfax was completed on 8 May 2007. Papers from Rural Press were published under the Fairfax Regional Media brand, which later became Australian Community Media. Fairfax Media merged with Nine Entertainment in 2018 and Nine sold ACM to Catalano and Thorney in 2019.

Archival history

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Bound volumes of "The Riverina Leader" newspaper (2003) and bound volumes of "The Southern Cross" newspaper (2016-2014).
Photographs on CD-ROM for newspapers of The Riverina Group (including The Daily Advertiser, The Southern Cross, The Area News, The Irrigator, The Rural News, and The Leader).
Misc. pages on CD-ROM from The Daily Advertiser.

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

OPEN to public access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Items in this collection are protected by copyright. Contact the Reference Archivist for more information.

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

An accession list is available. Click on 'Download Accession List' above to view.

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

Added 1 type one box of compact discs [received with RW3510] duplicating items 5,10, 11, & 12. Also includes compact discs containing (pictures?) from the Southern Cross, 4 Nov 2002 - 21 Jan 2003.
31 January 2023.

Alternative identifier(s)

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