The editor of The Sydney Morning Herald Lisa Davies hosted an Opera House event last night to celebrate the 190th birthday of the newsbrand she edits.
While the newspaper and digital properties have been celebrating with readers this week, the birthday festivities came to a climax on Thursday night with a birthday party.
Davies and Nine Entertainment’s new CEO Mike Sneesby and chairman Peter Costello invited a who’s who of Sydney and it seemed like they all turned up.
There has been much goodwill for the media company and the Sydney icon it publishes this week. Hostilities between Nine and its long-time nemesis News Corp were even put on hold. Although fierce rivals for readers and advertisers, Nine and News Corp also have joint interests including the printing and distribution of newspapers and making sure the publishing sector does the best job it can of marketing what they can offer commercial partners.
Paying respects to their competition were a small team of executives from News Corp, led by co-chairman of News Corp and executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corporation Lachlan Murdoch who arrived with News Corp executive chairman of Australasia Michael Miller. Joining them were managing director of The Australian, NSW & prestige titles Nicholas Gray and group executive, corporate affairs, policy and government relations Campbell Reid.
Lisa Davies with Peter Costello and Lachlan Murdoch. Photos: The Sydney Morning Herald
The importance of The Sydney Morning Herald brand attracted politicians from former PM John Howard to former NSW Premier Bob Carr and the current holder of the office Gladys Berejiklian, NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and NSW Opposition Leader Jodi McKay.
Joining Sneesby was former chief executive Greg Hywood, possibly the key player in recent times who ensured the former Fairfax brand made it to 190. All former editors of the Herald were invited, a list that includes Hywood (editor before he ran the company), Peter Fray, Judith Whelan, Amanda Wilson, Robert Whitehead and Darren Goodsir.
Senior members of the editorial team included metro publishing executive editor James Chessell, plus Kate McClymont, Ross Gittins, Andrew Hornery Terry Durack and Jill Dupleix, Jacqueline Magney, Ian Fuge, John McDuling, David Crowe, Katrina Strickland, Tory Maguire, Peter Hartcher, Deborah Snow, Helen Pitt, columnist and ABC broadcaster Richard Glover. A number of Nine photographers worked the room where managing photo editor Mags King was also a guest.
Nine executives present included chief sales officer Michael Stephenson, director of trade marketing Luke Robinson, director of communications Victoria Buchan, head of corporate affairs Nic Christensen and publishing director of travel and food Trudi Jenkins.
Other Sydney guests included rugby league’s Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo, former Fairfax exec and ABC boss Mark Scott, the Today show team of Karl Stefanovic, Ally Langdon and Brooke Boney, Matt Moran and Mike Cannon-Brookes.
Premium Content Alliance CEO Kim Portrate was a guest with her GM Vanessa Lyons and head of comms Brooke Hemphill.
Lisa Davies with John Howard, Ally Langdon, Peter Costello, Brook Boney
In her welcome speech, editor Davies said: “Our economics editor Ross Gittins is fond of describing the Herald as one of the pillars on which Sydney stands. The Opera House is also one of those and this is the perfect place to celebrate tonight.”
Davies singled out some of the big names in the room, and then added, “and of course, Sydney’s true spiritual leader, Justin Hemmes. Davies also read apologies from those unable to attend including PM Scott Morrison, NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher and Federal Opposition leader Anthony Albanese.
Davies then introduced Nine’s chief digital and publishing officer, Chris Janz. “He not only defends and champions our journalism and independence, but has translated that into a remarkable commercial success story.”
Janz said: “There are few mastheads around the world producing their best journalism in this era of digital disruption. But undoubtedly the Herald’s impact is stronger today than at any point in the past two centuries. In recent history alleged war crimes have been investigated, staff underpayments corrected, sexual harassment addressed, political corruption exposed, toxic land victims compensated, hospital failures reviewed, financial and aged care conduct questioned, casino licenses pulled, all because of the Herald’s determined pursuit of the truth and what is right.
“Over the past 18 months we have continued to investigate wrongdoing while covering three extraordinary stories – Australia’s bushfire emergency, the Trump-Biden election and the global Covid pandemic. Much of that coverage outside the paywall to provide the broader community with accurate, independent information at a time of crisis.
“While reporting the truth is at our core, we also believe it is important to celebrate this great city and what a place to do that than at the Opera House.
“At a time when many newsrooms are struggling, the Herald is not just surviving, it is thriving. More than 9m Australians turn to the paper every month, almost double our nearest competitor, and more than four times our audience a decade ago.
“In recent years, print and digital, advertising and subscription, have all been in growth and we have reaffirmed our commitment to print as a platform. An increasing number of our readers are paying for our journalism and that means we can invest more in our newsrooms which in turn fuels further subscriber growth.
“Our recent success is the testament to the commitment of an incredibly talented team. Not just in our newsrooms, but across product and tech, subscriptions, print operations and advertising.
“But it is also thanks to everyone in this room. We genuinely appreciate your support of the Herald. She may be the country’s oldest Granny, but she’s got a lot of life left in her.”
Also addressing the guests was Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Heron. The formalities ended with guest speaker and former Sydney Lord Mayor Lucy Turnbull. It was another busy night for the Turnbulls, with Lucy recalling how as a young girl she used to read the newspaper with her father, former Attorney General and barrister Tom Hughes. Meanwhile across town husband Malcolm Turnbull was addressing a national audience via Q+A, again applying the blow torch to the News Corp empire.
Also sharing stories of reading the newspaper on the kitchen table as children were Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman with Deborra-Lee Furness who were part of a virtual tribute from Australians overseas. Also on the tape were Kathy Lette, Geoffrey Robertson and Sydney Morning Herald foreign correspondents Matthew Knott in Minneapolis plus Chris Barrett and Eryk Bagshaw in Asia.
Entertainment was supplied by Warner Music, with new Warner Music Australia president Dan Rosen introducing new artist Budjerah.
See also: The Sydney Morning Herald celebrates its 190th anniversary