The Age

The Age

File:The Age (2020).svg Current masthead logo, adopted in 2002
Company type	Daily newspaper
Industry	Newspaper publishing
Founded	October 17, 1854 (1854-10-17) in Melbourne, Australia
Founder	John Cooke, Henry Cooke, Walter Powell
Headquarters	Melbourne , Australia
Area served	Victoria, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, southern New South Wales
Key people	Patrick Elligett (Editor-in-chief, since 2023)
Products	Print and online newspaper editions
Owner	Nine Entertainment
Website	theage.com.au

The Age is a Melbourne-based daily newspaper in Australia, first issued in 1854. Currently owned by Nine Entertainment, it mainly caters to readers in Victoria, while also reaching audiences in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, and neighboring regions of South Australia and southern New South Wales. The publication is accessible in both print and online editions and shares certain content with its sister paper The Sydney Morning Herald.

Esteemed as one of Australia's newspaper of record, The Age has earned recognition for its investigative reporting, with journalists frequently receiving Walkley Awards, the nation’s premier journalism accolade. Its monthly audience was recorded at 5.4 million in March 2020, declining to 4.55 million by September 2024.

Establishment

The newspaper was launched on 17 October 1854 by Melbourne entrepreneurs John and Henry Cooke alongside Walter Powell.

Syme family ownership

Following initial financial difficulties, the Cookes sold the publication in June 1856 for £2,000 to Scottish-born businessman Ebenezer Syme and James McEwan. From its inception, the paper embraced a liberal political philosophy advocating for free citizenship, democratic institutions, and liberty in trade and religion.

Soon after acquiring the paper, Ebenezer Syme entered the Victorian Legislative Assembly; upon his death in 1860, his brother David Syme assumed the role of editor-in-chief, holding the position until 1908. Under David Syme’s leadership, The Age expanded to become Victoria’s foremost newspaper, overtaking competitors such as The Herald and The Argus. By 1890, it achieved daily sales of 100,000 copies, ranking among the world’s most successful newspapers at that time.

Politically influential, the publication backed liberal figures including Graham Berry, George Higinbotham, and George Turner. Syme shifted editorial policy from free trade to protectionism to encourage domestic manufacturing through tariff implementation. In the 1890s, The Age was a strong proponent of Australian federation and endorsed the White Australia policy.

After David Syme passed away, ownership transferred to his three sons; the eldest, Herbert, managed operations until 1939. A stipulation in their father's will prohibited selling shares during their lifetimes, restricting capital influx for investment over four decades.

During Sir Geoffrey Syme’s tenure (1908–42) and under editors like Gottlieb Schuler and Harold Campbell, The Age struggled to modernize its approach, losing market share to rivals such as The Sun News-Pictorial. By the 1940s, circulation had dropped below levels seen in 1900, and its political influence diminished. Although it maintained a more liberal stance than the conservative Argus, much of its distinctive voice was lost.

Historian Sybil Nolan characterized this period as one marked by decline: an outdated editorial perspective and design aesthetic combined with a conservative tone and a failure to innovate relative to competitors.

In 1942, leadership passed to Oswald Syme who initiated modernization efforts including removing front-page classified advertisements and introducing photographs later than other newspapers.

By 1948, Oswald had taken David Syme and Co. public through a flotation that raised £400,000. This capital infusion funded technological upgrades in production and prevented a takeover attempt by Fairfax publishers of Sydney Morning Herald. These revitalization measures enabled The Age to regain commercial strength, further bolstered when The Argus ceased operations in 1957 after enduring financial losses.

1960–present

Oswald Syme stepped down in 1964, with his grandson Ranald Macdonald assuming the managing director position at just 26 years old. Two years afterward, Macdonald appointed Graham Perkin as editor while taking on the editor-in-chief duties himself until 1970 to safeguard the paper’s editorial autonomy. Together, they revamped the publication’s format and steered its editorial viewpoint away from conservative liberalism toward a progressive "left liberalism," emphasizing issues such as race, gender equality, disability rights, environmental concerns, and opposing policies like White Australia and capital punishment.

The newspaper also altered its political allegiance, shifting support from the Coalition to the Australian Labor Party after many years of backing conservative parties. Victorian Liberal Premier Henry Bolte famously derided The Age as "that pinko rag," illustrating conservative opposition. In 1966, shareholders from the Syme family entered into a 50/50 voting arrangement with Fairfax, designed to protect editorial independence and block hostile takeovers until Fairfax secured a controlling stake in 1972.

Under Perkin’s leadership during the era of Gough Whitlam's Labor reforms, The Age endorsed the Whitlam administration but maintained investigative rigor by exposing the Loans Affair, which contributed to Whitlam’s eventual downfall. On 15 October 1975, the paper published an editorial titled "Go now, go decently," urging Whitlam’s resignation—Perkin’s final editorial before his passing.

Following Perkin’s tenure, The Age embraced a more centrist liberal approach—while criticizing Whitlam’s dismissal, it initially supported Malcolm Fraser’s government. After 1980, the paper increasingly favored Bob Hawke’s reform initiatives. Its political influence extended beyond editorials through prominent journalists and cartoonists such as Les Tanner, Bruce Petty, Ron Tandberg, and Michael Leunig.

In 1983, Fairfax completed its acquisition of David Syme & Co., incorporating it as a subsidiary. Macdonald endorsed this move to bolster competitiveness against rivals like Rupert Murdoch’s national newspaper The Australian, which had launched in 1964. By 1999, David Syme & Co. was renamed The Age Company Ltd, marking the end of direct Syme family involvement.

In 1969, The Age moved from its Collins Street premises to offices at 250 Spencer Street—earning the derisive nickname "The Spencer Street Soviet" from detractors. A new printing facility was established in Tullamarine in 2003. The headquarters returned to Collins Street near Southern Cross station in 2009 and later relocated to Nine Entertainment’s building at 717 Bourke Street following acquisition.

Since 2004, editors have included Michael Gawenda, British journalist Andrew Jaspan, and Paul Ramadge (appointed in 2008).

Renowned for its investigative reporting, The Age uncovered significant scandals: the 1984 "Age Tapes" investigation revealed police corruption leading to the Stewart Royal Commission; extensive coverage of banking industry misconduct prompted a Royal Commission under the Turnbull government, with journalist Adele Ferguson receiving the Gold Walkley award; investigations into bribery involving subsidiaries of the Reserve Bank of Australia resulted in record fines and prosecutions. Reporting on the international Unaoil bribery case sparked anti-corruption inquiries worldwide and guilty pleas across nine countries.

In February 2007, despite describing Australian detainee David Hicks as "deluded and dangerous," The Age editorially endorsed his release from Guantanamo Bay on grounds of legal fairness.

In 2009, columnist Michael Backman was suspended following controversy over comments about Israeli tourists; a Press Council complaint against The Age was subsequently dismissed.

In 2014, the newspaper erroneously identified Abu Bakar Alam as a stabbing suspect on its front page; as part of settlement negotiations, it contributed $20,000 toward a mosque in nearby Doveton.

By 2012, three editions were produced nightly: NAA (for interstate and regional Victoria), MEA (metropolitan), and a late metropolitan edition.

In March 2013, alongside Fairfax’s The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age transitioned from broadsheet to a smaller tabloid (compact) format.

Editor-in-chief Mark Forbes was removed in December 2016 amid sexual harassment allegations; Alex Lavelle then took over for four years before departing amid staff dissatisfaction in June 2020.

In September 2020, former Washington correspondent Gay Alcorn became The Age’s first female editor; she stepped down in December 2022 and was succeeded by Patrick Elligett in January 2023.

Headquarters

Originally, The Age operated from its dedicated building, Media House, situated at 655 Collins Street. Following its acquisition by Nine, the newspaper moved to 717 Bourke Street to share premises with its new parent company.

Masthead

Since its inception in 1854, The Age has updated its masthead several times, with the most recent revision occurring in 2002. The current design incorporates a stylized rendition of the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom alongside "The Age" rendered in bold Electra. The coat of arms displays the French motto ("God and my right"). Bill Farr, the publication’s art director, suggests this royal emblem likely symbolizes historical colonial connections to Britain. Initially, the 1854 masthead featured the Colony of Victoria’s crest, which was replaced by the royal coat of arms in 1861. Additional modifications took place in 1967 (adding a crowned shield and lion), 1971 (introducing a bold font and a simplified crest), and 1997 (adopting a stacked masthead inside a blue box). The 2002 update coincided with a comprehensive redesign of the newspaper.

Readership

By March 2020, The Age attracted a monthly audience of 5.4 million readers; however, this figure had decreased to 4.55 million by September 2024.

Walkleys

Reporters from The Age have earned numerous Walkley Awards, Australia's foremost journalism honors, including:

• 2016: Adele Ferguson received the Gold Walkley for investigative reporting on misconduct within Australia's banking industry
• 2017: Michael Bachelard, deputy editor, was awarded the Gold Walkley for his coverage of Mosul's liberation following the defeat of Islamic State

Other awards

In March 2024, David Swan, technology editor for both SMH and The Age, was honored with the 2023 Gold Lizzie Award for Journalist of the Year at the IT Journalism Awards. He also secured accolades for Best Technology Journalist and Best Telecommunications Journalist, alongside high commendation in Best Technology Issues. Additionally, both The Age and SMH earned Best Consumer Technology Coverage and received high commendations for Best News Coverage.

Current journalists

Below is a list of journalists currently employed by The Age.

Name	Position	Additional roles	Year joined Nine / Fairfax
Emma Breheny	co-editor, The Age Good Food Guide 2024
Ellen Fraser	co-editor, The Age Good Food Guide 2024
Nick McKenzie	investigative reporter
Besha Rodell	chief restaurant critic (anonymous) for The Age and Good Weekend
Paul Sakkal	federal politics correspondent	Same position at SMH
Lisa Visentin	federal politics correspondent	Same position at SMH

Photography

Although Hugh Bull became The Age’s inaugural full-time photographer in 1927, regular front-page photo features did not become common until much later. Under editors such as Graham Perkin, photography emerged as a defining element of the newspaper’s identity, frequently showcasing credited staff images spanning multiple columns.

Jay Town from competitor Herald Sun observed a clear 'house style': The Age preferred broadsheet photographs that highlighted photographers’ artistry, differing from Herald Sun’s tighter and brighter photographic approach. This distinction diminished after 1983 when Fairfax consolidated photographers across its publications and later transitioned from broadsheet to compact format in 2007 ahead of its digital shift. By 2014, Fairfax had reduced its photography staff by approximately 75%.

The Age has played an instrumental role in nurturing many prominent Australian photojournalists who often began as cadets. Notable photographers associated with the paper include:

• Hugh Bull
• Bryan Charlton
• John Lamb
• Ron Lovitt
• Bill McAuley
• Fiona McDougall
• Justin McManus
• Simon O'Dwyer
• Bruce Postle
• Michael Rayner
• Sandy Scheltema
• Jason South
• Penny Stephens

Ownership

John Fairfax Holdings gained a controlling interest in David Syme's shares in 1972, achieving complete ownership by 1983. On 26 July 2018, Nine Entertainment Co. and Fairfax Media, the parent organization of The Age, consented to a merger that formed Australia's largest media corporation. The merged company’s ownership is divided with Nine shareholders holding 51.1%, while Fairfax shareholders possess 48.9%.

Printing

Until 1969, The Age was based on Collins Street before relocating to 250 Spencer Street. In July 2003, Fairfax inaugurated the $220 million, five-level Age Print Centre at Tullamarine, which printed various Fairfax and commercial publications such as The Age, Australian Financial Review, and Bendigo Advertiser. The facility was sold in 2014, and printing duties were subsequently shifted to regional press locations.

Editors

Ordinal	Editor(s)	Year appointed	Year ended		Owner(s)
	T. L. Bright	1854	1856	years
	David Blair
	Ebenezer Syme	1856	1860	years
	George Smith	1860	1867	years	David Syme
	James Harrison	1867	1872	years
	Arthur Windsor	1872	1900	years
	Gottlieb Schuler	1900	1908	years
		1908	1926		Sir Geoffrey Syme
	Len Briggs	1926	1939	years
	Harold Campbell	1939	1942	years
		1942	1959
align=center	Keith Sinclair	1959	1966	years
rowspan=2 align=center	Graham Perkin	1966	1972	years	David Syme and Co.
1972		1975	John Fairfax and Sons
align=center	Les Carlyon	1975		1976	years
align=center	Greg Taylor	1976		1979	years
align=center	Michael Davie	1979		1981	years
rowspan=2 align=center	Creighton Burns	align=center 1981		align=center 1987	rowspan=2 align=right years
Endorsements Election Political Support 2010 Template:Party name with colour 2013 Template:Party name with colour 2016 Template:Party name with colour 2019 Template:Party name with colour 2022 Template:Party name with colour 2025 Template:Party name with colour See also Journalism in Australia List of newspapers in Australia Further reading Don Hauser, The Printers of the Streets and Lanes of Melbourne (1837–1975), Nondescript Press, Melbourne 2006. Merrill, John C. and Harold A. Fisher, The World's Great Dailies: Profiles of Fifty Newspapers (1980), pp. 44–50 C. E. Sayers, David Syme, Cheshire 1965 External links The Age corporate website The Age information hub Sir Geoffrey Syme – Journalist & Managing Editor of The Age (1908–1942) The Age, Google news archive – PDF files of 32,807 issues from 1854 to 1989.]