Impartial, principled: 60 years of journalism
In coming months we will mark some of the highlights of The Australian’s presence on the national stage since 1964.
The first edition of The Australian, published on July 15, 1964, set out a vision for the country’s “first truly national newspaper”.
The ambition realised that day by the paper’s founder, Rupert Murdoch, was clear, even simple.
“In these pages,” the paper pronounced on the front page, “you will find the impartial information and the independent thinking that are essential to the further advance of the country”.
Those principles have been touchstones for The Australian ever since and have become even more important in an age dominated by the chaotic and sensationalist version of “news” offered by social media.
Fairness and objectivity need not be anodyne, however: the paper from its very early days had strong opinions, memorably demanding on front pages in 1970 that Australia withdraw from the conflict in Vietnam.
We have led the conversation on topics as diverse as the end of the Cold War, reading education, family law, religious freedom, the death penalty, the floating of the dollar and the war on terror.
As we said in 1964: “We shall not hesitate to speak fearlessly. We shall criticise. We will not be influenced when there is public need for us to be outspoken.”
When the debate is nuanced, we back our readers’ intelligence. After the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum was proposed in May 2022, we presented both sides of the debate with scrupulous balance, allowing readers to weigh the arguments and make a fully informed decision.
There have been numerous campaigns where our reporters have uncovered corruption or injustice, from the Australian Wheat Board scandal almost two decades ago, to the hugely influential Teacher’s Pet podcast, itself an example of how the newspaper has undergone an enormous, silent transformation, following, and sometimes leading, society into the digital era.
In 2011 we were the first major publication in Australia to present our content online behind a paywall. It was a bold decision but one that has been more than vindicated and widely imitated.
But no matter how technically sophisticated it becomes, a newspaper’s credibility still depends on those clear principles enunciated so long ago.
Are our values of impartiality and independence, and our adherence to them, something to be proud of? We think so, and promise that, as we enter our 60th anniversary year, we will continue to bring you the news with clear-eyed honesty and diligence.
Over the next few months, in various ways, we will mark some of the highlights of The Australian’s presence on the national stage over the past 60 years. Beginning today, we launch a series of articles by senior writers who will look towards the next 60, offering insights and predictions about Australian society, from our economy, social trends, demographics and education, to advances in medicine, science, and the growing interface between human and artificial intelligence.
The first of these essays is not to be missed: the nation’s finest political analyst and commentator, our editor-at-large Paul Kelly, outlines the challenges we will face in the coming years.
It will doubtless remind you why we, with your treasured support, believe we have so much to celebrate.
On our masthead on the front page, from today and for the rest of the year, The Australian celebrates 60 years of excellence in journalism. We hope you join us on the next part of our journey.
