Daily News (Perth)
Encyclopedia
The Daily News was an afternoon daily newspaper
published in Perth, Western Australia
from 1882 until 1990, though its origin is traceable from 1840.
colony was The Inquirer, established by Francis Lochee and William Tanner on 5 August 1840. Lochee became sole proprietor and editor in 1843 until May 1847 when he sold the operation to the paper's former compositor
Edmund Stirling.
In July 1855, The Inquirer acquired the recently established Commercial News and Shipping Gazette owned by J R Sholl. The papers were merged and renamed to the Inquirer and Commercial News which ran as a weekly until 28 June 1901 under joint ownership of Stirling and Sholl. Sholl departed and, from April 1873, the paper was produced by Stirling and his three sons, John, Fred and Horace, trading as Stirling & Sons. Edmund Stirling retired five years later and the three sons took control as Stirling Bros.
The Stirling Bros launched the Daily News in July 1882 and, in 1901, the Inquirer and Commercial News was incorporated into the single publication known as the Daily News.
A Saturday edition was published as the Weekend News and the "Weekend Magazine" of the Daily News was later incorporated into The West Australian
.
organisation. In the late 1980s, WAN was acquired by the ill-fated Bond Corporation
's subsidiary the Bell Group.
In 1986, Holmes à Court sold the Daily News to a small company headed by local "journalist" Simon Hadfield. The newspaper moved to a renovated pie factrory on the outskirts of the CBD. Its last issue was on 11 September 1990.
Journalists and other former staff hold a popular reunion nearby every five years, sometimes more frequently. One was scheduled for 11 September 2010. A website commemorating these reunions and the camaraderie of the newspaper is found at the "Daily News Reunion".
On 2 May, 1990, British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell
's UK-based Mirror Group
bought 14.9 per cent of Bell from the group's managing director, Mr David Aspinall. However, the deal did not proceed, being opposed by the federal government under its media foreign ownership policy. The WA Inc
state government was activated to legislate to retrospectively place the Daily News beyond the decision of the (federal) Trade Practices Commission
—a move which the Opposition condemned as prejudicial to Commonwealth-State relations. The paper was then defunct and in receivership, owing over $15 million, mainly to The West Australian for production costs. Maxwell's bizarre death by drowning occurred on 1 November, 1991.
WAN was the subject of a successful stock-market float in 1992 following closure of the Daily News.
Other supplements:
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...
published in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
from 1882 until 1990, though its origin is traceable from 1840.
Origins
One of the early newspapers of the Western AustralianSwan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
colony was The Inquirer, established by Francis Lochee and William Tanner on 5 August 1840. Lochee became sole proprietor and editor in 1843 until May 1847 when he sold the operation to the paper's former compositor
Compositing
Compositing is the combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene. Live-action shooting for compositing is variously called "chroma key", "blue screen", "green screen" and other names. Today,...
Edmund Stirling.
In July 1855, The Inquirer acquired the recently established Commercial News and Shipping Gazette owned by J R Sholl. The papers were merged and renamed to the Inquirer and Commercial News which ran as a weekly until 28 June 1901 under joint ownership of Stirling and Sholl. Sholl departed and, from April 1873, the paper was produced by Stirling and his three sons, John, Fred and Horace, trading as Stirling & Sons. Edmund Stirling retired five years later and the three sons took control as Stirling Bros.
The Stirling Bros launched the Daily News in July 1882 and, in 1901, the Inquirer and Commercial News was incorporated into the single publication known as the Daily News.
A Saturday edition was published as the Weekend News and the "Weekend Magazine" of the Daily News was later incorporated into The West Australian
The West Australian
The West Australian is the only locally-edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia, and is owned by ASX-listed Seven West Media . The West is published in tabloid format, as is the state's other major newspaper, The Sunday Times, a News Limited publication...
.
Later years
Competition from television evening news resulted in losses in circulation and eventual cessation of most Australian afternoon newspapers. The Daily News came to be a wholly owned subsidiary of West Australian Newspapers (WAN), formerly itself a subsidiary of the Melbourne-based Herald and Weekly TimesThe 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:...
organisation. In the late 1980s, WAN was acquired by the ill-fated Bond Corporation
Alan Bond (businessman)
Alan Bond is an Australian businessman noted for his criminal convictions and high-profile business dealings, including what was at the time the biggest corporate collapse in Australian history. Bond was born in the Hammersmith district of London, England, and emigrated to Australia with his...
's subsidiary the Bell Group.
In 1986, Holmes à Court sold the Daily News to a small company headed by local "journalist" Simon Hadfield. The newspaper moved to a renovated pie factrory on the outskirts of the CBD. Its last issue was on 11 September 1990.
Journalists and other former staff hold a popular reunion nearby every five years, sometimes more frequently. One was scheduled for 11 September 2010. A website commemorating these reunions and the camaraderie of the newspaper is found at the "Daily News Reunion".
On 2 May, 1990, British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell
Robert Maxwell
Ian Robert Maxwell MC was a Czechoslovakian-born British media proprietor and former Member of Parliament , who rose from poverty to build an extensive publishing empire...
's UK-based Mirror Group
Trinity Mirror
Trinity Mirror plc is a large British newspaper and magazine publisher. It is Britain's biggest newspaper group, publishing 240 regional papers as well as the national Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People, and the Scottish Sunday Mail and Daily Record. Its headquarters are at Canary Wharf in...
bought 14.9 per cent of Bell from the group's managing director, Mr David Aspinall. However, the deal did not proceed, being opposed by the federal government under its media foreign ownership policy. The WA Inc
WA Inc
WA Inc was a political scandal in Western Australia. In the 1980s, the state government, which was led for much of the period by premier Brian Burke, engaged in business dealings with several prominent businessmen, including Alan Bond, Laurie Connell and Warren Anderson...
state government was activated to legislate to retrospectively place the Daily News beyond the decision of the (federal) Trade Practices Commission
Australian Trade Practices Commission
The Australian Trade Practices Commission was the agency responsible for monitoring and enforcement activities under the Trade Practices Act 1974. It was replaced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in 1995....
—a move which the Opposition condemned as prejudicial to Commonwealth-State relations. The paper was then defunct and in receivership, owing over $15 million, mainly to The West Australian for production costs. Maxwell's bizarre death by drowning occurred on 1 November, 1991.
WAN was the subject of a successful stock-market float in 1992 following closure of the Daily News.
Notable former journalists
- Bill BaileyBill BaileyBill Bailey is an English comedian, musician and actor. As well as his extensive stand-up work, Bailey is well known for his appearances on Black Books, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, and QI.Bailey was listed by The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy in...
- Paul RigbyPaul RigbyPaul Crispin Rigby AM , usually working under the name Rigby, was an award-winning Australian cartoonist who worked for newspapers in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States....
(cartoonist) - Arthur LovekinArthur LovekinArthur Lovekin was a West Australian journalist, newspaper editor and owner and politician.-Early life:Lovekin was born , in Slough, Buckinghamshire...
- Kirwan WardKirwan WardEdward Bernard "Bernie" Kirwan Ward was a journalist most notable for his work with the Daily News in Perth, Western Australia.-Early life:...
Publication details
- 26 July 1882-11 September 1990. - main publication
- From 6 July 1886 incorporated title: Morning Herald.
- From 28 June 1901 incorporated title: Inquirer and Commercial News.
- Saturday edition from 6 August 1960 to 29 March 1986, titled Weekend News
- additional Saturday colour supplement from 19 February 1966 to 3 April 1971, titled Weekend Magazine
Other supplements:
- Fremantle News, 28 April 1949 to 7 April 1971
- Fremantle-Cockburn News, 14 April 1971 to 24 May 1984
- North of the River News, 2 December 1959 to 22 February 1961
- Metro, March 1987 to April 1987, a 16-page colour supplement in Wednesday's Daily News
- Source: Battye Library online catalogue of its holdings that have been microfilmed