New South Wales masthead The Sydney Morning Herald celebrates its 190th anniversary today, as one of the oldest continuously printed metropolitan newspapers in the world.
In today’s paper, a souvenir wrap-around will show how The Herald forged trust with generations of Sydneysiders with its quality journalism and unique lens on reporting the life and times of the city.
Across the week, Nine Entertainment (the current owner of the masthead) said there will also be special features throughout The Herald and its inserts including Good Food. The milestone will also be celebrated at an event held at the Sydney Opera House with some of Sydney’s most influential decision makers, identities and cultural leaders.
“Long before the first car drove down Pitt Street, or troops left for the Boer War and both World Wars, and when Sydney’s tallest building was the city’s St James Church, Sydneysiders turned to The Sydney Herald for independent news of their city and its place in the world,” Nine said in a statement.
The first edition of The Herald rolled off the presses on 18 April 1831, when King William IV was ruling the British Empire and 70 years before Federation.
Re-named The Sydney Morning Herald shortly after John Fairfax bought the publication in 1841, The Herald became an Australian mainstay for quality journalism, alongside it sister-publication, The Age.
Its continuous print puts The Herald alongside titles like the UK’s The Guardian (1821), The Daily Telegraph (1855) and The Times (1785), and the US’s New York Post (1801), The New York Times (1851) and Washington Post (1877) as one of the world’s oldest metro newspapers.
The Sydney Morning Herald editor Lisa Davies said: “It is mind boggling to reflect on what The Sydney Morning Herald journalists and photographers have witnessed and recorded over the past 190 years.
“The Herald has never been read by more people, from a broader cross-section of Australia.
“The media landscape is constantly adapting to changing revenue models, global headwinds and digital disruption but through it all we have focused on the stories, on doing our jobs, innovating and ensuring The Herald remains the trusted source of news our readers demand.
“As we celebrate The Herald’s rich heritage; its vital role in shaping Sydney and our voice in the most important national conversations, we want to draw on this history as we look forward.
“We must continue to drive and inform the future of our city, the direction of our nation and our place on the world’s stage.”
Nine said The Herald is now read by “a record” 9.4 million people across print and digital.
Just as Sydney has evolved since 1831, so too has The Herald, with the business now financially driven by digital subscribers. More than 60 per cent of revenue across Nine’s publishing assets now comes from readers.
David Eisman, director of subscriptions and growth, added: “Our successful digital subscriptions and licensing strategy means that The Herald, along with our other mastheads, is well positioned to continue serving our readers with high quality Australian journalism at scale for years to come.”
Featured image source: Supplied
