What manner of man? Graham Perkin as editor of The Age newspaper

Abstract

Graham Perkin was editor of The Age newspaper, Melbourne, from October 1966 until his early death in October 1975. In Australian journalism folklore, and in academic studies of the Australian press, he is often portrayed as the very model of a modern Fairfax editor, one who significantly redefined the practice of journalism in Australia. This paper discusses the reasons for Perkin’s professional success, focusing on his personal attributes and beliefs. Drawing on the Perkin Papers in the National Library of Australia, newspaper archives, and interviews with several of his former colleagues, the author argues that there were a number of reasons why Perkin had a significant impact on public li..