Fairfax Media

Fairfax Media Limited, is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax Holdings but they lost control of the company in December 1990. The group's Chairman is Roger Corbett and the Chief Executive Officer is Greg Hywood.

History

John Fairfax purchased the Sydney Morning Herald in 1841. Several generations of Fairfaxes continued to control the company.

The Australian Financial Review was founded in 1951. In that decade, Fairfax started two television stations, ATN and QTQ.

Fairfax began expanding in the 1960s, acquiring, among others, The Age, The Newcastle Herald and the Illawarra Mercury.

In 1979, Rupert Murdoch attempted to take over rival The Herald and Weekly Times. Due to the costs of defending against the takeover, Fairfax sold its television properties.

In 1988, Fairfax sold its magazines (including Woman's Day, People, Dolly, and Good Housekeeping) to the Australian Consolidated Press.

In 1987 Warwick Fairfax controversially bought out his family's holdings in the company. He successfully took it over but on 10 December 1990 the company collapsed and a receiver was appointed.

In April 2003, Fairfax acquired New Zealand's Independent Newspapers......
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