Truth (Sydney newspaper)
Encyclopedia
The Truth was a newspaper
published in Sydney
, Australia
. It was founded in August 1890 by William Nicholas Willis
and its first editor was Adolphus Taylor
. In 1891 it claimed to be "The organ of radical democracy and Australian National Independence" and advocated "a republican Commonwealth created by the will of the whole people, but from its early days it was mainly a scandal sheet
. Subsequent owners included Adolphus Taylor, Paddy Crick
and John Norton
.
Norton established several subsidiaries, including the Sportsman (1900), the Brisbane Truth (1900), the Melbourne Truth
(1902) and the Perth Truth (1903).
at his death in 1916 (with the bulk of his estate going to his daughter, Joan), Mrs Norton persuaded the New South Wales Parliament to backdate the new Testator's Family Maintenance Act to take effect before Norton's death. Under this legislation, she succeeded in having his will rewritten in 1920 so that she and Ezra Norton each received a third of his inheritance, allowing Ezra Norton
to gain control of the Truth group.
launched the Daily Mirror
. In October 1958, he replaced the Sydney Truth with the Sunday Mirror. In the following December 1958, Norton and the other shareholders sold their shares in Truth and Sportsman Ltd to the Fairfax group
, which on-sold it to Rupert Murdoch
's News Ltd.
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 Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It was founded in August 1890 by William Nicholas Willis
William Nicholas Willis
William Nicholas Willis was an Australian politician and newspaper proprietor.-Early life:Willis was born in Mudgee, New South Wales and educated in a denominational school at Mudgee and briefly at St Mary's School in Sydney. He left school at nine to support his mother after his father's...
and its first editor was Adolphus Taylor
Adolphus Taylor
Adolphus George Taylor was an Australian journalist and politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.-Early life:...
. In 1891 it claimed to be "The organ of radical democracy and Australian National Independence" and advocated "a republican Commonwealth created by the will of the whole people, but from its early days it was mainly a scandal sheet
Scandal Sheet
Scandal Sheet is a black-and-white film noir directed by Phil Karlson. The film is based on the novel The Dark Page by Samuel Fuller, who himself was a newspaper reporter before his career in film...
. Subsequent owners included Adolphus Taylor, Paddy Crick
Paddy Crick
William Patrick Crick, known as Paddy Crick or W.P.Crick was an Australian politician, solicitor and newspaper proprietor...
and John Norton
John Norton (Australian journalist)
John Norton, , was an English-born Australian journalist, editor and member of the New South Wales Parliament. He was a writer and newspaper proprietor best known for his Sydney newspaper the Truth...
.
Norton established several subsidiaries, including the Sportsman (1900), the Brisbane Truth (1900), the Melbourne Truth
The Truth (newspaper)
The Truth was a Melbourne tabloid newspaper established in 1902 as a subsidiary of the Sydney Truth, established in 1890.In its early years its politics was very much left-leaning, and it painted itself as the voice of the working class. Before 1945 it had a style of journalism that was high...
(1902) and the Perth Truth (1903).
Ezra Norton
Although John Norton disinherited his estranged wife, Ada Norton and his son Ezra NortonEzra Norton
Ezra Norton was an Australian newspaper baron and businessman.-Early life:Norton was born in the Sydney suburb of Watsons Bay, son of the proprietor of the Truth, John Norton and Ada McGrath , whom he married some weeks later...
at his death in 1916 (with the bulk of his estate going to his daughter, Joan), Mrs Norton persuaded the New South Wales Parliament to backdate the new Testator's Family Maintenance Act to take effect before Norton's death. Under this legislation, she succeeded in having his will rewritten in 1920 so that she and Ezra Norton each received a third of his inheritance, allowing Ezra Norton
Ezra Norton
Ezra Norton was an Australian newspaper baron and businessman.-Early life:Norton was born in the Sydney suburb of Watsons Bay, son of the proprietor of the Truth, John Norton and Ada McGrath , whom he married some weeks later...
to gain control of the Truth group.
End of the Truth
In January 1941, Ezra NortonEzra Norton
Ezra Norton was an Australian newspaper baron and businessman.-Early life:Norton was born in the Sydney suburb of Watsons Bay, son of the proprietor of the Truth, John Norton and Ada McGrath , whom he married some weeks later...
launched the Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror (Australia)
The Daily Mirror was an afternoon paper established by Ezra Norton in Sydney, Australia in 1941, gaining a licence from the Minister for Trade and Customs, Eric Harrison, despite wartime paper rationing. In October 1958, Norton and his partners sold his newspapers to the Fairfax group, which...
. In October 1958, he replaced the Sydney Truth with the Sunday Mirror. In the following December 1958, Norton and the other shareholders sold their shares in Truth and Sportsman Ltd to the Fairfax group
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 and Sons, later to become John...
, which on-sold it to Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
's News Ltd.