Series 100: Minute book recording proceedings of shareholder meetings of Associated Newspapers Limited, 1937-1972

MLMSS 9894/Box 144

series

1937-1972

9593583

0.08 metres of textual material (1 volume)

Associated Newspapers Ltd began in 1929 when tobacco manufacturer and owner of Sun Newspapers Ltd, Sir Hugh Denison, merged his company with S. Bennett Limited, a company founded by Samuel Bennett, who ironically, was a former employee of the Sydney Morning Herald in the 1850s. Sun Newspapers Ltd published the  Sun, the  Sunday Sun, the Daily Telegraph Pictorial,  the  Sunday Pictorial, the  Newcastle Sun, World’s News and Wireless Weekly. S. Bennett Ltd were publishers of the Evening News, Sunday News, Woman's Budget and in earlier times The Empire and The Illustrated Sydney News.

One year after its formation, Associated Newspapers purchased the Daily Guardian from Joyton Smith, owner of Smith's Newspaper Ltd and combined this paper with Daily Pictorial to form the Daily Telegraph. In 1933 the Daily Telegraph then merged with Frank Packer's Australian Women's Weekly to form Consolidated Press.

Denison's interests also extended to wireless broadcasting. He had interests in radio station 2UE and was a managing director of Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd from 1913-1917. In 1938 he founded Macquarie Broadcasting Services Pty Ltd, which include station 2GB among 14 other stations. Denison remained Chairman of the company until his death in 1940 and was succeeded by Sir John Butters.

In 1953 the Packer owned company, Consolidated Press, offered to buy the ordinary shares of Associated Newspapers Ltd but were denied by John Fairfax & Sons, which, fearful of the threat that such an acquisition would pose to their existence, beat Packer to the prize. It was a major acquisition that immediately increased the size and power of John Fairfax & Sons Ltd requiring it to restructure and move to larger premises.

The series contains the confirmed minutes of the ordinary and extraordinary meetings of shareholders. Copies of the Chairman's address, the printed annual report to shareholders and other relevant material are pasted into the book. Prior to the commencement of this series the minutes of the general meetings were contained in the Directors' minute books.

Copyright status:: In copyright
Research & study copies allowed:
Rights and Restrictions Information:: No publication without prior written approval of Fairfax Media Ltd
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy Fairfax Media Ltd.

Original Fairfax Series Number 124