John Myrtle
‘Observing journalism for 80 years: The Arthur Norman Smith Lecture in Journalism’, Honest History, 18 August 2017 updated
A paper in three parts:
- an introduction to Arthur Norman Smith and the endowed Arthur Norman Smith Lecture in Journalism;
- consideration of an intervention in 1957 and 1958 by the Australian Journalists’ Association seeking to influence the direction of the endowment; and
- a list of the lectures (with lecturers) from the foundation lecture in 1936 to the present day.
The Arthur Norman Smith lectureship has evolved from consideration of issues of journalism to broader issues of mass media in Australia. Many distinguished journalists, editors, proprietors and others have spoken. Many of the issues they spoke about remain relevant today.
In compiling the list of lectures John Myrtle has consulted a wide range of sources including archives, library catalogues, newspapers and various online resources. There are links to a number of the lectures. There are gaps in the list, however, and we would appreciate feedback on errors and omissions, particularly in relation to the titles of lectures, the names of lecturers, and the dates of lectures.
A brief introduction to journalism in Australia. The Guardian‘s Katharine Viner (AN Smith lecturer in 2013) writes on journalism in the digital age with a number of other sources linked. An article from Media International Australia 2018 by Glen Fuller and Renee Barnes on the AN Smith and Andrew Olle lectures and related matters. The University of Melbourne’s page on the AN Smith Lectures.
Honest History’s editor, David Stephens, is a member of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), the union and industry advocate for Australia’s journalists and the successor to the Australian Journalists Association.
Read more on the AN Smith lectures …
Sir John Medley 1951 AN Smith lecturer, Sir Douglas Copland, AS Brown (Secretary, Prime Minister’s Department), ANU Canberra, 1951 (ANU Archives)
