Arthur Shakespeare
Arthur Thomas Shakespeare (27 September 1897 – 11 October 1975) was an Australian journalist and newspaper editor, best known for founding the Australian Capital Territory's most widely circulated commercial newspaper, The Canberra Times. He was son of Thomas Shakespeare, founder of the Federal Capital Press of Australia.
Early life
Shakespeare was born in
The Canberra Times
In 1926 Shakespeare founded The Canberra Times, the Australian Capital Territory's second newspaper. As of 2009[update] it remains Canberra's widest-circulated commercial newspaper. Shakespeare continued to own the paper until 1964, when, facing pressure from Rupert Murdoch's new paper The Australian, he chose to sell the paper to the Fairfax group.[1][2]
Marriage
On 15 October 1927, Shakespeare married Marjorie Agnew Patten. Marjorie died in 1961.[1]
On 12 January 1963, Shakespeare married Heather Gladys Cameron (subsequently Heather Shakespeare), who at that time was secretary to the managing director of Federal Capital Press (Arthur's father, Thomas Shakespeare). The marriage occurred at St Ninian's Presbyterian Church. Heather Shakespeare died on 28 September 2008 at the age of 99.[1][3]
Community work
Shakespeare served on the executive of more than 40 organisations.[4]
As chairman of The Canberra Times, he served as president of the Country Press Association, secretary and president of the Australian Provincial Press Association, and director of the Australian United Press Ltd. He also was a member of the Provincial Press Accreditation Bureau and the Commonwealth Press Union.[1]
He was a member of the Australian Capital Territory Advisory Council from 1945 - 1955 (serving as chairman in 1953).[1]
Other community associations included the council of the Australian National University, the Canberra Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, YMCA, the Eisteddfod Association and the Committee on Cultural Development.[1]
Canberra Television Ltd
In 1957, Federal Capital Press Ltd founded Canberra Television Ltd, of which Arthur Shakespeare was chairman. The primary business of Canberra Television Ltd was to broadcast the television station CTC 7.
The station was licensed to operate in 1960. It made its first test transmission on 23 May 1962 and commenced public transmission on 2 June 1962.[1]
It broadcast on
Death
Arthur Shakespeare died on 11 October 1975 and was buried in Canberra Cemetery.[1]
Honours and commemoration
In April 2005, Shakespeare was named by
References
- ^ ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
- ^ National Library of Australia, The Canberra Times, accessed 24 September 2009
- ^ Graham Downie, Canberra Gold Award winner dies aged 99, The Canberra Times, 29 September 2008
- ^ a b Jon Stanhope, MLA - Media Releases, New ACT Honour Walk, 12 April 2005