Frank Devine

Summary

Frank Devine (17 December 1931 – 3 July 2009)[1] was a New Zealand–born Australian newspaper editor and journalist. Devine was born in the South Island city of Blenheim and started his career there aged 17 as a cadet on the Marlborough Express.[1] In 1953, Devine worked for West Australian Newspapers in Perth, contributing to the Western Mail. He later worked as a foreign correspondent in New York, London and Tokyo[1] before returning to Perth as editor of the Weekend News in 1970.[2] In 1971, he was appointed editor-in-chief of Australian Reader's Digest. After ten years, he transferred to a senior editorial position at the Digest in New York.[3]

Remaining in the United States, Devine was appointed editor at the Chicago Sun-Times by Rupert Murdoch.[4] In 1986, he left Chicago to take on the role of editor at the New York Post.[5] In later life, Devine was a columnist and editor of The Australian.[1] He contributed a monthly column for Quadrant from 2002 to 2009; he prepared a collection of these columns, Older and Wiser,[6] just before he died.

He married Jacqueline Magee in April 1959, with whom he had three children.[4][1] The eldest, Miranda Devine, has been a columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald and the Daily Telegraph.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "Vale Frank Devine, laughing cavalier of journalism". The Australian. News Limited. 3 July 2009. Archived from the original on 4 July 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
  2. ^ Libel over restaurant The Canberra Times, 1 August 1970, at Trove
  3. ^ Digest editors The Canberra Times, 4 April 1981, at Trove
  4. ^ a b Lee, Sandra (4 July 2009). "Newspaper legend Frank Devine files his last story". Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  5. ^ "Frank Devine Is Designated Editor of The New York Post". New York Times. 3 July 1986. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
  6. ^ Devine, Frank, Older and Wiser: Essays 2002 - 2009, Quadrant Books, Sydney (2009). "At the age of 70, the author wrote about being home alone when his wife is hospitalised, on being a grandparent, long-term marriage, his cancer treatment and the proper attitude and attire for a man of his age."
  7. ^ Australia’s many media dynasties (crikey)

External links edit