Cirrus@Austlit

'This is an impressive volume, both in terms of its size and scope, which plugs large gaps in our understanding of newspaper history through a detailed exploration of the rise of Melbourne and Sydney newspaper empires from the nineteenth to the mid‐twentieth century. Paper Emperors makes a major contribution to its field by extending existing knowledge and alerting the reader to the close ongoing connections between Australia's powerful business figures, its press barons and political leaders. Central to its narrative is the Australia‐wide expansion of the Melbourne‐based Herald and Weekly Times group, and the role played by the enigmatic but forceful Keith Murdoch, who figures extensively in Parts Two and Three of the book.'  (Introduction)