Author and former Fairfax editor V. J. Carroll has been awarded a degree of Doctor of Letters honoris causa at a graduation ceremony on campus.
Vic Carroll is one of the most distinguished editors in Australian journalism. During World War II, Carroll served in the Army in New Guinea and Borneo. Upon his return he worked in a stockbrokers before joining Queensland Newspapers in Brisbane as a journalist in the 1950s. He joined John Fairfax Ltd in 1960, as business editor of the Sun-Herald, and became editor of the Australian Financial Review in 1964 and managing editor of the Financial Review and the National Times from 1970 to 1975.
During his tenure the Financial Review achieved profitability for the first time since it became a daily newspaper and the weekly National Times was launched. During this period, great encouragement was also given to the employment and advancement of women journalists, previously very few in number.
In 1975 he was appointed chief executive of Fairfax’s magazine subsidiary, Sungravure.
When a former editorial protégé, Max Suich, became Fairfax’s Chief Editorial Executive in 1980, he appointed Vic Carroll as Editor and then Editor-in-Chief of the Sydney Morning Herald. Over the next four years, with the assistance of Editor Chris Anderson and Assistant Editor Eric Beecher, he transformed the Herald; hired new staff; introduced daily lifestyle sections; sharpened the paper’s political, economic and business coverage; broadened its editorial policy; and introduced topical features, such as the irreverent Stay In Touch column. During his period as Editor-in-Chief, the Herald was listed as one of the top 20 newspapers in the world.
Vic Carroll stepped down as Editor-in-Chief in 1984. Following his retirement from Fairfax he has remained active in journalism, and in 1990 he published a book, The Man Who Couldn’t Wait, detailing the failed takeover bid for the Fairfax company by the young Warwick Fairfax.
Vic Carroll is one of the most distinguished editors in Australian journalism. During World War II, Carroll served in the Army in New Guinea and Borneo. Upon his return he worked in a stockbrokers before joining Queensland Newspapers in Brisbane as a journalist in the 1950s. He joined John Fairfax Ltd in 1960, as business editor of the Sun-Herald, and became editor of the Australian Financial Review in 1964 and managing editor of the Financial Review and the National Times from 1970 to 1975.
During his tenure the Financial Review achieved profitability for the first time since it became a daily newspaper and the weekly National Times was launched. During this period, great encouragement was also given to the employment and advancement of women journalists, previously very few in number.
In 1975 he was appointed chief executive of Fairfax’s magazine subsidiary, Sungravure.
When a former editorial protégé, Max Suich, became Fairfax’s Chief Editorial Executive in 1980, he appointed Vic Carroll as Editor and then Editor-in-Chief of the Sydney Morning Herald. Over the next four years, with the assistance of Editor Chris Anderson and Assistant Editor Eric Beecher, he transformed the Herald; hired new staff; introduced daily lifestyle sections; sharpened the paper’s political, economic and business coverage; broadened its editorial policy; and introduced topical features, such as the irreverent Stay In Touch column. During his period as Editor-in-Chief, the Herald was listed as one of the top 20 newspapers in the world.
Vic Carroll stepped down as Editor-in-Chief in 1984. Following his retirement from Fairfax he has remained active in journalism, and in 1990 he published a book, The Man Who Couldn’t Wait, detailing the failed takeover bid for the Fairfax company by the young Warwick Fairfax.
