Frank Devine

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 would have three children.^[4][1] The eldest, Miranda Devine, has been a columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald and the Daily Telegraph.^[7]

References

1. "Vale Frank Devine, laughing cavalier of journalism". The Australian. News Limited. 3 July 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
2. Libel over restaurant The Canberra Times, 1 August 1970, at Trove
3. Digest editors The Canberra Times, 4 April 1981, at Trove
4. 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. New York Times. 3 July 1986. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
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

• David Banks, Beloved mentor and mate skips the Ashes, The Australian, 11 July 2009.
• Peter Coleman, 'My Friend Frank'
• Christopher Pearson, Frank conviviality of a Devine fellow soul, The Australian, 11 July 2009.