New Daily Telegraph editor David Penberthy, 35, featured prominently in The Australian’s Media section today with this story by fellow Adelaide journalist Sam Maiden and this
Mark Day column. It seems being appointed an editor in your 30s is
almost the norm in Australia, as plenty of names continue to pour in
following yesterday’s Crikey Daily that listed the youngest newspaper
editors over the past 40 years. The new entries include:

Piers Akerman: The Advertiser at 38
John Alexander: Sydney Morning Herald at 37
Frank Devine: Weekend News in Perth at 36
Bruce Guthrie: The Sunday Age at 36
Steve Harris: The Sunday Age at 32
Alan Kohler: Fin Review at 32
David Marr: The National Times at 32
Brett McCarthy: The Sunday Times at 35
Jeni O’Dowd (nee Cooper): The Sunday Telegraph at 35
Mike Smith: The Age at 38

All of these were over the hill compared with John Thadeus Delane who was made editor of The Times of London in 1841. He was 23. He remained editor for 36 years. This makes Alan Howe’s 12 years at The Sunday HeraldSun, the longest stint of any incumbent Australian editor, look like an overnighter.

Meanwhile, Janet from Wollongong writes:

Dear Crikey,

While not a big metropolitan daily, The Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong) has announced the appointment of Simon Dulhunty, 33, as editor. He comes from the Border Mail
(Albury-Wodonga) where he has been editor since 2001. And, no, I am not
his mother, just a Wollongong Crikey.com.au subscriber and mother of
two over-35 journos.

Send corrections and additions to this popular list to smayne@crikey.com.au.