Sydney Morning Herald Appoints Jordan Baker as Editor at 195-Year Mark

Jordan Baker has been appointed editor of the Sydney Morning Herald as the paper marks its 195th anniversary on April 18, 2026. Baker succeeds Bevan Shields, who stepped down after nearly four years in the role.

A New Editor for Australia's Oldest Newspaper

The Sydney Morning Herald first appeared on Sydney streets on April 18, 1831, with a print run of just 750 copies. Today, the paper reaches 7.6 million readers across print and digital platforms, according to its publisher, Nine Entertainment.

Baker returned to the Herald in 2018 after first joining as a reporter 21 years ago. She most recently served as the paper's chief reporter. "We are making history," Baker said. "Every milestone we meet is a new historic moment for the Australian press in terms of a continuously published newspaper."

Baker confirmed the print edition will still exist when the paper reaches its 200th anniversary in 2031, describing current print readership as "quite healthy." Roy Morgan Research reports approximately 1.123 million people read a weekday print edition.

Print Revenue Remains Significant Despite Decline

Nine Entertainment's publishing division, which includes the Herald and The Age, reported A$525 million in total revenues in its last financial year. Print contributed A$196 million of that figure, with advertising accounting for roughly 50% of print revenue.

Australian Print Newspaper Ad Spend Rises 17.4% in First Growth Year

Print newspaper advertising in Australia surged 17.4% in February 2026, its first growth year in 12 months, gaining real market share as total ad spend contracted 5.2%.

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Print revenue declined 7% year on year, continuing a structural trend that has reshaped Australian media for over a decade. Between 2011 and 2015, Australian newspaper publishers lost A$1.5 billion in print advertising while gaining only A$54 million in digital advertising over the same period.

By 2020, 164 Australian media businesses had closed. Today, more than 30 Australian local government areas have no local news outlet in print or digital form, according to parliamentary research.

Baker's Editorial Direction and Audience Strategy

Baker outlined a quality-focused editorial approach for the Herald. "The plan is to just be very, very good at what the Herald is very, very good at," she said. "That is being balanced, reasoned, and nuanced. We have intelligent readers who expect stories to have depth and insight."

The Herald's Traveller brand reaches 1.75 million combined readers across the Herald and The Age. Baker also highlighted newsletters and podcasts as tools for building direct audience relationships beyond the core news product.

Nine Entertainment's decision to appoint a dedicated editor, rather than consolidate the Herald into a shared editorial structure, signals a premium brand strategy. This contrasts with Seven West Media's approach of merging the newsrooms of The West Australian and Seven Perth as a cost-reduction measure.

Regional Context for Legacy Publishers

Across Asia-Pacific, legacy publishers face comparable structural pressures. Over 70% of news consumption in the region now occurs on smartphones. The South China Morning Post, a 118-year-old Hong Kong-based newspaper, shifted 90% of its audience outside Hong Kong by deploying analytics tools and AI-driven content personalization, identifying the US, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore as priority growth markets.

The Herald will mark Saturday's anniversary with an eight-page commemorative section. Baker said planning for the 200th anniversary in 2031 is already underway.