The first edition of The Courier-Mail newspaper was published on 28 August 1933 as a result of a merger between the Brisbane Courier and the Daily Mail.

This short clip includes stills and footage of the newspaper headquarters. It is interesting to see how footage of many behind-the-scenes processes – originally filmed to show how modern the paper was – feature technologies that have been superseded by computers and other digital innovations.

This is a good example of how TV news and documentary reporting pieces together archival footage with context from a voice-over to tell stories about the past and present.

Technologies featured include old camera equipment, photo development, teletype machines, typesetting machines, printing presses, typewriters, telephones and newspaper delivery carts.

Rupert Murdoch’s News Limited acquired control of the paper in 1987.

This excerpt comes from the Seven News Brisbane special Queensland: Flashback 150 Years, broadcast on 30 May 2009. It was produced for the 150th anniversary of the state of Queensland. Queensland formally separated from New South Wales on 6 June 1859.

Notes by Beth Taylor