Women in journalism: Margaret Jones, gender discrimination and the Sydney Morning Herald, 1965-1985

Margaret Jones (1923-2006) was a trailblazer for women in Australian journalism. A member of the press for more than 30 years, she assumed senior positions at the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) from the 1960s, earning a reputation in the process as an exceptional print journalist. From the beginning, Jones was noted for challenging head-on the sexism she encountered in the media industry. She became foreign correspondent for the SMH in New York, Washington, London and Beijing, helping to carve out roles for women in serious mainstream journalism. This article traces Margaret Jones' career as reporter and feature writer with the publishing house Fairfax, as a contribution to Australian feminist cultural history and the history of women in newspaper journalism.