Buttrose, Ita (1942–)

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Buttrose, Ita (1942–)

Australian journalist, publisher, broadcaster and media personality. Name variations: Ita Clare Buttrose. Born Jan 17, 1942, in Sydney, Australia; dau. of Charles Oswald Buttrose and Mary Clare Buttrose; married 1963.

Well-known radio and tv personality, was a founding editor of the magazine Cleo (1972–75), editor of Australian Women's Weekly (1975–76) and editor-in-chief of both publications (1976–81); served as director of Australian Consolidated Press (1974–81) and publisher of women's publications by Australian Consolidated Press (1977–81); was women's editor for Daily Telegraph, then Sunday Telegraph, later returning to paper to become Australia's 1st woman editor-in-chief of either daily or Sunday paper (1981); entered radio broadcasting (1983) and was given own show by 2 stations; became presenter of Woman's Day on tv (1985); continued to broadcast while returning to print as newspaper columnist; served as chair of National Advisory Committee on AIDS (1984–88); became founder and chief executive of Capricorn Publishing and editor-in-chief of The Sun Herald (1988); launched own magazine, Ita (1989), editing it until 1994; served as president of National Opera Festival (1995–97); became director of Australian media conglomerate, Terraplanet (2000). Awarded Order of British Empire (OBE, 1979), Officer of Order of Australia (1988), Hartnett Medal (1992), and Centenary Medal (2003).

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