Note from the guest editors : [Themed section: biography]

The articles in this themed issue are revised versions of papers presented at the symposium, Headliners: Early Australasian Press Biographies, held on 23 November 2010 at the State Library of New South Wales. The idea of a forum to focus on writing the lives of press personalities originated with the present editors, in discussion at the 2009 Australian Media Traditions Conference in Sydney. The Centre for Media History at Macquarie University kindly agreed to host such an event, and thanks are due to the director, Bridget Griffen-Foley for the support and assistance that she and her staff provided. Attended by some two dozen people, engaged in or considering biographical work in the field of press and communications, the symposium considered the contribution that individual and collective biographies can make to the history of newspapers, journalism and communications in Australia and the region.