Crikey made it into The New York Times, under no less a by-line than Jayson Blair, with this profile of Col Allan first published back in our launch issue on February 14, 2000.

Col Allan, editor in chief of Sydney’s Daily Telegraph and Rupert Murdoch’s favourite editor in Australia, has a reputation that precedes him. John Howard, Paul Keating and Bob Carr have been known to eat out of his hand and even some of the most senior executives at News Ltd are afraid to take him on.

The Dubbo boy, former police roundsman, New York correspondent and long time Murdoch journalist is one of the most dominating, strident and ruthless media executives in Australia.