Print media: The Cuban Missile Crisis
Australia’s newspaper collection
Under the legal deposit provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, publishers must lodge a copy of every work published in Australia with the National Library of Australia.
Thanks to this, the Library holds an extensive collection of Australian print news media. This includes both physical and digital formats. Today, the Library actively collects around 596 current newspaper titles from across Australia, as well as selected international publications.
The oldest newspaper in the collection dates to the early 1800s.
As part of its mandate to document the Australian experience, the Library collects a wide variety of titles. These reflect a diversity of languages, cultures, political views and areas of interest.
Comparing coverage: The Cuban Missile Crisis
These 2 front pages are from Wednesday 31 October 1962, two days after the Cuban Missile Crisis ended. They show how different media outlets reported the same global event.
The Canberra Times: a mainstream daily newspaper published in the ACT. The headline reads ‘U.S. Halts Cuban Blockade’. Its front page includes a photo of Prime Minister Robert Menzies shaking hands with Donald Cameron, the High Commissioner to New Zealand.
The Tribune: the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Australia, published from 1939 to 1991. The headline reads ‘USA FORCED TO DROP CUBA INVASION’, along with a black-and-white photo of protesters holding signs.
The Canberra Times (ACT: 1926–1995), 31 October 1962, p. 1, nla.gov.au/nla.news-page11482846
The Canberra Times (ACT: 1926–1995), 31 October 1962, p. 1, nla.gov.au/nla.news-page11482846
Tribune (Sydney, NSW: 1939–1991), 31 October 1962, p. 1, nla.gov.au/nla.news-page25610837
Tribune (Sydney, NSW: 1939–1991), 31 October 1962, p. 1, nla.gov.au/nla.news-page25610837
Event summary
The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. After 13 tense days of negotiation, the crisis ended on 28 October 1962. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed to withdraw nuclear missiles from Cuba. In return, US President John F. Kennedy promised the US would not invade Cuba and would eventually remove missiles from Turkey.
This near-catastrophe occurred during the Cold War, a decades-long ideological conflict between the communist USSR and capitalist USA. Australia aligned itself with the United States, but communist ideas were still present within Australia’s political landscape.
Analysing the media
Both newspapers address the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis, but take a different tone and approach. Compare how each newspaper reported the event by asking:
- Who produced this?
- Why was it made?
- When was it made? What else was happening at that time?
- Where does the information come from?
- What’s missing?
- How might different people interpret this differently?
- What kind of reaction does the creator want from the audience?
- What language is used to influence the reader?
- What images are shown? What mood or message do they convey?
- What do we know about the outlet that published it?
- How did other newspapers report the same story?
Compare the front pages. How do their layout and design affect how you perceive the importance of the story?
Historical context
- The Cold War began in 1945 and was driven by ideological rivalry between the USSR and the USA.
- Communism promoted collective ownership of property, production and profit, with the aim of social and economic equality.
- Capitalism promoted private ownership and profit, with minimal government interference.
- Each system had strengths and weaknesses. Supporters of both used media to promote their values and criticise the opposing ideology.
The Tribune was published by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Australia. It reflected the party’s views and often criticised US actions and promoted socialist perspectives.
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