Ita Butrose Bio, Age, Education, Family, Marriage, Career, Net Worth

Ita Butrose’s Biography

Ita Butrose is an Australian journalist, businesswoman, and editor. She is the founding editor of the women’s magazine Cleo. At 33, she became the youngest person to hold that title. Ita was recognized for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement at the annual Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism. In 2014, in recognition of her contribution to the arts, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by Macquarie University. The University of Wollongong awarded a second honorary Doctor of Letters degree for her distinguished service to Australian society and commitment to advocating for vulnerable people in the community. The University of New South Wales (2018) awarded her an honorary Doctor of the University degree for being an inspirational role model for aspiring women in business, for her eminent service to health, and for making a difference in society.

Ita Butrose Age

Ita currently is 82 years old. She was born in the year 1942. She usually celebrates her birthday on the 17th of January every year.

Ita Butrose Education

In her younger years, Butrose attended a private school but unfortunately, her father could not afford the fee and transferred to a public school. Later, she completed her secondary education at Dover Heights Home Science High School.

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Ita Butrose Family

Ita is of Jewish ancestry on her maternal side. Her parents, Charles Oswald and Mary Clare, were both catholic. Her father was a journalist and an editor of The Daily Mirror, but he had only one sibling, Julian Buttrose.

Ita Butrose Career

At the young age of 11, Ita decided on a career in journalism. After leaving high school at age 15, she started her career at Australian Consolidated Press, where she worked as a copygirl at The Australian Women’s Weekly. Then she became a cadet journalist for The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph in Sydney. At 17 years old, she covered the Australian tour by Princess Alexandra, which was her first by-line in 1959. Later, she was appointed women’s editor of the Telegraph at age 23. Butrose won a racetrack fashion contest run by a rival newspaper. In 1972 Cleo was launched and it became an instant hit, Ita was chosen as the founding editor until 1975. Her career spanned after being appointed editor-in-chief of the Packers’ flagship magazine, The Australian Women’s Weekly. In 1981, she left the Packers after their rival Rupert Murdoch offered her the job of Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, becoming the first female editor of a major metropolitan newspaper in Australia, a position she held until 1984. The same year, she was appointed to the board of News Limited.

She also had her own weekend radio talk show, ‘Ita’ for 2UE radio station. The song “Ita”, was recorded by rock band Cold Chisel and was included on their successful East album because of her media prominence. From 1984 to 1988, she served as the chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on AIDS (NACAIDS). Her page from the magazine Woman’s Day gave readers advice on various issues. She founded her own publishing company, Capricorn Publishing, and launched her magazine, Ita in 1989, but unfortunately, it was not a success. In 2005, she launched a new company, the Good Life Publishing Company, which published Bark!, a lifestyle magazine aimed at dog owners. As an author, Ita has published several books while co-authoring others, including her autobiography ‘A Passionate Life.’

Ita Butrose Marriage

Ita married Ala Said Macdonald, and together they have two children, this was at the age of 21 years old. This was in the year 1975. Their children are Ben and Kate Macdonald. Unfortunately, they divorced in 1976. In 1979, she found love again and married Peter Sawyer; they divorced the following year.

Ita Butrose’s Net Worth

Ita has accumulated her net worth through her successful career in journalism, publishing, and television, as well as her roles as an author, public speaker, and Chair of ABC. Her net worth in 2024 is estimated to be $23 million.