Mark Baker
Mark followed in his father’s footsteps. Harry, dad, was the long-time editor of what is now the Matamata Chronicle. His sons saw the media as an interesting and exciting career. Mark, eldest son, became a photographer in news and sports.
While at school Mark gained SC and 6th Form Certificate and was a prominent rugby player and tennis champion.
Mark has had an amazing career that has taken him to all corners of the world. From humble beginnings at the Matamata Chronicle, then other NZ publications – Waikato Times, NZ Truth, Auckland Star. He then took up positions at the Sydney News Ltd, Sydney Morning Herald, Reuters News Agency, Associated Press Sydney and Kuala Lumpur and he is now based in Indonesia.
He has covered five summer and five winter Olympics, five rugby world cups, golf, five world swimming championships plus numerous other major sporting events. He has accompanied Princess Anne on a trip to Antarctica, covered the Japan tsunami, the Christchurch earthquakes, anti-nuclear riots in Tahiti and army coup-de-tat’s in PNG, Fiji and East Timor.
Mark has twice been NZ Sports photographer of the Year and Australia’s Walkley News photo winner. He is about to chair the Sports section of the World Press Photo competition in Amsterdam. He was the first photographer to be made a Chief of Bureau for the Associated Press in Malaysia.
Mark is currently living in Jakarta, Indonesia covering major sports and news events mainly in Asia. Mark and Toni have two children, Joshua 17 and Catherine 14.