The article below appeared on a number of ACM websites yesterday, and
in some print editions today, following its publication in the
Canberra Times on 14 April.
This morning I phoned around newsagents in the five areas concerned -
they usually know more than ACM tells us publicly. This is the result:
(NSW) Armidale Express - weekly on Friday starting 23/4 (used to be
Wed and Fri)
(NSW) Dungog Chronicle - sole newsagent in town hasn't heard a thing.
Phoned the Chron office, eventually picked up by someone in
"classifieds" (probably ACM) who confirmed weekly on Wednesday, starting 21/4
(Qld) Goondiwindi Argus - weekly on Wednesday starting 21/4
(SA) Coastal Leader (Kingston) - weekly on Wednesday starting 21/4
(SA) Flinders News (Port Pirie) - first newsagent hasn't heard
anything. Second newsagent has heard on the grapevine, but not had
confirmation from ACM. No-one answering the FN office phone on any
extension. I would have thought at least the classies phone would
have been manned.
The full ACM announcement is below.
John
Media company ACM will resume publishing a number of local newspapers
from next week, a year after the economic impact of the coronavirus
pandemic forced the suspension of printing.
Printed copies of <https://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/>The Armidale
Expressand <https://www.dungogchronicle.com.au/>Dungog Chronicle in
NSW and the <https://www.goondiwindiargus.com.au/>Goondiwindi Argus
in Queensland will be back in circulation next week, along with the
South Australian newspapers
<https://www.coastalleader.com.au/>Coastal Leader and
<https://www.theflindersnews.com.au/>Flinders News.
ACM managing director Tony Kendall said the resumption of printed
editions of the long-standing local mastheads had been made possible
by the support of the Morrison government's Public Interest News
Gathering (PING) program.
"We're grateful that the federal government recognised the value of
regional media and we are pleased to be able to bring these titles
back in print despite challenging commercial conditions," Mr Kendall said.
Of the titles returning in print next week, the Armidale, Dungog and
Goondiwindi titles received support under the PING program to
maintain online local news coverage while their printed editions were
suspended.
Mr Kendall said the decision to resume printing the papers was taken
after careful assessment of each market but it was not without commercial risk.
He urged local audiences and advertisers to rally around their town's
newspaper and show their support by buying a copy,
<https://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/subscribe/>taking out a digital
subscription or booking an advertisement.
"ACM is committed to regional Australia and we know that our local
newspapers and websites play a vital role keeping people informed,"
Mr Kendall said.
"But we now need those communities who have told us how much they
miss the local paper to back our journalists and advertising sales
staff so these titles can return to sustainability."
Mr Kendall said the PING grant received by ACM had helped the company
continue to provide public interest journalism for 91 mastheads
serving regional and rural communities in every state and territory.
The program was announced by the government last year to support
regional media hit hard by the economic impact of pandemic shutdowns.
Mr Kendall acknowledged the ongoing challenges of the advertising
market's slow recovery.
"As we review the viability of our portfolio, we have also had to
make some difficult decisions," he said.
This included closing a number of websites where advertising support
"has not recovered since print publishing had to be suspended", such
as the Wingham Chronicle and the Bellingen Courier-Sun in NSW.
These titles had continued to provide local news online after the
April 2020 suspension of their weekly printed newspaper.
They were among 12 mastheads retained as digital-only local news
providers under ACM's PING grant.
The Wingham Chronicle's website has now been incorporated into the
<https://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/>manningrivertimes.com.au.
Also part of the PING program, the Manning River Times reports news
and community issues on the Mid-North Coast region around Taree and
nearby Wingham, with a journalist from the Wingham Chronicle
redeployed to contribute to the coverage.
The recent closure of the Bellingen Courier-Sun website followed
ACM's launch of a new publication, the Northern Rivers Review, which
is distributed to more than 20 communities across northern NSW,
including Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore and Casino.
Mr Kendall said ACM remained committed to meeting the objectives and
outcomes of PING, which is administered by the Department of
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.
"As a grateful PING recipient, we look forward to reporting back to
the department next month on the first six months of grant activity,
and outlining how this important funding has supported ACM's
provision of public interest journalism across regional Australia," he said.
