The closure this week of ACM’s (Australian Community Media) Tamworth printing facility has once again led to the closure of more local, regional newspapers.
The closure left ‘up to ten small independent newspapers racing against time to secure alternative printing facilities,’ according to The Coonamble Times.
‘The closure is having a broader impact across the north-west, acting as a tipping point with one publisher already electing to close their publications.’
This included The Courier which serves the Narrabri Shire, the Wee Waa News and The Gunnedah Times, along with the North West Magazine.’
200 regional and community newspapers closed
Over the last ten years around 200 regional and community newspapers closed with another 20 or so closing in the last 18-months according to the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA).
Research supports Narrabri Mayor Darrell Tiemens statement that, ‘the closure of papers in his shire will have a negative effect on the social fabric of the community.’
Media expert Professor Kristy Hess of Deakin’s School of Communication and Creative Arts says, ‘Countries across the globe are mapping increasing news deserts and gaps as outlets struggle to be commercially competitive in a world dominated by Big Tech like Google and Meta.’
‘The cuts and closures have led to fewer regional issues, stories and perspectives being reported and, worryingly, less accountability reporting at the local level,’ says ABC News Strategy Research Lead Dr Angela Ross.
The final ‘Media innovation and the civic future of Australia’s country press’ 2023 report found that audiences value original, locally focused content but are frustrated by excessive syndicated material and multinational advertising. It also confirmed that print remains essential for rural communities. Research shows that audiences trust local news providers more than they trust national and multinational news providers.
Screaming out for local news coverage
‘Research shows regional Australians are screaming out for local news coverage. They trust local providers over the big city players and value the local journalists who often live in their communities and share their readers’ concerns,’ said University of Canberra’s Caroline Fisher, in The New England Times.
‘Research also shows those local news services are critical to healthy, connected and engaged communities.’
The Local and Independent News Association (LINA) has highlighted that ‘Audiences often expect to access news content for free, but news isn’t free to produce. Due to the global collapse of traditional business models for newsrooms, publishers can’t shoulder this cost alone. They are essential services and need support from the communities they serve to produce high quality journalism that helps people navigate their lives.’
News media bargaining incentive
While larger newspapers and media organisations are hopeful of assistance through the upcoming news media bargaining incentive, smaller, regional newspapers often receive little or no support through these measures.
‘A strong democracy needs a strong and diverse media with public interest journalism at its heart,’ says the Australia Institute.
‘Yet Australia’s media ownership is among the most concentrated in the developed world, giving private corporations and individuals excessive political and ideological influence. In an era of disinformation and the domination of Big Tech, the role of the media in serving the public, not vested interests, has never been more important.’
As Ms Fisher points out, ‘There is no silver bullet to fix the financial challenges faced by regional news outlets.
All news media outlets need to look at funding solutions that include traditional advertising, subscription, donations, crowdfunding and value-adding.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
