Wellington loses independent newspaper

One of the last independent mass circulation newspapers in New Zealand has closed.

Wellington's City Voice, an alternative weekly paper established in 1993, said yesterday that last week's issue was the last.

City Voice director Federico Monsalve said the eight-year life of the paper proved there was a market for independent media. "We had a great team, incredible support from investors and readers and a unique newspaper. Unfortunately the Wellington advertising market wasn't reacting as we had expected."