Fourteen of NZME's community newspapers will close this month. The Waikato Herald (which is part of NZ Herald); The Weekend Sun and Coast & Country will be retained.
NZME has today confirmed the closure of 14 community newspapers, with the loss of 29 jobs in a big blow for regional New Zealand and in what its chief executive describes as a “sad day”.
The titles – including the Horowhenua Chronicle, whose origins stretch back 131 years, and the Te Awamutu Courier, whose origins go back 113 years – will be gone within three weeks. The media company says its community network remains unprofitable, despite its best efforts to improve its financial position.
NZME – which owns nzherald.co.nz, the NZ Herald and six other daily newspapers, a suite of radio stations including Newstalk ZB and property website OneRoof – says it has been approached by several parties interested in buying individual community mastheads “and we will liaise with those people in the coming days”.
Regardless of these discussions, NZME said it would be publishing the 14 titles for the final time by Christmas.
The 14 titles to be closed are Hauraki-Coromandel Post, the Katikati Advertiser, the Te Puke Times, the Te Awamutu Courier, the Taupō & Tūrangi Herald, the Napier Courier, the Hastings Leader, the CHB Mail in Hawke’s Bay, the Stratford Press, the Bush Telegraph in Tararua, the Whanganui Midweek, the Manawatū Guardian, the Horowhenua Chronicle and the Kāpiti News.
The decision is a blow for these communities and follows massive cost-cutting across the New Zealand media sector this year, with the loss of hundreds of jobs.
NZME said a total of 29 roles were affected by the community newspaper closures, across editorial, sales and operations.
“This is a sad day for NZME and it’s not news I want to be sharing,” NZME chief executive Michael Boggs told staff in an internal email.
“However, it is the right decision to ensure we continue to operate a sustainable media business and to put NZME in the best possible position for ongoing financial growth into the future.”
Boggs said consultation with staff was completed last week. The company had also taken on board feedback from local communities including MPs, mayors, local businesses and readers.
“Following that consultation period and taking on board all feedback, we have made the very difficult decision to proceed with the closure of our community newspaper network.
“... we undertook a number of measures to improve the financial position of the network but despite our best efforts, it remains unprofitable and therefore we have had to make the decision to close those publications before the end of the year.”
Only two of the company’s community titles, the Waikato Herald – which is published as an insert with the NZ Herald – and the recently acquired The Weekend Sun in Bay of Plenty, which has a strong digital presence through the SunLive website, would remain operating under the proposal. Rural publication Coast & Country News is also unaffected.
According to NZME’s website, the Te Awamutu Courier’s origins stretch back to 1911, when it began as the Waipā Post. The paper – which is distributed free every Thursday to homes in Te Awamutu and surrounding rural areas, including the villages of Kihikihi, Pirongia, Ōhaupō and Kāwhia – changed its masthead in 1936.
The Horowhenua Chronicle’s origins go back further, to 1893. It has been a huge part of Levin for 131 years, with a strong community connection including starting the inaugural Chronicle Christmas parade as a major sponsor of the Horowhenua AP&I show for many years.
Boggs paid tribute and a “heartfelt thanks” to the “exceptional team” in NZME’s community network.
“These publications have been pillars of their local communities for many years, with several team members dedicating decades to serving their local communities.
“From our journalists sharing trusted and important local news, to our production team members who sub-edit and design our community papers, to media services, classifieds, and our sales team supporting local businesses – your unwavering commitment has been outstanding.”
Boggs said the company continued to be committed to covering as much community news as possible through its regional dailies and NZ Herald, “and our sales teams will work closely with current clients in those markets to ensure we can continue to offer them advertising options through our other platforms across audio, print and digital”.
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.