Great news for the country that won’t cost a cent

Yours sincerely,

An open letter to Treasurer Jim Chalmers regarding the Budget

Thursday 8 December 2022 of Australian Community Media, Australia's largest titles around the country. In NSW we publish 8 daily Mercury, Wagga Daily Advertiser and the Northern Daily the far south in Batemans Bay to far north in Lismore. We our stable of papers. support for our industry and the communities we serve. and cities. Sadly, due to the rise of the digital platforms and to close and many more are on life support.

The Hon. Dominic Perrottet MP Premier of NSW GPO 5341 Sydney, NSW 2000

There’s a crisis in our country you can fix in your first budget, at no extra cost.

Dear Dr Chalmers,

With the stroke of a pen you could help secure the future of critical regional news services, using money already allocated in the budget.

By email: media@premier.nsw.gov.au

All you need to do is allocate a fairer percentage of the federal government’s advertising budget to local and regional news services, rather than spending almost all of it with corporate capital city media and foreign-owned digital platforms (which don’t produce any content or employ any journalists).

Rowlands announced a campaign promise of $15m of costs that we faced at the time. Whilst this is welcomed by structural issues we face.

Dear Premier Perrottet the Premier of Victoria (see attached) with a policy that full page advertisement in every regional paper every week promise for NSW Labor that does three things: and the jobs they support valuable communications tool in the most trusted of mediums grants. that represent another 27 publications in NSW and, together, policy announcement across our respective mastheads and available to meet with you at any time to discuss this important

This can be achieved by simply adopting the Victorian Govt policy that mandates a weekly full page government advertisement in every regional and community paper.

By way of introduction, I am the Managing Director of Australian Community independent regional publisher. ACM has over 140 titles around the country. newspapers like the Newcastle Herald, Illawarra Mercury, Wagga Daily Advertiser Leader. Additionally, we publish 47 weekly titles from the far south in Batemans also have the St.George and Sutherlands Leaders in our stable of papers.

Local and regional newspapers connect more than 80% of the country, but they get almost 0% of the government advertising spend.

In an era where false news spreads faster on social media than the truth does, trusted local news services reach more regional Australians than any other medium. And unlike other media, every government dollar spent with a local newspaper is also an investment in regional journalism jobs.

The reason for writing to you is to seek your support for our industry Regional newspapers are the lifeblood of their towns and cities. Sadly, due to the increased cost pressures many titles in NSW have had to close and many more During the recent federal election campaign, Michelle Rowlands announced grant funding to address the 80% rise in newsprint costs that we faced at the the industry it is a short term solution to ongoing structural issues we face.

A more meaningful solution has been enacted by the Premier of Victoria guarantees that the Vic state government will buy a full page advertisement of the year.

A recent parliamentary inquiry recommended that a minimum of 20% of government print advertising should be placed with regional news services. A recent study conducted by Deakin University recommended the same thing. In fact, the Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, has been advocating for more regional newspaper advertising for many years.

This shouldn’t be controversial.

We know there may be bigger budget issues, but this small policy change would be a simple and fair solution to a growing problem for regional Australia. A policy that ensures weekly federal government advertising is placed in regional newspapers would be great news for the country. And it won’t cost you a cent.

Yours sincerely,

We believe a similar policy could be an election promise for NSW Labor that - provides certainty for regional publishers and the jobs they support - provides the NSW Government with a valuable communications tool - moves away from the need for government grants.

We are working with the Country Press Association that represent another 27 we would be enthusiastically covering this proposed policy announcement across their websites.

Both Andrew Manuel from the CPA and I are available to meet with you initiative.

Yours sincerely

Tony Kendall President Managing Director Country Press Australia Australian Community Media

Andrew Manuel

Andrew Manuel President Country Press Australia am@plainsproducer.com.au

Tony Kendall Managing Director Australian Community Media Tony.kendall@austcommunitymedia.com.au

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