Page 2 - Wednesday, June 3, 2020
www.LocalPaper.com.au
Local History
Abrupt end for 132-year-old press network ■ A 132-year tradition came to a close last week when the Leader Newspapers group announced that it had stopped printing all its publications. In Melbourne’s north, Leader has permanently closed all printing and online newspapers for: ■ Northcote Leader ■ Preston Leader ■ Diamond Valley Leader ■ Heidelberg Leader. The print and online cessation also applies to: ■ Sunbury Leader/Macedon Ranges Leader ■ Manningham Leader ■ Progress Leader. Newspaper printing has concluded, to be replaced by digital-only reporting for the Whittlesea Leader. The following community titles in Melbourne will become digital only: Stonnington, Mornington Peninsula, Knox, Whitehorse, Monash, Northern, (Hume), Whittlesea, Maroondah, Moorabbin, Mordialloc Chelsea, Moreland, Lilydale and Yarra Valley, Frankston, Bayside, Caulfield Port Phillip, Cranbourne, Greater Dandenong, Moonee Valley, Maribyrnong, Wyndham. New weekly newspapers - in press and online - to replace the Leader titles have already been announced by Local Media Pty Ltd, publishers of this newspaper. The new newspapers will all appear under The Local Paper masthead, with a localised banner using familiar heritage titles. The Leader dynasty began in January 1888 when the Rev. A.H. Richardson and R. Lemon from offices in Bay St, Brighton. Northcote content was minimal. Twins Robert and John Whalley purchase the Leader in 1890. The two brothers immersed themselves in the Northcote community. After briefly squabbling with the Northcote Council over council advertising (with the Council preferring to use the Collingwood Fitzroy Mercury) the Northcote Leader became a thriving local newspaper with
And a new tradition takes over
● Decimus Mott: headed a family which ran the Leader newspaper group from 1924 to 1986 a readership spreading as far as Whittlesea. By the early 1900s the Whalley brothers had become strong members of the community. In 1911 Robert Whalley made a significant contribution when as the Secretary of the Northcote Library Committee he approached American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and asked for a donation to build a new library. Carnegie agreed to contribution 50 per cent of the cost of construction if the Northcote Council agreed to pay the remaining sum and offer the library service free of charge. The Council were reluctant to agree to these terms but even more reluctant to let Carnegie’s money slip ● Robert Whalley out of their reach and the terms were accepted. John Scott Whalley also made considerable contributions to Northcote and Preston, including serving 30 years as the editor of the Northcote Leader, a position which ended when the brothers sold the newspaper to Decimus Mott in 1924. In November of that year the Preston Council presented an illuminated address to John for his service to the community.
● John Whalley Decimus Mott and his brother Hamilton had started the Border Morning Mail in 1903. He and sons - George, Walter and Robert - expanded their company to include The Advertiser (Diamond Valley and Whittlesea) and expanded into northern suburbs including Brunswick and Coburg. They expanded into Heidelberg, East Yarra (Doncaster-Templestowe) and Diamond Valley. A joint venture had titles at Essendon, Broadmeadows, Keilor and Sunbury-Melton. Then came the eastern suburbs including Box Hill, Nunawading, Ringwood-Croydon, Lilydale and Knox-Sherbrooke. A merger with Progress Press also included the Waverley Gazette and Chadstone Progress. Standard Newspapers and Westernport Publishing titles also came into the group. The Mott family sold the entire chain of more than 40 newspapers in 1986 to The Herald & Weekly Times for $23 million in cash and $32 million in shares. The shares were sold within hours to Sir Ron Brierley who made a princely profit a few months later when the H&WT was embroiled in a takeover battle. Rupert Murdoch’s $55 million Leader group grew through the 1980s and 90s. Digital disruption and COVID-19 combined to bring about the permanent closure of more than 100 newspapers across Australia. News Corp Australia confirmed that the local and regional newspapers will become digital only or disappear entirely. Estimates are that between 6001000 jobs will be lost as a consequence of the closures.
■ New weekly community printed newspapers - with familiar names - replace the Leader titles which were closed by Rupert Murdoch’s Newscorp last week. Newscorp announced that it has permanently closed the print and digital newspapers in Northcote, Preston, Diamond Valley and Heidelberg. Local Media Pty Ltd, headed by veteran Victorian publisher Ash Long, has commenced a stable of publications, available free each week in print and online.
Northern Division
The Local Paper has the following titles in its Northern Division: ■ Northcote Budget ■ Preston Post ■ Reservoir Times ■ Whittlesea Post ■ Diamond Valley News ■ Heidelberger First editions commenced on Wednesday, May 20. This is the third edition. There has been a widespread welcome to The Local Paper’s energetic approach to responsible local journalism. The Local Paper has been a familiar weekly newspaper in the Diamond Valley and Whittlesea areas since February 2016. The Local Paper editions are being distributed through a network of more than 100 outlets including newsagencies, Tatts shops, milk bars, convenience stores and service stations. In the early weeks, the papers will appear as a consolidated Northern Edition of The Local Paper, whilst local publishing arrangements are finalised.
Eastern Division
From June 10, The Local Paper will have the following additional titles in its Eastern Division: ■ Progress News ■ Manningham News (incorporating the Doncaster-Templestowe News) ■ Whitehorse Gazette (incorporating the Box Hill Gazette and Nunawading Gazette) ■ Maroondah Mail (incorporating the Ringwood Mail and Croydon Mail) ■ Knox News ■ Monash Gazette (incorporating the Waverley Gazette and Oakleigh Times) In the early weeks, the papers will appear as a consolidated Eastern Edition of The Local Paper, whilst local publishing arrangements are finalised.
Regional Division
● The first issue of the Leader on January 21, 1888
● Ash Long (Leader Managerat Northcote), Don Brown (Managing Director) and John Monks (Editor), 1982.
The Local Paper already appears in three local editions in the north-east: ■ Dindi Local ■ Yarra Valley Express ■ Mitchell Shire Edition Local Media also publishes the Melbourne Observer newspaper.
