• Recent suspension of some printed regional newspapers is a sign of how stressed all newspapers are by the decline in advertising revenue in recent years
• Alternative forms of authoritative independent news and information to emerge on the ‘net for regional communities’ are yet to emerge
• The new media revolution is unfolding at a different pace in the bush, but the government’s regional media support package announcement today will assist this revolution

A Charles Sturt University academic has welcomed the federal government announcement of a rescue plan for regional media organisations hit by the COVID-19 impact of falling advertising revenues.

The plan announced today by the Hon. Paul Fletcher, MP, Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, comes on the back of the suspension this week by Australian Community Media (ACM) of many of its printed regional newspapers.

On Tuesday 14 April ACM announced ‘ … printing operations at four press facilities and the production of a number of non-daily newspapers will be suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic and employees associated with the print sites and products stood down until the end of June’.

ACM’s 14 printed daily newspapers, such as The Canberra Times, Newcastle Herald and The Border Mail, are not affected and will continue to be available, as will weekly editions of its agricultural publications, such as The Land in NSW, and Queensland Country Life.

Former broadcast journalist and now lecturer in the Charles Sturt School of Communication and Creative Industries Ms Kay Nankervis said the ACM lay-offs and suspension of some printed regional papers are yet another sign of how stressed all newspapers are by the decline of advertising revenue in recent years.

“Up until now that’s been because of disruption caused by the internet and new ways people get their news and local information,” Ms Nankervis said.

“With a ‘recession-style’ economic drop in people making and selling wares in a COVID-19 world, those already vulnerable media outlets reliant on advertising dollars haven’t stood a chance.”

Ms Nankervis said the problem for regional audiences is that they are still waiting for alternative forms of authoritative independent news and information to emerge on the ‘net for regional communities’.

“At the moment it’s social media, and with that concentration comes all the problems of relying on those often unclear and untrustworthy sources of information and commentary,” she said.

“But while revenues and outputs for so many industries now hit by COVID-19 shutdowns, with restrictions and rising unemployment among potential consumers, now would not be the time to see these new media opportunities in regional areas being addressed.

“However, the federal government’s announcement of a $50 million ‘Public Interest News Gathering Program’ to support regional journalism recognises how important reliable, independent journalism, news and information is to local communities.

“Advertising revenue shortfalls made worse by a looming COVID-19-driven recession − but matched with these sorts of government interventions − might help bring Australian regions up to the revolution underway globally in how people get their information in digitally-enabled democracies.

“The revolution is unfolding at a different pace in the bush, but the government’s regional media support package announcement today will assist this revolution and could put further impetus on regional media to rise to all the digital and COVID-19 challenges it faces.”