Journalists’ union condemns proposed sale of APN’s Australian Regional Media
The union representing journalists has condemned APN News & Media’s decision to seek a buyer for its regional media division.
Announced today in the company’s half yearly results, APN News & Media is looking to offload the struggling Australian Regional Media after a 7% slide in profit.
ARM consists of 12 daily newspapers, including The Gladstone Observer and Gympie Times, more than 60 community and non-weekly publications and 30 regional news websites.
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) is concerned that APN fails to appreciate the importance of the regional mastheads to local communities.
MEAA CEO Paul Murphy said in a statement: “The APN publications that serve the people of regional Queensland and New South Wales are a vital source of local news and information. They have historic and crucial links to their communities, are an avenue for local stories to be told and local voices to be heard. They provide an essential public service.
“But over several years, APN management has slashed away at these mastheads, diluting them of quality local content and starving them of the crucial resources needed to do their job.
“When your only strategy is to cut and cut, something has to give. In the end, it is the local communities that suffer.”
MEAA is seeking an urgent meeting with APN management to ensure that any sale process is accompanied by a guarantee that employee service and all entitlements are acknowledged and transferred under the Fair Work Act.
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
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I am not very much in favour of unions after being a former member of one for 20 years but I totally agree with what they are saying about APN cutting out local news in small rural towns newspapers.Since a new reporter took over at the local paper we have virtually no local news.We are attached to Bundaberg but 54klms away and so local news is vital to us.Ibuy a Bundaberg paper every day but when I buy the so called local paper once a week all I am getting is the same news so why would I buy it.
Another independent newspaper that is delivered free around the area has more LOCAL news and is cheaper to advertise in.
If APN is trying to shut down small local newspapers it is going about it in the right way in this town.In the Bundaberg News-Mail Saturday 27 Bryce Johns statement is quote “And because communities continue to need what we do-seek the truth about the stories that happen where we live “well Mr Johns submit a local story to the newspaper here and you have to first pay for costly advertising or if you are lucky enough to get a story in,the truth is changed around so much it is no longer the truth.Or the reporter here is so biased against not for profit groups she will not print a story at all. At least because the paper WILL eventually shut because there are a lot of people who feel the same as me i will save some money.
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APN is not the only company trying to shut down local newspapers.
Fairfax are doing their best to strip regional newspapers of staff too.
Without local staff, no local content. Without local content, no local interest. Without local interest no sales.
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