Give us your opinion on your local newspaper?

Michelle Gilmore

With the demise of so many newspapers across the country last year due to Covid, did it make you appreciate your local paper?

Being independently owned, means that we did have more control over this publication. It also helped that as a Dad-and-Mum style business, we offer parochial, original stories and images that you just can’t read anywhere else!

Why? Because we and our community create it!

All the wonderful community groups who contribute, to the advertisers who know how well we get their message out and the readers. Especially the locals who love having their photo taken! Thank you – you know who you are!

People overwhelmingly view a printed copy of their newspaper as an essential service for their community, according to the Country Press Association national survey of local newspaper audiences.

I know this is partly why even though their own business took massive hits during lockdown, they continued to advertise with us. Council too, played a role, promoting businesses in local publications.

The survey showed there is continued strong demand (and passion) for the printed product in rural and regional Australia.

Audiences indicate a preference for accessing news from their local masthead in print and they would prefer to read a digital news site that has the look and layout of a printed newspaper.

In general, audiences indicate they are five times as likely to go directly to a local news website for their local news than Google or Facebook, and almost 10 times as likely to go to the local newspaper website over a local council website for their local news and information.

In particular, our trades and services section continues to flourish, and we aim to support any advertising with stories and social media.

So if you aren’t yet an advertiser – now is a great time to ask Heatley for expert advice on your marketing strategy to make your ads really work for you.

If you love to write and take photos, or have an idea for a story, we’d also like to hear from you – because it is a big job putting each edition together, and we do need some help so join our team.

If you are a community member or regular visitor, please give us your feedback, because although we have exciting plans for the Community News – we’d love your opinion on how we can make it better.

So please drop us a line at info@rbcn.com.au or give us a call on 54863561!