ACM announces big shakeup to NSW mastheads
Australian Community Media (ACM) has unveiled a new publishing model for three of its regional mastheads, and will move its focus away from print editions to digital.
From late August, the Central Western Daily in Orange, the Daily Liberal in Dubbo, and Bathurst’s Western Advocate will no longer offer print editions Monday through Friday.
Digital subscribers will receive more comprehensive daily local news, sport news, and breaking news alerts across the platforms on weekdays, while weekends will feature an expanded print edition to better serve the local communities.
The weekend print editions will continue to include the popular weekly TV guide, racing form, View real estate and Explore travel lift outs and sections.
“ACM is evolving to be Australia’s leading regional and rural digital media company, and it’s important that we evolve our products to meet the modern reader’s preferences. This new model follows changing consumption habits among readers, plus unsustainable production costs in these markets and reduced support from Government and Meta,” said Tony Kendall, managing director of ACM.
“In recent years, ACM’s Central Western NSW communities have embraced our digital subscription offering and this new model allows them to have the best of both worlds – with digital access on the go and a bumper weekend print edition.
“The Western Advocate, Central Western Daily and Daily Liberal have proud histories of serving the cities of Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo with quality, independent journalism and that will absolutely continue as we focus on the products that meet our readers’ changing consumption habits and continue to have a sustainable model for local journalism.”
The new publishing model is said to allow ACM and the three mastheads’ newsrooms to focus on delivering subscribers “the best possible experience”. It offers readers the choice to stay up-to-date however they want, whether that be digitally or via print.
Since launching digital subscriptions in 2018, the titles have had consistent growth and engagement, seeing 15% annual growth over the past three years.
“With our mobile apps and websites, daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, and the new look, expanded weekend papers, we’ll continue keeping our readers informed and up-to-date and providing commercial customers the very best environments to connect with our engaged regional audiences,” Kendall continued.
The expanded weekend print edition will begin on August 24, while weekday print editions will cease on August 26.
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