ACM makes a slew of changes with NSW, Queensland and WA titles
Australian Community Media (ACM), the media company owned by Anthony Catalano and his business partner, Alex Waislitz, has sold seven of its regional titles, closed down two, and moved three to be digital-only.
The group sold seven titles in New South Wales Central West and Hilltops areas last week to Provincial Press Group (PPG).
These include paid weekly mastheads Parkes Champion-Post, Forbes Advocate, Canowindra News, The Grenfell Record, Cowra Guardian, Boorowa News and Young Witness.
The sale comes after PPG enquired about NSW publications outside the company’s key markets, and the transaction is expected to comply in early May.
Meanwhile, two titles in Queensland, Jimboomba Times and Redlands City Bulletin, will be closing due to “increased newsprint costs and shifting advertising dollars”, ACM confirmed.
Western Australian titles including the Bunbury Mail, the Mandurah Mail and the August-Margaret River Mail will move to be published digitally only. But the more popular agricultural title Farm Weekly remains unchanged.
ACM managing director Tony Kendall said at the time of the PPG deal: “Whilst we were not actively looking to sell these titles we felt the proposed transaction was in the best interest of these publications. Our staff do an amazing job in these regions and I am confident they will continue to serve their communities well under new ownership.”
The acquisition has added to PPG North East Media division’s existing 16 newspaper and magazine titles including the triweekly Wangaratta Chronicle.
Earlier this year, automotive online marketplace and publisher, CarExpert, has replaced Nine-owned Drive to become the automotive content and branding partner of ACM.
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Darcy Song was a reporter at Mumbrella, covering media owners, adtech and social platforms. She left in October 2023.
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topics
ACM
Alex Waislitz
Anthony Catalano
August-Margaret River Mail
Australian Community Media
Boorowa News
Canowindra News
Cowra Guardian
Forbes Advocate
Jimboomba Times
Parkes Champion-Post
Provincial Press Group
Redlands City Bulletin
the Bunbury Mail
The Grenfell Record
the Mandurah Mail
Young Witness
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