ACM suspends non-daily titles, closes four press facilities
Australian Community Media (ACM) has ceased print operations at four of its press facilities as it suspends a number of non-daily newspapers. All employees at the sites and on the titles have been stood down until the end of June.
The 14 daily titles, including The Canberra Times and Newcastle Herald, are unaffected, as are a number of agricultural publications, including The Land.
The closure was first reported by The Canberra Times, with ACM journalists saying they don’t yet know which titles will be closing.
Sad news for regional media – Australian Community Media is closing 4 printing presses including Canberra, and suspending printing of 'a number' of non-daily papers. https://t.co/vGiYStpak9
— Sally Whyte (@sallywhyte) April 14, 2020
Staff were informed about the decision today by email, with CEO Antony Catalano blaming the economic downturn brought on by COVID-19.
The four print sites impacted by the change are Canberra, Murray Bridge, Wodonga and Tamworth. They will be closed from Monday, April 20. Other ACM employees have been asked to reduce their hours.
More than 30 leases of small offices around the country have also been exited by ACM. ACM currently publishes more than 170 publications.
ACM isn’t the first publisher to close titles. News Corp Australia suspended its community news titles earlier in the month and Nine has ceased printing several of its magazines and lift-outs. The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) has called for more support from the government for regional papers. $5m in help has been pledged as part of an existing fund.
Surely it’s (minuscule) media team will be stood down as well. There’s no chance in hell they are selling anything if the big boys aren’t. Tough times in print!!!
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Regional newspapers are no different to the big newspapers, they simply promoters of government policy, they refuse to print any solutions to any of our problems that are sent to them by any member of the public that conflicts with the policies. This is why circulations are down, the same old tripe is published, heaps of sport from which we learn nothing, lots of goody good community news, but not anything too controversial. Many letters to editor end up in the dustbin. Its the same at local councils, three minutes for public input, the rest about what a small number of officials will do and advocate for those who pay them. While you can forget contacting any government connection further up, so saving the regional or even the big news outlets with taxpayer money, so that more failing drivel can be fed to those who now flock to the internet for opinions and news that they can publish themselves for each other. Not the best but it is democratic, they get a right to be heard, the major factor in news today. Not pinning any hope for change here either.
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