Walkley Regional Journalism Summit: industry experts fight for the survival of regional journalism

As major metropolitan newspapers focus their efforts online, the heartbeat of the community - regional independent newspapers - have relied heavily on print to keep the public informed.

Gunnedah Times and Narrabri Courier editor Dylan Smith said print journalism is the "bread and butter" of their business.

"Locals turn to their newspapers for community news - they are the fabric of a country community," he said.

"Printed newspapers have a lot of gravitas. When people see a photo in the paper, it carries more weight and feels more special.

"They tell a story about the community like no other medium does."

The Times is part of an emerging group of small, independent newspapers cropping up across regional NSW.

As other news organisations were forced to fold physical papers and move coverage online, independents took advantage of the gap left amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Country Press NSW president and Gilgandra Newspapers managing editor Lucie Peart launched The Nyngan Weekly in partnership with the Dubbo Photo News.

Physical newspapers are core to their business model.

"It's a tactile experience," she said.

"People aren't flocking to digital platforms - they love the printed edition and the ritual of reading the paper."

It's not surprising, given at least 30 per cent of Australians live outside major cities, and connectivity remains a serious issue.

The digital divide has left the elderly, those who cannot afford the internet or lack the knowledge to access it effectively, out in the cold.

It posed an interesting dilemma for regional newspapers, that wanted to continue to provide a physical newspaper but needed to evolve in areas like online subscription to stay afloat.

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, more than 200 regional newspapers folded, leaving communities bereft of news when they needed it most.

While some mastheads eventually returned to print, others pivoted to digital platforms, or were absorbed by larger publications.

Business NSW regional manager Joe Townsend said newspaper closures have broad economic impacts.

When newspapers close, businesses lose local advertising channels that provide "better traction, engagement and response rates", he said.

Concern about the future of regional news was at the forefront of the summit, which saw international and national speakers, like Deakin University associate professor of communication Kristy Hess, push for more support from government to keep regional journalism alive.

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She said its sustainability is a "huge issue".

"Printed newspapers have a revered function in regional communities - news is a public good, but it also has a very important social function - it forms the social fabric of connection and belonging," she said.

Ms Hess said the industry needs an 'urgent and critical examination' of government spending, with transparency about where funds are going.

"There is no one-size-fits-all solution to local news," she said.

"You can't impose a top-down approach, you have to consider the very context in which it exists, the geographic regions it serves, and the unique issues relevant to those regions."

Without regional journalists, the stories that matter won't be told, Guardian Australia rural and regional editor Gabrielle Chan said.

"Local journalists are nuanced, empathetic and have the best contacts," she said.

"They represent regionally and reflect nationally."

That's even more evident in small communities like Uralla, where a special local election edition of the Uralla Wordsworth was one of very few forums for candidates to put their views forward, editor Louis van Ekert said.

"Another example is our COVID lockdown editions, where we were able to provide a summary to residents of what services were available in town," he said.

Despite the challenges of the past three years, the future of regional journalism in Australia is starting to look more promising, according to Public Interest Journalism Initiative chief executive Anna Draffin.

"We are starting to see renewed interest and investment in the regions ... the Guardian has invested heavily in terms of its regional reporting network and the ABC is making similar commitments," she said.

ABC head of regional, rural and emergency coverage Hugh Martin confirmed the national broadcaster is 'wholly committed to journalism, and has been for more than 75 years'.

"We're doing more now than we ever have," he said.

"We are constantly training our workforce and our reporters and journalists in new equipment and new ways of storytelling."

In 2021, the ABC invested heavily in converting and transforming regional radio stations to multi-content newsrooms.

'It was a significant investment and it was a statement about the importance of regional Australia to the ABC," Mr Martin said.

- With Kirsty Meyer and Lucy Eddy

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