Blacktown City Council - Media Release -Mayor Laments Newspapers’ Closure

MEDIA RELEASE

12 December, 2017

Blacktown City Mayor Stephen Bali MP has expressed sadness over the closure of six north Western Sydney community newspapers at the end of this year.

“I am devastated Fairfax Media’s Australian Community Media does not think Blacktown deserves local newspapers to serve our growing and very diverse community,” Mayor Bali said.

“My thoughts are with the journalists, photographers and production staff who have lost jobs in the lead up to what probably is not for them the festive season,” he said.

His comments follow last month’s announcement that Fairfax will be closing down six community newspapers in the north western region. The Blacktown Sun, St Marys-Mt Druitt Star, Rouse Hill Courier, Parramatta-Holroyd Sun, Hills News and the Penrith City Gazette all cease publication next week.

“Fairfax publications are part of the history of our communities and farewelling these six publications is very difficult,” he said.

“Instead of completely leaving Blacktown City, I am very surprised they were not amalgamated into one paper,” he said.

“Blacktown’s current population of 350,000 is projected to reach 500,000 in 20 years; is growing at 10,000 a year and will be larger in population than Tasmania.

“If small country towns a tenth the size of Blacktown can support local papers, surely a growing city like Blacktown can.

“On a personal note, I want to thank the current and previous Fairfax journalists for their on-going support of community campaigns, bringing the stories of different people to the pages for us all to read, and for raising important issues with we elected members of the community.

“I understand digital and social media has put a lot of pressure on the business operation of these newspapers.  But the reality is that, with the closure of this group of publications, our community is less well served.

“For our community it was always interesting, entertaining and informative to see news delivered in different suburban newspapers, so closing this stable of papers leaves a massive void in the growing north western region of Sydney,” he said.

“As a community we should campaign for these publications to be resurrected and kept running as our communities grow,” Mayor Bali