May 28, 2020
The South Burnett Times will be ceasing its print production from next month.
Owners News Corp announced on Thursday the SBT, along with many other community and regional titles across Australia, will be going digital-only from June 29.
Also locally affected by the change to digital-only are the Central and North Burnett Times, Gympie Times, Chinchilla News, Dalby Herald, Sunshine Coast Daily, Fraser Coast Chronicle and Queensland Times as well as many other well-known mastheads.
The Central Telegraph, Balonne Beacon and Surat Basin News will stop publication altogether.
The Australia-wide changes implemented by News Corp Australasia reportedly could cost between 500-700 jobs.
Executive chairman Michael Miller said the changes were occurring after “a comprehensive review” of its regional and community newspapers.
News Corp’s metropolitan daily papers in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide will continue printing.
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The Full List Of Changes & Closures
The Hobart Mercury, NT News, Cairns Post, Townsville Bulletin, Gold Coast Bulletin, Toowoomba Chronicle and Geelong Advertiser will continue to publish both in print and digitally.
Digital Only
Qld – Albert and Logan News, Bowen Independent, Bundaberg News Mail, Caboolture Herald, Central and North Burnett Times, Central Queensland News, Chinchilla News, Dalby Herald, Fraser Coast Chronicle, Gatton Star, Gladstone Observer, Gympie Times, Mackay Daily Mercury, Noosa News, North Lakes Times, Pine Rivers Press, Queensland Times, Redcliffe and Bayside Herald, Redlands Community News, Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, South Burnett Times, South-West News, Springfield News, Stanthorpe Border Post, Sunshine Coast Daily, Warwick Daily News, Western Star, Western Times, Westside News, Whitsunday Coast Guardian, Whitsunday Times and Wynnum Herald. NSW – Ballina Advocate, Byron Shire News, Coffs Coast Advocate, Grafton Daily Examiner, Lismore Northern Star and Tweed Daily News.
Axed
Qld – Balonne Beacon, Bribie Weekly, Buderim Chronicle, Caloundra Weekly, Capricorn Coast Mirror, Central Telegraph, Coolum News, Herbert River Express, Innisfail Advocate, Ipswich Advertiser, Kawana/Maroochy Weekly, Nambour Weekly, Gold Coast Sun, Hervey Bay Independent, Maryborough Herald, Northside Chronicle/Bayside Star, North-West News, South-East Advertiser, Southern Star and Surat Basin News. NSW – Coastal Views, Northern Rivers Echo and Richmond River Express Examiner.
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Editorial
by Anne Miller
This is a sad day for Australian journalism.
Some of these titles are newspapers I have either edited, sub-edited or written for … including the South Burnett Times, Central & North Burnett Times, Western Times, Albert & Logan News, Southern Star and Gold Coast Sun.
I know colleagues at many and I fear for their jobs.
The changes announced by the Murdoch-owned News Corp don’t consider the fact these mastheads have become embedded in their communities for decades … and in some cases for more than a century.
southburnett.com.au makes this commitment to you, our loyal readers.
Our news reports will remain free and will never be behind a paywall.
And we reach out to the many advertisers who will feel betrayed by this move by Murdoch to scrap print production.
Maybe it’s time to consider supporting your Truly Local News choice, South Burnett Online.
We’d love to hear from you and discuss your advertising requirements.
Well this news come as no surprise.
Thank you for your Editorial comments, Anne Miller, and I’m sure I would not be the only one agreeing with you.
A very sad time for many communities but there definitely were signs of this happening for a long time.
It truly does show how our lives and influences around us are changing. We are part of history even before we have passed. For a rural area not to have a ‘paper copy’ newspaper is hard to comprehend. Please continue your accurate and diverse articles as we as humans need to read about ‘news’. Thank you for your service to our community.
Very sad indeed. Thank you for your great article.
I so feel for all the elderly in our communities who don’t use computers or smart phones and for whom a print copy is a life line and for whom “going to get the paper” twice a week is a tradition from way back.
I am 77 and own and can easily use my computer and phone. During lock down from mid March I subscribed to the online version of the SBTimes and absolutely hated it. Way too much info from outside the South Burnett and not enough from within it. It was a pleasure to have our first outing to town last Friday and to pick up the SBTimes. I won’t be subscribing – so yes, thank you Anne and Dafyd and others involved with southburnett.com.au.
My daughter is heartbroken as she has lost her job. A job she gave 150% to. Working long hours away from her family, including nights & weekends. To be kicked in the head in the long run. All so some rich dude can still continue with his lavish lifestyle and make money. What about those who don’t have internet access or those with disabilities how are they to receive news around their community? Not very well thought out.
South Burnett Online has provided an excellent source of news over several years. Please keep up your good work.
I urge people to continue reading South Burnett Online and local businesses to place advertisements on this platform.
Thank you, Tom!
Heard a little bit on the radio about an accident in Kingaroy Street, so later went to this site and found the information on what had happened. South Burnett Online had the news for us. A wonderful service. Do hope you get the advertising and viewers’ support to keep you supplying such a valuable service to us all. Thank you!