Regional Media
September 2nd 2006 00:46
With recent discussion on the new media framework in Australia, I must pose the question: Why do media companies in Australia neglect their regional newsrooms? Residents in regional areas deserve to receive local news just as much as their city counterparts. Yet, in many country towns in Australia, local newspapers, instead of reporting what’s happening in their local community, publish press releases.
Many regional newsrooms have only cadet journalists in them with no editor. So how do the cadet journalists receive their training? Cadetships are meant to be like traineeships. But many cadet journalists in regional newsrooms are forced to take on the role of editor without the recognition and the salary that this position deserves. Even though this is their first job as a journalist, cadet journalists are expected to know how to run a newsroom and publish quality newspapers in regional areas. This results in many journalists in Australia who don’t know the essentials of being a journalist or people who could’ve been brilliant journalists who leave this career path due to the stress and lack of recognition in regional newsrooms. This is all due to big media companies who are so motivated by profit, they forget what a regional newspaper is all about, and that is to produce quality local news.
By putting in the necessary resources into regional newsrooms, media companies would find that their newspapers are well received in the community and therefore making more profit because businesses and individuals would want to advertise in the product. But the way many regional newspapers are run now, they have to make enough money to employ an editor before the newsroom has this expertise. The advertising department of a regional newspaper is considered more important than the editorial department so this makes it nearly impossible for a country newspaper to make enough money to employ an editor. Without quality editorial staff, there will be no quality news, and therefore low circulation and low profit margins. Regional residents deserve more than just press releases.
Many regional newsrooms have only cadet journalists in them with no editor. So how do the cadet journalists receive their training? Cadetships are meant to be like traineeships. But many cadet journalists in regional newsrooms are forced to take on the role of editor without the recognition and the salary that this position deserves. Even though this is their first job as a journalist, cadet journalists are expected to know how to run a newsroom and publish quality newspapers in regional areas. This results in many journalists in Australia who don’t know the essentials of being a journalist or people who could’ve been brilliant journalists who leave this career path due to the stress and lack of recognition in regional newsrooms. This is all due to big media companies who are so motivated by profit, they forget what a regional newspaper is all about, and that is to produce quality local news.
By putting in the necessary resources into regional newsrooms, media companies would find that their newspapers are well received in the community and therefore making more profit because businesses and individuals would want to advertise in the product. But the way many regional newspapers are run now, they have to make enough money to employ an editor before the newsroom has this expertise. The advertising department of a regional newspaper is considered more important than the editorial department so this makes it nearly impossible for a country newspaper to make enough money to employ an editor. Without quality editorial staff, there will be no quality news, and therefore low circulation and low profit margins. Regional residents deserve more than just press releases.
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Comment by Anonymous
Comment by RebeccaB
Comment by anonymous
With the regional media does this also apply to other forms of media such as radio, TV etc and if these are not doing this what does it mean with the new media owner ship laws that are proposed? Do we get less or more ? Because the government is saying that we should get more ....don't you agree? As for cadets they all have to learn somewhere and don't companies put in training programs????I will be interested in your thoughts and when the new media laws do come in what happens then?Your text goes here
Comment by AndrewH
Comment by Adrian
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Comment by RebeccaB
Andrew H - Thanks for your comment. I appreciate what you are saying. It is very hard to get different stories when the media companies are so large.
Adrian - Thanks for your comment. To satisfy your curiosity, yes I have had experience in regional newsrooms.