Community News Group WA closes five mastheads

In another blow to media diversity in Western Australia, the Community News Group announced this morning that it will be closing five of its papers from early September.

The papers concerned are: North Coast Times; The Advocate; Midland Reporter; Hills and Avon Valley Gazette; and Comment News.

Coverage of local issues, particularly local council related matters, rarely get any coverage within the state’s only daily metro newspaper, and this should be of serious concern to readers seeking transparency of local government within these communities.

As yet, there is no confirmation as to how many staff will be made redundant, and we are hopeful that a number of reporters will be moved across into other papers.

While a blow to the local communities affected, it is also a concern for younger journalists, as CNG have been a wonderful training ground. Many WA journalists got their start on the CNG papers, and have gone on to work in national and international newsrooms.