News paper for Allied Press

THE future of Clutha’s 124yearold community newspaper is assured after it was announced yesterday the Clutha Leader has been bought by Allied Press.

Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan was overjoyed by the news, saying he was ‘‘stoked’’, both for the staff and for the social and business benefits the newspaper provided in the district.

The Clutha Leader was one of the smaller community and rural papers Stuff announced it planned to sell or close in a move expected to affect 28 mastheads and 60 jobs.

The company planned instead to focus on its digital platforms.

The move followed a High Court decision in December that upheld a Commerce Commission ruling it would not authorise a proposed merger with rival publisher NZME.

Stuff said yesterday Allied Press (publisher of the Otago Daily Times and several community newspapers) would take ownership from June 25. The five existing staff had been offered employment by the new owner.

Stuff chief executive Sinead Boucher said the sale was ‘‘a great result for the community’’, and followed news the Greymouth Star, part owned by Allied Press, had bought the Kaikoura Star from Stuff.

‘‘Over the past three months we have worked hard to ensure any publications that we sell go to the right people that have experience running newspapers and looking after a team of journalists and sales staff,’’ Ms Boucher said.

‘‘Today, it’s fantastic to be able to say Allied Press will be keeping this 124yearold publication up and running.’’

Allied Press chief executive Grant McKenzie said he was looking forward to continuing to provide news coverage and advertising to the South Otago community.

‘‘Allied Press has a long association with South Otago and we are sure that this purchase will strengthen that relationship.’’

Mr McKenzie said Allied Press would take on all staff, then review staffing levels to see what further resources the paper might require.

Mr Cadogan said the council had been concerned about the possible loss of the paper.

‘‘We’ve been contemplating how do we get the information out?

‘‘How do we get that information to the public so that the conspiracy theorists don’t run amok?’’

Having no local paper would have been ‘‘a giant step back’’. ‘‘I’m absolutely rapt.’’

The Otago Daily Times has a reporter based in Balclutha who covers the Clutha district.