Two single but separate events this week have served to remind us of our publishing traditions and what we strive to do.
Today’s Leader is an historic event with the publication of our real estate guide Domain, a veritable dictionary of what’s up for sale in the local property market.
It’s 21 years since The Leader first published a designated real estate and property guide, just 12 pages in the first edition – but today’s publication of its property supplement Domain is a record-breaking 136-pages.
It’s a massive advertising and promotional publication – and for The Leader’s readers who have their Saturday edition home delivered, it means they needed to send the dog out twice to pick up the paper.
The super edition is a special collaboration between 20 real estate agents in the Tamworth, Manilla, Kootingal and Gunnedah areas to promote a spring sale.
Another proud event that The Leader family celebrated this week was the Country Press Awards.
They are honours meted out by the oldest newspaper industry association, a group that has been around since 1900, who represent 120 members across rural and regional NSW.
The Northern Daily Leader celebrated its 100th year last year – and this year, albeit in a turbulent media world, is celebrating honours for some of the most historic and traditional quality
reporting that brings the latest news to its readers in colourful, sensitive and startling ways, and in different platforms too.
But in all that The Leader still strives to honour its readers and its advertisers – and there’s often a rub to that.
We write and report and record the events, remembering we often know the families and the individuals involved – so a sensational splash one day is not the way we work, because tomorrow we may need to speak to and relate to them again.
In a huge market, there is anonymity and no call-to-answer. In a place like Tamworth, we have families, we have friends, we have a duty to respect and honour those we seek to serve.
In a world where social media is becoming king, we were reminded this week of Warren Buffet’s business mantra.The business magnate and investor purchased 63 regional
newspapers in the USA this year and reminded the world that “where there is a strong sense of community there is no more important institution than the local newspaper.”
He sees a future for newspapers who serve their communities well.
So do we.