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| The last issue of the Gazette for 2018 could be the last under its current ownership. |
"Not sure who the new owners will be but I’d say the ol' Gazette will be on its last legs!!" Cr Shaw said yesterday in response to a Facebook post saying the paper will soon be in Tasmanian ownership with a new editor and staff.
"Interesting, might be time to start a community paper that actually cares about the community and not individuals opinions!! Or trying to council bash at every turn for the fun of it," the mayor said in a comment.
"They use and abuse good people because they are passionate but not willing to put any hard work in themselves. Then when they can’t be bothered they dump sports and contributors. Not sure who the new owners will be but I’d say the ol' Gazette will be on its last legs!!"
Columnist Adam Rice responded that he wrote for the Gazette for the love of fishing. "The past editor always did the right thing by me," he said. "Don't hold grudges and get behind it, the paper has a lot of history in the valley and it would be a shame if it was gone."
First published in 1953, the Derwent Valley Gazette was locally owned until 1981 when it was sold to Davies Brothers, proprietors of the Mercury and other publications. In 1986 it was absorbed into News Limited (now News Corp Australia) along with the Mercury.
Speaking at the December council meeting, councillor and former mayor Martyn Evans repeated his request for the council to seek full costings for the production of a community newspaper. Derwent Valley Online Access Centre co-ordinator Terri Sweet posted on Facebook that the centre might be interested in assisting with a publication similar to The Highland Digest.
A former Gazette paper boy, the mayor has used social media to express his frustration with the local paper and its reporters on several occasions.
Cr Shaw hopes its on its last legs so it cannot cover negative news stories about him like this page does.
ReplyDeleteGreat supprt for a local institution.
ReplyDeleteI am sure the new owners will still want those who contribute from the local community to continue to do so. I find it quite amazing when some people knock journalists and reporters for simply reporting facts too. Let's hope The Gazette doesn't fall over from lack of support and hopefully they will bring back the name Derwent Valley Gazette as well.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to note that the Mayor, past and present, were perfectly happy to have their faces in the gazette for their own publicity but cried foul with those stories that reported their antics in an unfavorable light. The Mayor in the election campaign talked big on transparency and better communication but along with the rest of the council have systematically gone about removing the ability for the public to have their say. if the gazette goes they will have even less accountability than they do now.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I chose not to vote in the latest council election, first time ever since moving to Tassie. I just could not see anything in the candidates that convinced me that their egos were not their main concern. Now with the latest antics, language and unprofessional comments coming fast and furious from the new mayo....., well I rest my case... New Norfolk is a great little town and deserves better.
ReplyDeleteI find it quite hard to fathom why a person like our Mayor just does not understand what the rate payers are saying. If he thinks for one moment that criticism is bullying and is going to cry bullying everytime he is criticized, then he should look at leaving the game. He has been elected as our Mayor and should start acting like a Mayor. Not like the little spoiled boy he is acting like. Criticism comes with the territory and he needs to learn that. Until he does what he promised during the election the criticism will continue
ReplyDeleteHappy to see this go and the behind the scenes antics that go with the bias reporting that we have come to expect from this rag.Time to look at other means of community communication and stop people peddling their own agendas through this, so called journalism.
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