Tom Dignam with Ash Long in Yea in 1984. Photo: Lauris Collins

The Local Paper continues to deliver high readership figures.

In March, The Local Paper achieved verified average print readership of 8820 ‘reads’ per week. Online readership, as at March 31, was 6696 ‘reads’ per week.

This is a combined total of 15,516 real ‘reads’ every week, in print and online. Real local people. Believable statistics.

There are 13,732 people in the Murrindindi Shire (source: 2016 Census).
There were 2264 unique visitors to the Local Paper websites in March (source: AW Stats).

“This week we celebrate the 35-year anniversary since Tom Dignam sold the Yea newspaper business to us in 1984. Prior to that I had an extended association with the district dating back to 1973 as a journalist, then Group Manager, for Leader Newspapers’ eight northern publications,” said Local Paper publisher Ash Long.

“Before that, my late mother-in-law, Isobell Tunzi, was a Whittlesea Post correspondent dating back to the 1950s. This gives our family a 65-year heritage of local reporting. Personally knowing many of the families that we report about every week is an integral part of The Local Paper’s ongoing success.

“We have been actively involved for decades in local service organisations such as Rotary, Guiding, Freemasons, and sports clubs such as swimming, basketball, football and netball. Our children attended local schools such as Yea Primary. My wife was a local nurse at Yea Hospital/Rosebank. We have volunteered on a number of local charity projects, and been active in numerous community projects including the Yea and District Memorial Hospital and the Yea Helipad.

“The Local Paper is now operating at its largest-size ever, with weekly issues consistently exceeding 100 pages. Local businesses and organisations trust us because we have a decades-long track record of energetic award-winning reporting, and active community service,” Mr Long said. “We continue to innovate with online media that delivers local news with integrity.

“Sustainable commercial media businesses succeed only if they deliver maximum-possible audiences for clients. More than 60 local businesses have firm orders with us for colour full-page ads every week. More than 100 local trades people trust us with their weekly advertising, in print and online.

“We thank our readers and advertisers for this ongoing market leadership.” Mr Long said.