VICTORIAN regional publisher Provincial Press Group (PPG) has reached agreement with Luke Watson of Wilkie Watson Publications to purchase his family’s Tumut-based mastheads and business in New South Wales.
Following the purchase of The Monaro Post and Jindabyne Summit Sun last year, PPG will acquire Tumut and Adelong Times, Tumbarumba Times and The Gundagai Independent in January 2024, trading as Riverina Media Group.
The agreement also includes mastheads, The Temora Independent and Narrandera Argus and The Lake News, the latter published with support of a Lake Cargelligo community services group.
The Wiklie Watson families have been newspaper publishers and commercial printers in Tumut for four generations, having expanded their operations into the mid Riverina in the last decade.
The purchase also follows PPG’s acquisition of several NSW Central West and Hilltops mastheads from ACM in May this year.
PPG chairman Hartley Higgins said the additional mastheads, located between the company’s Cooma and Cowra based newspapers, comes with strong historic connections to their towns and regional communities.
"They fit with our aim of growth and will be supported by our group publishing and printing technologies," he said.
PPG’s division North East Media (NEM) publishes the weekly Myrtleford Times and Alpine Observer and other North East Victorian community newspapers.
NEM chief executive officer Edward Higgins said with declining electronic media news services in regional NSW, community newspapers were more soought after for trusted coverage of news and local government organisations.
"Local newspapers should actively reflect the communities they serve and consistently promote their economies and jobs," he said.
"We are keen to add reader value and engagement to these newspapers along with digital media services going forward."
