THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 362, 24 January 1941, Page 4

THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER

They call it the "rag" or the "buster,, They swear that it has no appeal, But deprive them awhile of its presence, And hark to the general "squeal." For it's part of a district's existence. It is one with its rise or its fall, Ever preserving the slogan "A homely affection for a,ll.

THE above piece of doggerel which has come to our notice illustrates most admirably the general position, of local news papers. Alongside the pretentious dailies which in these days of rapid transport invariably invade the country districts before it has gone to press, the local appears a mere apology for general news, but its service remains just as consistent and infinitely more loyal to its particular district than the city article, which, again, is the united production of a small army of journalists, printers and incidental workers. A country paper strives to give its town identity, and brings before citizens and district residents news of local importance which the city paper, in its efforts to cope with overseas and general items,, is forced to condense or eliminate altogether. The effort, however, in a country town is no less as strenuous, in. spite of limited scope, staff and facilities. But as one eminent Sydney publisher said recently, "All my best men were originally on New Zealand 'rags'," it would appear that there is still talent abroad in New Zealand apart from the cities, and that these men devote their efforts towards serving the interests of the smaller centres. Very often a country centre is judged from a distance by the type of paper it produces., for by its policy it is usually the vigorous champion of any progressive move which is for the towns betterment. Further more, it is the personal mouthpiece for citizens who desire to express their views on questions of local importance, and in this way furnishes a medicm which could not be improved on from a local standpoint. Were it not so effective in this respect we doubt the number of "nom-de-plumes" which are employed by writers,, while as an advertising medium the provincial paper cannot be excelled. Items are not lost in a mass of counter advertisements, but are set out amidst a balancie of local news which interests everybody. In this manner, therefore, the local paper, so often the object of much unjust and thoughtless criticism, endeavours to serve and represent the town in which it is located.