Regional newspaper printer facing uncertain future in modern media market

When Broken Hill journalist Emily McInerney drives past her old workplace, the Barrier Daily Truth, its peeling paint and locked doors leave her feeling emotional.

It has been nearly 18 months since the independently owned newspaper abruptly closed after more than 125 years, with operators, the Barrier Industrial Council (BIC), citing financial difficulties.

While Ms McInerney now works for a new publication established in the aftermath of the closure, she said the Truth, where she worked for about 11 years, always remained close to her heart.

"I love the building … it was very old, but it had so much history, and there were so many parts to it that you always enjoyed exploring," Ms McInerney said.

"Even being able to see the printing presses was amazing … you were watching history in action when you worked there."

But this printing press, along with everything else within the more than a century-old building, is now being sold or removed entirely.

BIC president and Barrier Truth board chair Roslyn Ferry said a recent garage sale was the first in many steps to recoup some of its losses.

"Obviously, we were already looking at our creditors and our debtors, trying to wind up that part of the business," Ms Ferry said.

"So, it was decided that we would empty the building as much as possible."

More valuable as scrap?

Ms Ferry still hopes to preserve some of the building's contents, particularly the tens of thousands of printed editions archived there in varying stages of condition.

Another person interested in the paper's historical value is Gavin Schmidt, who worked there in various roles over more than 40 years, including as its manager.

Mr Schmidt said he understood the need to pay back the paper's creditors, but worries some items will be difficult to sell, particularly the printing press that was installed in the late 70s.

"We used to get our press serviced by a Melbourne company, [and] the guy was [telling me] presses are worth nothing because there's so many of them sitting in deserted buildings in Melbourne, Sydney, and all around the country region," Mr Schmidt said.

Regional decline of in-house printing

This experience rings true for generational Mildura-based publishers, the Lanyon family, who sold their newspaper interests to national media group SA Today in September.

Ross Lanyon said their print press, which once printed several mastheads, including the Sunraysia Daily and the Silver City's newest publication, the Broken Hill Times, has recently been dismantled.

"Parts of it were sold to other newspapers who acquired it, and a portion was also unfortunately sold as scrap metal because there isn't a demand for it anywhere in the world at the moment," he said.

President of Country Press New South Wales and fourth-generation newsman Edward Higgins estimated "well over 90 per cent" of newspaper publishers have been outsourcing their printing for many years.

"The investment that you have to put in to have a press is significant, and staffing is also a major challenge," Mr Higgins said.

"The second-hand market has [also] reduced … often you can pick up the presses for not a considerable amount of money, but it's a very large investment still to install them."

Dreams of preservation

Ms Ferry said she was well aware of the challenge the board faces with selling the press in today's market.

However, she said she had not ruled out exploring other options, including the possibility of preserving it as a relic of the city's history.

"The press still works, it's just totally immovable at this point, so it would be great if someone wanted to jump in and say, 'Let's use [one] part of the building as a museum,'" she said.

"All those sorts of decisions will be totally up to the affiliated unions, [so] probably nothing's going to be happening in the next year or two, but we'll see how we go."