Regional NZ interests must be protected by Fairfax, APN

Fairfax and APN, the two companies that dominate New Zealand's newspaper industry, must protect provincial New Zealanders' access to timely, affordable, regional news from around the country as they discuss the future of NZPA, Progressive leader Jim Anderton said today.

"For over a century, New Zealanders living in provincial and rural areas have been able to read stories of interest to them from around the nation thanks to the New Zealand Press Association network that allows for timely, affordable, regional news from one part of New Zealand to be available to all other provincial newspapers. Regional radio stations are also important for this reason and I have in the past promoted their continuance too.

"NZPA's news-sharing service provides provincial newspapers, including the few remaining New Zealand-owned independent papers, with an invaluable service which is why we are all watching with interest to see that our country's regional and national interests continue to be taken into account by Fairfax and APN, the major shareholders in NZPA," Jim Anderton told Parliament today.

The Independent Business Weekly has reported that Fairfax is boycotting sending its copy to NZPA on Saturdays because the Australian-owned company which owns the sole daily newspapers in a large number of New Zealand towns and cities is upset about the threat of a little competition from APN, the Irish-owned company that runs the sole daily newspaper in Auckland.

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