This week we hosted Tracy Watkins, the Editor of the Sunday Star-Times, Sunday News and Stuff Sundays. Her current main project is to develop a successful website for The Post. This website needs to be based on subscribers paying for access, not free for everyone, because money for advertising does not now cover the costs. In other words, there will be a pay-wall for those wanting access to more quality news. Who would disagree with that?
Tracy very briefly outlined her career since 1983 with the big jump becoming part of Stuff in 2001. However, she appropriately spent most of the presentation on the future. Print
journalism will continue a slow decline but for a long time. The example of the Wairarapa Times Age, still a printed paper, was used as a continuing success. It can still be done in the
regions. Hope is not completely lost. For the Post website, Tracy explained that the news and audience is expected to gradually become more national, even though based on Wellington stories. Local issues, such as the high cost of rates, cycle lanes and housing affordability will continue to feature, but moving more into national readership is hoped to make it more sustainable for the future. Currently it is on target with the premium subscriptions going well, even in Auckland.
journalism will continue a slow decline but for a long time. The example of the Wairarapa Times Age, still a printed paper, was used as a continuing success. It can still be done in the
regions. Hope is not completely lost. For the Post website, Tracy explained that the news and audience is expected to gradually become more national, even though based on Wellington stories. Local issues, such as the high cost of rates, cycle lanes and housing affordability will continue to feature, but moving more into national readership is hoped to make it more sustainable for the future. Currently it is on target with the premium subscriptions going well, even in Auckland.