General News
26 November, 2023
Honour bound to our readers
When David Ward decided to relaunch the newspaper his great grandfather led in the 1890s, and which his father reluctantly gave up in 1959, it was an enormous gamble. But the veteran newspaperman saw a gap in the market crying out to be filled...
When David Ward decided to relaunch the newspaper his great grandfather led in the 1890s, and which his father reluctantly gave up in 1959, it was an enormous gamble.
But the veteran newspaperman saw a gap in the market crying out to be filled.
Horsham’s only paid-for newspaper, the Wimmera Mail-Times, then one of more than 100 mastheads owned by the national ACM group, closed its doors as Covid struck.
The Wardies jumped in.
In May 2020, The Horsham Times reclaimed its place alongside the Warracknabeal Herald, Dimboola Banner and Rainbow Argus – united again under the rebadged Wimmera Mallee News group.
The fledgling newspaper, led by a young and raw editorial team, was a little unsophisticated.
But it had a huge heart for a newborn, and it was nourished and reared by a family-led business that has been in the newspaper game for five generations.
The Wimmera Mail-Times returned a few months later.
But by then The Horsham Times had earned its place in the community.
It was refreshing, it was honest – and it was back home.
When people pay for a newspaper, they choose to invest in the news it provides, and the staff who produce it.
It’s a significant and conscious decision that every newspaper proprietor not only respects, but covets and nurtures.
Before too long, and against the odds, The Horsham Times gradually built a loyal readership base.
Three years on, we’re still small (maybe that’s a big part of our appeal).
We’re a nipper in the broader industry.
But we’re intensely proud of being Horsham’s only local, family-owned independent newspaper, and becoming the newspaper of choice for our readers – a privilege we will never take for granted.
Wimmera Mallee News - The Horsham Times, Warracknabeal Herald, Rainbow Argus and Dimboola Banner - are your voice in your community.
Having won the top award in its category for Overall Newspaper Excellence at the Victorian Country Press Association annual gala on Friday, our job now is to maintain and improve on that performance.
Carolyn Turner pointed to the newspaper's remarkable comeback in her comments as VCPA judge: "While some mastheads were closing as a result of Covid, The Horsham Times saw opportunity and responded to community need and clearly has not looked back.
"It is an excellent community newspaper. Its Wimmera in flood edition is a fine example of what newspapers do best – keeping communities well informed in times of disaster.
"Its rural section is excellent. The three editions (submitted) are well supported by advertising. Its front-page photographs are outstanding."
But we say this award really belongs to you - our readers - because it is you who have established us as Horsham’s top paid-for newspaper.
Please keep supporting us.
Tell us what you want to read, tell us what stories you want us to cover, and tell everyone what’s on your mind through our letters to the editor.
Thank you.
Every single one of you.
editor@wmnews.com.au