A new free community newspaper for Waikato is aiming to extend Stuff’s reach across the region, bringing stories about local people right to the door.
With the first publication coming up on July 3, the community paper, The Waikato Local Te Pūtahi, will be focused on locally relevant news to complement the daily Waikato Times masthead.
Taking over from its predecessor the Hamilton Press, Te Pūtahi will also absorb smaller titles the Piako Post, Matamata Chronicle and South Waikato News.
As well as major centre Hamilton, it will be delivered to homes and areas of high foot traffic in Morrinsville, Matamata, Putararu, Wharahoa, Te Aroha and Tirau.
Since the launch of the Waikato Times digital masthead in March 2023, the title’s reach has more than doubled with new subscribers choosing either a digital-only daily read, or a print and digital bundle.
The Waikato Local free community title will build on that reach, ensuring Stuff continues to have the biggest print and digital footprint of any media company in the Waikato.
Managing Director Masthead Publishing Joanna Norris says the consolidation of some titles into a region-wide community newspaper is part of Stuff Group’s review of its large number of community newspapers across the motu.
Since the beginning of the year it has consolidated some titles, launched others and merged newspapers where the Stuff footprint was overlapping or unwieldy.
“As a business we have been publishing community newspapers for more than a century and over that time have acquired a large number of community titles resulting in a network that does not always fit local business and community needs,” she says.
“The way people consume local news is also changing, as we have seen with the hugely successful launch of our digital subscriptions for The Post, The Press, The Waikato Times and our regional daily
newspapers.”
Stuff Brand Connections Managing Director Matt Headland says while readers can expect excellent local coverage in their area, advertisers will have a bumper bundled offering through the daily Waikato Times and the weekly The Waikato Local.
“Having a free newspaper delivered into homes and stores, combined with the growing digital subscriber numbers of the Waikato Times, will provide unrivalled reach and prominence,” he says.
Stuff also publishes the Franklin County News and Cambridge Edition in the region and national title NZFarmer, the country’s largest rural masthead.
