When Broken Hill journalist Emily McInerney drives past her old workplace, the Barrier Daily Truth, its peeling paint and locked doors evoke a deep sense of nostalgia. Nearly 18 months have passed since the independently owned newspaper, which had served the community for over 125 years, abruptly closed its doors. The Barrier Industrial Council (BIC), the operators, cited financial difficulties as the primary reason for the shutdown.
Though Ms. McInerney has since found employment with a new publication established in the wake of the closure, the Truth, where she dedicated approximately 11 years of her career, remains 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,” she reminisced. “Even being able to see the printing presses was amazing… you were watching history in action when you worked there.”
However, the historic printing press, along with the rest of the century-old building’s contents, is now being sold or removed entirely. BIC president and Barrier Truth board chair Roslyn Ferry stated that a recent garage sale marked the first step in a series of efforts to recoup some of the organization’s losses.
Financial Realities and Historical Value
“Obviously, we were already looking at our creditors and our debtors, trying to wind up that part of the business,” Ms. Ferry explained. “So, it was decided that we would empty the building as much as possible.”
Despite the financial pressures, Ms. Ferry hopes to preserve some of the building’s contents, particularly the tens of thousands of printed editions archived there. Gavin Schmidt, who worked at the paper in various roles for over 40 years, shares this sentiment. As the former manager, he understands the need to pay back the paper’s creditors but is concerned about the difficulty of selling certain items, especially the printing press installed in the late 1970s.
“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.
The Decline of In-House Printing in Regional Areas
This situation reflects a broader trend affecting regional newspapers across the country. The Lanyon family, generational publishers based in Mildura, recently sold their newspaper interests to national media group SA Today. Ross Lanyon noted that their print press, which once printed several mastheads including the Sunraysia Daily and the Broken Hill Times, has 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.
Edward Higgins, President of Country Press New South Wales and a fourth-generation newsman, estimated that “well over 90 per cent” of newspaper publishers have outsourced 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 explained. “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.”
Preserving the Past for Future Generations
Ms. Ferry is acutely aware of the challenges the board faces in selling the press in today’s market. Nonetheless, she has not ruled out exploring alternative options, such as preserving the press as a historical artifact.
“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 suggested. “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.”
The announcement comes as regional newspapers grapple with the challenges of modern media consumption and the decline of traditional print media. While the future of the Barrier Daily Truth’s building and contents remains uncertain, the community’s desire to preserve its rich history is clear. As the media landscape continues to evolve, the story of the Barrier Daily Truth serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of preserving the past while navigating the future.
