Former Editor Matthew Stadtmiller with ‘Tiny’ the Clydesdale.
The Twin Town Times will NOT be following a move by Fairfax Media to charge readers for their online content.
Fairfax announced in April, “New subscription offerings are being introduced across eight ACM titles in south-west NSW.”
Twin Town Times spokesman Matthew Stadtmiller said, “We will continue to offer our online content for free. We are a long way off having to charge readers for online content. I hope it doesn’t have to happen ever, but I am surprised that a company as large as Fairfax is doing this to small communities. As long as our readers and our local businesses keep supporting us as the way they always have, we won’t have to implement a paywall. The Times currently offers packages with great value which allows businesses to have print advertisements in our weekly edition and also appear within stories on our website. We are here to provide a local newspaper, we are not here to provide hundreds of shareholders a dividend. I urge anyone wanting to advertise their business to contact the Times on 0408 00 4975 or editorial@twintowntimes.com.au Our office is 10 Neill St Harden, next to the Commonwealth Bank. We reach a large audience online and all of our Facebook likes have come naturally. We haven’t paid a company to provide more likes from people who will never read there stories.”
Local Business owner BJ Prosser is using the Times to advertise his skillset
and business to those in the area who need it.
Matthew said, “I can’t see an incentive for businesses to advertise online if their adverts are hidden behind paywalls. We are a family business which wants to see other family businesses grow. We were born here, we live here and we are a part of the community here. We don’t price adverts at a level higher than what we wouldn’t pay ourselves. It’s as simple as that for us and always has been.”
The Harden Branch of the Bendigo Bank are using the Times to
reach their current customer base and also to attract new customers.
The branch has over $100 million dollars worth of funds under management.
Matthew said, “Our motto is ‘In For The Long Haul’ and our mascot is a Clydesdale. We chose this because it speaks of a time when Newspapers were huge like the Clydesdale horses, a bygone era for some but a feeling of working hard and getting the job done, being out in front. The thing is we can offer what bigger newspapers can, we are at the forefront of technology as they are, but we also make sure we print a paper edition each week and have done so for the last 4 years and 5 months and will continue to do that.
The Cootamundra Herald had the following statement on their website. “On Wednesday we will be asking you to subscribe to read content on the Cootamundra Herald. Come back then to see our new look website and to sign up for your 30-day free trial.”
The TTT Free Online.
