The Port Stephens Examiner is in imminent danger of closing.
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Without support from government, business and the community, it will stop publishing in a matter of weeks.
The Port Stephens Examiner has served this community since 1893.
It has informed and connected many generations, celebrating our highs and supporting us through our lows.
Now, like many local newspapers around Australia, thanks to a massive increase in printing costs, it is battling to survive.
It is a fight we are losing.
Such a loss should be of deep concern to all who live here.
"Like many of you reading the paper today, the Port Stephens Examiner has been a part of my life since childhood - I remember it being delivered to our driveway every week, updating us on local news, events, sport and of course, politics," Port Stephens Council Mayor Ryan Palmer said.
"The Port Stephens Examiner has kept our community informed. It celebrates our success, shares our grief and tells our stories of everyday life - stories unique to our people and our place.
"The Examiner is as much a part of Port Stephens as we are.
"It's vital in this day and age we retain our local news not only to keep our community up-to-date but most importantly, provide a place to share our stories.
"Without this, we risk losing our identity, our connections and the values that make us love this incredible place so much."
Publisher ACM wants the Port Stephens Examiner to stay.
"We do not want to stop publishing the Port Stephens Examiner but without immediate meaningful support from government, local business and the community, we will likely have no choice," ACM Managing Director Tony Kendall said.
We need your help.
For governments at all levels, meaningful support means committing to advertising with us on a regular basis.
"Diverting a modest portion of an otherwise huge government advertising budget is an elegant way of helping newspapers overcome their challenges and stay in business," Mr Kendall said.
For local business, the Port Stephens Examiner remains the most effective way to promote goods and services to local customers.
By supporting us, local business supports its community, its customers and itself.
Readers can help by purchasing an online subscription, by supporting local businesses that support us, and by lobbying governments to play their part in maintaining this essential service.
Perhaps State member for Port Stephens Kate Washington says it best:
"Local newspapers are critical to keeping communities connected.
"For many years, the Port Stephens Examiner has been telling our stories, keeping us informed and making our community stronger.
"If we lose it, we'll never get it back so I'm urging every resident and every business to back the Port Stephens Examiner, because it's been backing us for years."
The Port Stephens Examiner's Editor, Anna Wolf, has penned an opinion piece on what readers can do to help save the masthead. You can read more about her call to action, and what you can do to help, HERE.
