Use it or lose it …… our local newspaper …. and why it’s important

Now everywhere should have its own community newspaper, and Chorlton and Didsbury have had their fair share.

Chorlton Post, 2022

Thinking back I can remember the South Manchester Reporter, The Chorlton and Wilbrahamton News, along with The Chorlton Journal, the Stretford and Chorlton Journal, and my own favourite the alternative paper Chorlton Green.

And before I was here there was the Chorlton and Wilbramton News, in the 1930s and the South Manchester Gazette in the 1880s.

Added to these for over a decade we had Community Index which morphed in to Open Up, and I had high hopes that the company that purchased it would retain its format.

It didn’t but with in a few months we had Chorlton Post, Didsbury Post and several other “Posts” which served the local communities of pretty much all of south Manchester and into the city centre.

They remain a mixture of excellent reporting with community news and I am a fan.

So today I have chosen to reproduce this open email from the editorial team.

“Many of you will be aware that in the current economic climate where many businesses are struggling, we have been finding it more and more difficult to bring in the advertising revenue needed to sustain Post community newspapers in print.

Didsbury Post, 2023

Our only sources of income to sustain print and cover core running costs are business advertising and public donations, and we are very grateful and would like to thank those who have donated and the businesses who do advertise, as this all helps greatly. However, we are facing a tricky situation as what comes in each month does not cover what needs to go out and we now have no reserves. 

As a Community Interest Company, our sole purpose is to support the community, and while it is so important that our community papers are in print to ensure they are accessible to all, the only way for us to reduce costs but retain the newspapers and support for each area is to cease printing some of our Post community newspapers and move them online. 

This does not mean the newspapers will stop but that they will no longer be in print.

Chorlton Post, 2023

Heatons Post and Didsbury Post will remain in print for as long as we are able to do so, but this will be reviewed on a month-by-month basis. 

We are therefore asking all the groups we support and our content contributors to subscribe to receive the relevant Post community newspaper directly into your inbox each month, and would like to ask if you could possibly share this with your own contacts/organisation members/mailing list to ensure everyone can still have access to their community newspaper, and ensure positive hyperlocal news and information reaches as many people as possible within our communities.

Registration is free and takes just 2 minutes to complete a short form: https://forms.gle/1ZC8R3UbCkax51st5

Chorlton Green, 1984 ...one we have lost

The hope is that we can attract sufficient advertising to cover costs while online and build up some reserve to help then get these online papers back into print. 

We are very sorry to all those affected by this, as we know how important having a printed newspaper is for your organisation and the work you do in the community. 

But we very much hope this is a temporary solution and that we can continue to support the community and local organisations by helping your news and information continue to reach residents”.

Chorlton and Wilbramton News, 1937 ..... ..another we have lost

So use them by signing up.

And that is it.