Editorial: Price rise comes with commitment to maintain delivery of quality local news

For almost 120 years, the Geraldton Guardian has been the Mid West’s trusted source of quality, informative, entertaining and thought-provoking news. Fast forward to today and it’s a reputation we are proud of, but one we are constantly working to maintain and build upon. We always want to give our readers value for money. But the reality is, it costs money to produce this product and like in many other industries, costs are rising. In its early years at the turn of the 20th century, the Guardian cost twopence per edition. Decades later, and the media — in particular the newspaper game — is facing its most challenging period in history. There’s the avalanche of digital news and plethora of online platforms to compete against, the COVID pandemic has thrown up many obstacles and more recently the war in Ukraine is putting pressure on the global paper export market. Some newspapers simply haven’t made it. But at the Guardian we are in it for the long haul, with a commitment to continue delivering breaking news and the stories that matter most to you. We provide a level of detail and local information you won’t find on any other platform, and we have done so without increasing our price for around a decade. However, the time has come to introduce a price rise. From today, the price of the Guardian will increase from $1.40 to $1.90. It’s not a decision we have made lightly and to put it into context, it’s important to remember there are not many other products that provide as much value as the Guardian for less than $2. It’s less than half a takeaway cup of coffee or a bottle of Coke. An extra 50c per edition is we believe a modest rise necessary in the current climate. We have recently introduced new segments into our paper, including the lifestyle section the Gero Go-Round in every Friday, and have plans to roll out enhanced coverage and new additions in the near future. My team at the Guardian remain dedicated to serving the community and delivering the best product we can, telling your stories and informing you about issues close to home. We are grateful for your support throughout the years while we shine a light on the issues of the day and look forward to your ongoing backing. Your success is our success and vice versa. As your local newspaper we are a reflection of the community and we all benefit from working towards the same goal — contributing towards a bright future for Geraldton and the Mid West that we can all share in. Kate Campbell is the editor of the Geraldton Guardian