We successfully acquired the 103-year-old Wairoa Star in September after its closure in May, following a trend of local newspapers shutting down in the current media landscape. The closure of the Wairoa Star had left a significant gap, especially for those not on social media, who struggled to stay informed about local events.
By purchasing the Wairoa Star, Tātau Tātau has helped preserve local journalism, safeguard jobs, and maintain an essential communication platform for the Wairoa community. Since taking over in October, the Wairoa Star has seen growth in its subscriber base, with 1,300 copies being printed weekly and around 150 digital subscriptions. This growth is a testament to the continued value of a local newspaper in a digital age.
We are proud to see the community, both locally and globally, rally behind the Wairoa Star. Members of our community have supported us through an increase in both paper and digital subscriptions, ensuring that the Wairoa Star remains a crucial resource.
The Wairoa Star has also received strong backing from local businesses, organisations, and community groups. Even in tough economic times, they have stepped up with regular advertising, feature participation, advertorials, and more. Local advertising offers businesses the opportunity to reach their core audience—those who may not read regional papers or access news online.
Aayden Clarke, Kaihautū of Tātau Tātau Commercial, highlighted the importance of this acquisition as both a preservation of a 103-year-old community asset and a strategic business decision.
“This is not only about preserving a 103-year-old asset, crucial to informing the community about what’s happening in the district, but also a strategic business decision. For it to survive, we need to continue to have strong advertising and subscriber support,” Aayden said.
The Wairoa Star continues as a weekly printed newspaper, with an edition released every Thursday, alongside a digital version. Despite the challenges faced by the media industry, the Wairoa Star’s ongoing success reflects the strong support and engagement from the community.
In terms of staffing, the Wairoa Star now operates with a small but dedicated team, including a full-time salesperson and a part-time content manager. We are currently recruiting for two journalist roles, with shortlisted candidates soon to be announced. Mayana Daniels, our advertising sales representative, shared her thoughts on being part of the team:
“It has been an awesome journey being part of the new Wairoa Star team. Meeting with local businesses and community members to develop solutions for their marketing and promotional needs has been so rewarding. It’s also a blessing being part of the E Tipu fold—I feel supported in my mahi and happy to be part of a kaupapa-driven, dynamic team.”
Tātau Tātau’s acquisition of the Wairoa Star has proven to be a valuable step in preserving local journalism and ensuring that Wairoa residents have access to the news and information that matters most to them.
For those interested in subscribing, please email subscriptions@wairoastar.co.nz for paper subscriptions or click here for digital subscriptions.
