APN News & Media has launched a new monthly regional newspaper, Ripley Today which will provide the latest news for the communities of Ripley Valley and Ecco Ripley in Queensland. The newspaper has come about through a partnership between the Queensland Times and housing development group, Sekisui House. Each month it will provide the latest community development updates, as well as lifestyle, travel and real estate news. APN’s new regional venture is a surprise turnaround for the media giant. In February APN chief executive Ciaran Davis informed investors it was preparing to sell off its Australian Regional Media (ARM) division after the company recorded a $10m loss for the 2015 full year and a 27 percent profit drop in ARM.

New: Regional paper Ripley Today

The decision was made in light of new research which backs news newspapers as the most trusted medium in regional communities. The Think Local – Regional News Media Report, conducted by Research Now, asked 1440 people to rate their local newspaper against other news sources. Newspaper scored far higher than any other medium with 54 per cent of the vote. The Think Local Part 2 report also found print advertising in regional newspapers to be the most effective channel in influencing consumer behaviour. The report compared regional newspapers against other top media channels: television, radio, social media and outdoor. When respondents were asked to rate which media’s advertising was most influential in terms of shopping habits, almost twice as many respondents voted regional newspaper ads (37 per cent), versus TV (20 per cent) and more than double in comparison to radio (13 per cent) and social media (11 percent). Commenting on the launch of Ripley Today, APN’s ARM CEO Neil Monaghan agrees that regional newspapers are a valuable source of information which can connect and enrich communities.

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