North East Media (NEM), the publisher of the Wangaratta Chronicle, has reached agreement with the Mott family to purchase The Alexandra Standard and The Yea Chronicle mastheads. NEM publisher Hartley Higgins said he was pleased with the agreement as the mastheads come with strong historic connections and award-winning coverage of their towns and regional communities. NEM has published country newspapers as a family business for over 100 years and have an acute appreciation of how important a local newspaper is for its community. "We believe local newspapers should actively reflect the communities they serve and consistently promote the local economy and jobs," he said. CEO Edward Higgins said he felt that reader value can be added to local newspapers along with digital media services. "These mastheads fit well with our regional newspapers at Mansfield and Euroa, and will be supported by our Wangaratta based print and publishing technologies," he said. "Local newspapers' future lie in their ability to reflect and promote the community they serve, especially in regional Australia where local reporting and trust are essential for community accountability." Originally launched in 1868 as The Alexandra Times, The Alexandra Standard also covers Yarck, Taggerty, Thornton, Buston, Eildon, and Marysville. The Yea Chronicle, which dates to 1890, originally started as Yea Telegraph. It covers the western side of Murrindindi Shire, including Yea, Strath Creek, Glenburn, Flowerdale, Kinglake and Highlands. The purchase follows NEM’s acquisition of newspapers in the NSW Monaro, Riverina, and Central West regions in recent years.
