A Bit of History
The Australian suburban newspaper industry began in 1843 with
the Parramatta Chronicle and the Cumberland Times (NSW). The
Williamstown Chronicle was the first Victorian suburban newspaper in 1854,
followed in 1858 by the Brighton Southern Cross and the Footscray Advertiser
in 1859. Prices ranged from a penny to a penny-halfpenny. Free circulation
started in the 1920s but during the 1930s circulation was still a mixture
of "free" and "paid". In 1941 a wartime crisis over
newsprint restrictions led a group of Melbourne publishers to form the Melbourne
publishers to form the Melbourne Suburban Newspapers' Association. Sydney
publishers formed the similar Suburban Newspapers' Association of New South
Wales in 1969. The post-war building boom in Melbourne and Sydney decentralised
many community and commercial developments. New, free suburban newspapers
grew almost as quickly as housing estates. In the 1960s the few remaining
paid circulation newspapers switched to free distribution. In 1968 ASNA
was formed.
ASNA - the Australian Suburban Newspapers' Association has two divisions:
Northern
(New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland) and
Southern (Victoria,
Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia).
The objectives of ASNA are to protect and promote the interests,
rights, privileges and influence of the suburban press, and to promote mutual
help and advice to its members. The aims of ASNA members are to project
a better image of suburban newspapers and to make the newspapers more attractive
to their readers. Each year the Association runs a National seminar as well
as Divisional and National awards for excellence. The Association has a
current membership of 41 newspapers circulating free each week to more than
1,842,000 homes Australia-wide.
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Created for viewing on Netscape1.1 or later. Last updated May 3, 1996