Misleading Media Narratives and the Reality of Newsagency Success

The recent ABC Gippsland coverage regarding the closure of the Sale Authorised Newsagency illustrates a persistent issue in modern journalism. When a long-standing business closes its doors, the media often defaults to a eulogy for the industry. However, by focusing almost exclusively on closures, editorial teams ignore the substantial growth occurring elsewhere in the newsagency channel.

But before I get into the broader topic here, the ABC Gippsland story refers to Sale Authorised Newsagency. Australian newsagents lost their Authorisation in 1999/2000. That the business still used the name is a tell, that they were living in the past. The Jethro Trull Living In The Past song comes to mind.

Let us close our eyes
Outside their lives go on much faster
Oh, we won’t give in
We’ll keep living in the past

The story of the Sale closure is framed as the “end of an era,” yet the owner, Terry Stewart, was clear: he is retiring after 38 years, not fleeing a failing business. Despite this, the reporting leans into the “death of the high street” trope. This reflects a lack of editorial depth. Reporting on a single closure is easy; investigating the successful evolution of the broader industry requires more effort.

A significant tell in the ABC report is Terry’s observation that his stock has not changed much over the years, aside from adding phone accessories. While this worked for his specific circumstances in Sale, it is not representative of the modern channel. In the most successful newsagencies today, those experiencing double-digit growth, up to 80% of the product mix has changed over the last decade.

Forward-thinking newsagents have transitioned away from a reliance on shrinking categories, agent categories. They don’t deliver newspapers and don’t get up at the crack of dawn to open. They have diversified into high-margin giftware, boutique stationery, educational toys, and traffic generating products like mint coins and trading cards. These businesses are thriving, yet they rarely receive the same level of media attention as a shop closing for retirement.

By focusing on the stagnant businesses rather than the innovators, as ABC Gippsland has, the media provides a skewed and inaccurate view of the industry’s health.

Poor reporting often overlooks the immense economic contribution of these businesses. Terry Stewart employed over 1,200 local residents during his tenure. This level of community investment is common across the country, yet it is frequently overshadowed by a focus on digital disruption.

If the media truly wished to report on the state of Australian retail, they would look at the newsagents who are currently breaking sales records through clever diversification and modern retail strategies. Instead, the public is given a narrative of decline that relies on a handful of specific examples of retirement. The newsagency channel is not disappearing; it is evolving. It is time the national broadcaster acknowledged the success stories that define the modern reality of our industry.

I am tired of writing about this.

Successful newsagents are tired of poor reporting like this story from ABC Gippsland.

Our success deserves better coverage.

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Mark Fletcher founded newsagency software company Tower Systems and is the CEO of newsXpress, a marketing group serving innovative newsagents who continuously evolve their businesses to be enjoyable, relevant and successful. You can reach him on mark@newsxpress.com.au or 0418 321 338.