OPEN FOR BUSINESS SINCE 1986! LONG LIVE THE PRINTED REALM The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 34 #52 • Wednesday, June 3, 2020 • www.echo.net.au News Corp scraps print Finally – table service! for paid online subs Mandy Nolan ‘I guess there had been talk here and there that papers were dying From June 29, nearly 100 regional and digital subscriptions were the newspapers, owned by US citizen latest, but we absolutely didn’t see and multi-billionaire Rupert Mur- this coming’. doch, will cease print operations. Another employee, who wished News Corp announced they will to also remain anonymous, is a move the (mostly free) titles to single parent. They said, ‘I felt like behind an online paywall. my job was secure. I had a car loan, Locally this includes the Byron a personal loan and I live alone. It News, the Northern Star, the Ballina will impact me heavily. I don’t know Advocate and the Tweed Daily News. if I can get another job, or if I have to Some communities will now be move in with my mum.’ without a local newspaper for the first time in generations. Politicians only winners A longtime journalist for a local from the decision News Corp newspaper, who asked to remain anonymous, said, ‘What hap- Both Tania and her colleagues pens when a local paper disappears? believe that many in the community Whether paid or free, the common will struggle with a digital format. thread is lost – communities lose a ‘The older demographic will point of connection for finding out definitely struggle without a print anything; from the most mundane version. The biggest winners out of of meetings, to major events such as this will be the politicians. If you do Shanyse, India and Ebony say what they love the most about Shelter is the view, the chai, the sun. festivals or sporting results. a story on a politician and expose And today – not having to get their coff ee in a take-away cup. ‘For a lot of these communities, them in print, it tends to hang it’s their paper – they feel as though around a lot more. They worry more Photo & story Eve Jeff ery ‘The main diff iculties have been Mr Love says he is so happy to they own it. It’s okay for them to about what goes in ink on paper’. adjusting as quickly as possible to be opening back up this morning bag it, but to have someone come They said they worry for journal- You can feel the excitement across the regulations – changing from a for 50 seats. in and take it away is a blow’. ism’s future when the focus is just the Northern Rivers – as from restaurant to a takeaway/general ‘We won’t be able to fit the full Tania Philips is another writer on subscriptions. Monday June 1, restaurants and store, back to ten seats and now 50 inside, because of the spacing who has seen the publications she ‘It’s all click-bait. We have been cafes opened their doors and back to 50, has involved a lot of new requirements, but we are lucky we works for axed. told to go for ‘listicals’, which for went back to the closest thing to challenges and fast pace thinking.’ can fit the remainder outside,’ he ‘Big business has been the example, is the ten best local cof- normality. Mr Love also says he is looking said. death of newspapers, and social fees… that’s not really journalism.’ Aft er two months of closure forward to being able to cater ‘We are happy to go back to a media has taken the ball, because The News Corp journo believes and social isolation rules, busi- for more people who are looking full à la carte menu, and be able to they had to – you can’t read those there is a space for a community- nesses can allow up to 50 patrons forward to a dining experience, not service tables again.’ micro-stories anymore – it wasn’t owned, independent paper. ‘I into their premises, as long the just takeaway food. Mr Love says the Lennox appearing – and that’s why people wouldn’t be surprised is there required social distancing rules are community has really shown its are looking to social media not the were a lot of pop ups. But it will be applied. Take-home meals strength in supporting Shelter and other way around’, Tania said. hard to sustain. Metro papers are Director of Shelter in Lennox ‘It’s been a good challenge for us other restaurants. Regional News Corp sales never going to cover the region’. Head, Andrew Love, says he is and has prompted a few new ideas, ‘For that we are grateful – it’s departments are also hit. One of Q There are now only a handful happy and relieved to be able to get like the take-home meals which also the reason we can open our the sales reps for a regional paper, of printed newspapers in regional back in the swing of things aft er a have been selling well. doors again, without it we would who also asked to be anonymous, Australia. The Echo remains one of diff icult period. ‘We will continue to do those.’ have struggled.’ said the axing came out of the blue. them. David Heilpern’s life There’s a march against Is it Armageddon yet? 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Photo Jeff Dawson Paul Bibby Heilpern was immediately in implications, not only for there. The NSW Director of the spotlight. Dubbo but the entire state. Public Prosecutions chal- Becoming a magistrate was ‘My appointment was met ‘What I saw was just a lenged the decision, taking never part of David Heilp- with a lot of negative press, massive reduction in these the matter all the way to the ern’s plan. particularly from the Daily cases coming before the NSW Supreme Court. As an advocate for, and Telegraph [News Corp], the court,’ he says. In a judgment with very defender of, disadvantaged Police Association, and the ‘My daily list suddenly significant and lasting conse- groups, he had always been shock jocks,’ Mr Heilpern says. shrank, because police quences, the Supreme Court happy working outside the ‘Until the day I was sworn stopped charging people upheld Mr Heilpern’s decision. system – writing books and in, I was half convinced the with off ensive language.’ ‘I think it opened the door, articles, teaching students, and government was going to not only in the Aboriginal representing those in need. back out. ¨IJĕ!ëſſ!ëƆĕ community, but elsewhere, Then, at age 35, a meeting ‘But Shaw remained The other, perhaps even to a diff erent kind of polic- with the then NSW attorney steadfast, and the decision more crucial, case also ing,’ Mr Heilpern said. For All Your Legal & Conveyancing Needs general Geoff Shaw – while went through cabinet.’ had to do with off ensive The decision received Technical Expertise. Local Knowledge. negotiating electoral The young magistrate’s language, but was far wider widespread acclaim from Innovative Solutions. Excellent Results. preferences – opened up an first posting was to Dubbo, in scope. those concerned with social unexpected path. where he was immediately The accused, a man justice, but the conservative 16 Byron Street, Bangalow NSW 2479 ‘It came out of the blue confronted by the extraor- known as Carr, was also media had a field day. 02 6687 0660 www.cmjlegal.com.au really,’ Heilpern says of the dinary overrepresentation arrested for telling the police ‘It was the era of a lot of 1997 meeting and subse- of Aboriginal people in the to ‘fuck off ’. judicial criticism from politi- quent invitation to apply for justice system. ‘When they told him he cians because of cases like the position of magistrate. ‘There were times where was under arrest he went Mabo. ‘I’d already seen a lot the entire court list would be spare,’ Mr Heilpern recalls. ‘Obviously my piddling of injustice and I suppose I Aboriginal,’ he says. ‘He threatened them, little decisions were not in thought I’d better try sitting ‘It really was appalling. resisted arrest there was the same category as that, The Byron Shire Echo inside the tent, pissing out ‘I made a couple of deci- some push and shove, and but they fitted the same Volume 34 #52 • June 3, 2020 for a while, rather than piss- sions that again meant that I he ended up being charged cloth for attack. Established 1986 • 21,000 copies every week ing in from the outside.’ was in the firing line person- with the quadrella – resist ‘So I suppose I felt in the www.echo.net.au Twenty-one years later, ally and subject to attack police, intimidate police, first few years, pretty perma- aft er a colourful and impact- from the conservative media.’ assault police, and off ensive nently in the spotlight.