Bendigo’s free local newspaper Bendigo Weekly is merging with the Australian Community Media’s (ACM) paid daily title, Bendigo Advertiser.
The deal comes just months after former Domain boss Antony Catalano and Thorney Investment Group took control of the community papers, formerly owned by Nine.
As part of the deal, ACM now has access to Bendigo Weekly’s real estate product.
Catalano says the combined paper offers a more sustainable business model.
“We’ve acted quickly and decisively because we know that Bendigo’s two most trusted sources of local news and advertising will be much stronger together,” Catalano says.
“We’re proud to be taking a positive approach to the challenges in regional media, and we’ll continue to lead the way with innovative solutions like this.”
Bendigo Weekly’s real estate liftout will be combined with the Advertiser’s Domain weekend homes guide, provided as an insert on Fridays and Saturdays.
The bulked-up Domain liftout will be available for free online and print copies of the gloss guide will be available at select points around the town.
The new print products will roll out next month, with Bendigo Weekly set to retain a dedicated liftout in the Bendigo Advertiser’s Saturday edition.
The Bendigo Advertiser introduced digital subscriptions last September.
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