The Oamaru Mail has proudly served the people of the Waitaki region since 1876, reporting the news, debating the issues and celebrating the successes of a fiercely proud and vibrant community. And that is not going to change.
Allied Press understands the importance of community news and will relaunch the Mail on Friday, September 11, as a must read community newspaper, delivered free to every home in the district. The masthead will live on, but the focus will be different.
It will be all about you and your community. So watch this space. We have exciting plans for our coverage and engagement with readers.
Special subscription deals will be available so readers in the Waitaki district can get the best of both worlds - the depth of local, national and international news and features in the Otago Daily Times and the concentrated coverage of people and events in the new look Oamaru Mail.
Allied Press will appoint a North Otago editor in Oamaru to oversee the Mail and the expanded coverage of the district in the Otago Daily Times.
The managing director of Allied Press, Sir Julian Smith, yesterday acknowledged the dedicated staff at the Mail but said the model of publishing two daily newspapers in a relatively small market was not sustainable.
''We purchased the Oamaru Mail in 2014 to a large extent to save the masthead, and it's a great credit to editor Chris Tobin and his team that they have continued to produce a quality product.
''Unfortunately, the commercial realities of producing two daily newspapers for the Waitaki has forced our hand. However, we believe this new model presents exciting opportunities for readers and advertisers.''
