Leader Community Newspapers Explained

The Leader Community Newspaper group publishes 20 digital titles covering metropolitan Melbourne.

The group was downsized in 2016 and in 2020. Prior to this, it published 33 weekly print titles which were delivered to over 1.4 million homes.^[1] In early 2016, it had 569,000 digital unique audience each month.^[1]

History

In the early 1850s George Mott arrived in the Colony of Victoria and began work as a journalist with the Melbourne Argus.

In 1854 he started publishing newspapers in the Victorian goldfields near Beechworth and Chiltern. George Mott's two sons commenced publishing newspapers in Albury and one brother's branch of the family until recently (2005) published The Border Mail in that town.

The other brother, Decimus Mott, left the Murray area in 1924 and, with his sons, took over the established Northcote and Preston Leader (first published in 1888). From this paper, the Leader Community Newspaper group grew into its present stable of 33 separate mastheads.

In 1986 the group was sold to The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd. With the acquisition of The Herald and Weekly Times by News Corporation later that same year, the Leader Newspaper group became a part of News Limited Community Newspapers with a total of 95 publications throughout Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Tasmania.

In 2016, the group ceased producing seven newspapers.^[2] In April 2020, News Corporation announced that it would only be producing digital editions of newspapers, which required a subscription, from 6 April with printing suspended due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.^{[3] [4]} In May 2020, News Corporation announced that it would cease producing seven newspapers even in digital editions from 29 June.^{[5] [6]}

Publications

Inner East

• Progress Leader (ceased publication June 2020)^{[5] [7]}
• Stonnington Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}

Inner South

• Bayside Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Caulfield Glen Eira/Port Phillip Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Mordialloc Chelsea Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Moorabbin Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}

East

• Heidelberg Leader (ceased publication June 2020)^{[5] [7]}
• Manningham Leader (ceased publication June 2020)^{[5] [7]}
• Monash Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Whitehorse Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}

North

• Diamond Valley Leader (ceased publication June 2020)^{[5] [7]}
• Melbourne Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Northcote Leader (ceased publication June 2020)^{[5] [7]}
• Preston Leader (ceased publication June 2020)^{[5] [7]}
• Whittlesea Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}

North West

• Northern Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Moonee Valley Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]} (formerly the Essendon Gazette^[8])
• Moreland Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Sunbury/Macedon Ranges Leader (ceased publication June 2020)^{[5] [7]}

Outer East

• Free Press Leader (last edition 29 June 2016)^[2]
• Knox Leader (Digital only April 2020)^[3]
• Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Maroondah Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}

South East

• Berwick Leader (last edition 28 June 2016)^[2]
• Cranbourne Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Greater Dandenong Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Frankston Standard Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}
• Mornington Peninsula Leader (Digital only April 2020)^{[3] [7]}

West

• Brimbank Leader (last edition 28 June 2016)^[2]
• Hobsons Bay Leader (last edition 28 June 2016)^[2]
• Maribyrnong Leader (Digital only April 2020)^[3]
• Melton Leader (last edition 28 June 2016)^[2]
• Wyndham Leader (Digital from June 2020)^{[5] [7]} (previously reported last edition 28 June 2016)^[2]

See also

• List of newspapers in Australia

External links

• Leader Community Newspapers website

• Digitised World War I Victorian newspapers from the State Library of Victoria

Notes and References

1. Web site: Leader . News Corporation Australia . https://web.archive.org/web/20160625085449/http://www.newscorpaustralia.com/brand/leader . 25 June 2016.
2. News: Ward . Miranda . News Corp to close seven local Victorian newspapers . 28 January 2021 . Mumbrella . 6 June 2016.
3. News Corp Australia to suspend community print titles . News Corp Australia . 31 March 2020.
4. News: Meade. Amanda. News Corp to suspend print editions of 60 local newspapers as advertising revenue slumps. 2020-04-01. The Guardian. 2020-04-01. en-GB. 0261-3077.
5. News Corp Australia announces portfolio changes . News Corp Australia . 28 January 2021 . 27 May 2020.
6. News: Kelly . Vivienne . News Corp closes over 100 print papers, with 14 titles to disappear completely . 27 January 2021 . Mumbrella. 28 May 2020.
7. News: News Corp cuts: Will your local newspaper be affected? . 28 January 2021 . ABC News . 28 May 2020.
8. Melbourne's Leader re-brands. Australian Newspaper History Group Newsletter . 13 . 6. University of Queensland . July 2001 . 1443-4962 . 12 July 2011.