AddThis SmartLayers

Journalists bid farewell to print in weekly’s final edition

The last print edition of a 139-year-old weekly newspaper has rolled off the presses as the title prepare to go online-only.

The final South Yorkshire Times, which covers the Mexborough and Dearne Valley area between Rotherham and Doncaster, hit newsstands yesterday.

As previously reported on HTFP, the Johnston Press-owned paper, first published in 1877, says it “no longer makes sense” to publish a weekly print edition in an “internet and social media age”.

The paper signed off with a hard-hitting front page on the latest plans for the HS2 high speed rail route, which is likely to result in the demolition of a newly-built housing estate on its Mexborough patch.

 

syt-last

In a nostalgia piece for the last issue, reporter Darren Burke recalled the newspaper’s history, which included a peak circulation in excess of 50,000.

Sports writer Liam Hoden also penned his own farewell to the printed Times, where he began his career more than nine years ago.

Liam told readers he “could hardly have wished for a better grounding” in journalism.

He wrote: “The Dearne Valley and its surroundings were the perfect place to learn the ins and outs of the job, on both news and sport.

“Whether for the front end of the paper or the back, there is always plenty going on for a journalist to get their teeth into. That is certainly the case in terms of sport.

“In my short time on the paper, I have had the privilege of writing about two Olympians, three professional football teams and a seemingly never-ending conveyor belt of successful professional boxers to dominate the heavyweight division.”

5 comments

You can follow all replies to this entry through the comments feed.
  • December 16, 2016 at 11:02 am
    Permalink

    “… it “no longer makes sense” to publish a weekly print edition in an “internet and social media age”.

    Hard to swallow but it’s true, too many weak papers are plodding along leaking money eeek after eeek incurring costs the ad revenues and copy sales cannot justify, sobwhere does this leave their other newspaper titles and will other publishers follow suit now someone has been bold enough to state the obvious and take action?

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(2)
  • December 16, 2016 at 1:02 pm
    Permalink

    I’d expect to see many more similar stories on HTFP in 2017, and not just free and weekly papers. Some of the smallest ex-evening-now-overnight-dailies must be tottering on the brink with such tiny circulations.

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(3)
  • December 17, 2016 at 8:02 pm
    Permalink

    A “hard hitting” final front page about HS2? Perhaps, had the same story without hardly any variation not been on page one every other week.
    Comments about it no longer making sense to publish a print edition would hold more water if any paper group had proved it was possible to make real money from local news publishing online.
    The SYT has not been a big seller in recent years but shutting its Mexborough – home town – office and shipping out to Doncaster can hardly have convinced its readers of its commitment to the patch.

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(1)
  • December 19, 2016 at 4:26 pm
    Permalink

    @grammar police
    i guess the point about closing unprofitable papers makes sense in terms of cost savings;costs incurred in printing,distributing and publishing the thing as opposed to onlione where costs are minimal.
    The issue with regards to making money from publishing news online is another point altogether and yes,i agree,to date no ones is making any sustainable revenue from digital sites and doesn`t look likely to do so either,no matter how they dress it up. if its all about making cuts and saving costs then the only way is to close unproftable papers,something i feel sure we will see much much more of in 2017

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(1)