New Zealand Press Association
NZPA closes, three new wires fill gap
Wednesday 31 August 2011
The New Zealand Press Association ceased operations following the withdrawal of its two competing major shareholders, Australian-owned newspaper publishers Fairfax Media and APN. Their move hastened a decline as the agency struggled with reorganisations in media ownership and technological changes affecting news media worldwide.
Three new wires are filling the void – APN News & Media’s APNZ, its main rival Fairfax New Zealand’s FNZN, and a new Australian Associated Press service, NZN.
Founded in 1880 as the United Press Association, the cooperative adopted the name NZPA in 1942. Together with the AAP, in 1947 it became a minority owner of Reuters alongside Britain’s Press Association and Newspaper Proprietors’ Association. As part of the deal, some Australian and New Zealand journalists became Reuters correspondents, especially in the Pacific area. NZPA correspondents in London worked out of Reuters’ headquarters, then at 85 Fleet Street.
At its birth the New Zealand wire had 26 subscribing newspapers, rising to a peak of 74 by the end of World War I. But in recent years its client base had fallen back to 26.
The NZPA’s final story, signed off by all of its journalists, read:
Wellington, Aug 31 NZPA - This is the final message from the New Zealand Press Association.
Since 1880 there have been hundreds of thousands of stories and hundreds of millions of words recording our country's development and daily doings.
We now sign off.
It has been a pleasure and a privilege.
ENDS
● SOURCE Stuff | TVNZ | BBC
NZPA set to close by year-end
Thursday 07 April 2011
The New Zealand Press Association, which is owned by the country's daily newspaper publishers, said the future of its news wire was being reviewed after Fairfax Media, one of its major shareholders, gave notice of its withdrawal from the co-operative. NZPA chairman Michael Muir said the other major shareholder, APN, would be reviewing its own newspaper and online news services. A final decision on the future of NZPA would be made at the end of the month after staff feedback had been considered. It would be operating as usual in the meantime.
Fairfax Media group executive editor Paul Thompson said the NZPA service was no longer as valuable as it once was.
Fairfax’s New Zealand chief executive Allen Williams said the company had been investing heavily in the development of unique content. “News should not be treated as a commodity – media companies can and should establish points of difference with their coverage. Fairfax has made a choice to concentrate on development of its own unique content rather than subscribing for non-exclusive content from NZPA.”
NZPA was founded in 1878 as the United Press Association. It adopted its present name in 1942. The New Zealand agency and the Australian Associated Press became junior partners in the ownership of Reuters alongside Britain’s Press Association and Newspaper Proprietors’ Association in 1947. NZPA bought 2,500 shares for £11,250, a useful cash injection to Reuters at that time. As part of the deal, Reuters accepted approved Australian and New Zealand journalists as joint correspondents, especially in the Pacific area.
● SOURCE Stuff | 3News
