South Australian Country Press newspapers that nominated for best newspaper of the year
in 2024 were all of a very good standard comparing them with local papers across Australia and around the world.

The place getters all had something special to offer in the making of a good newspaper.

It was difficult to separate the top four papers but this year I came back to the Murray Pioneer for first place.

The paper put itself above the rest with its measured regular two page feature of letters, a paper point of view and a local social comment comic. The consistent weekly double page spread of letters measures the connectedness of the paper to the local community. No letters equals little connectedness. It is a grand feature of the Pioneer and a measure of acceptance of the local paper in a local community. Packed with articles not too long of general local news, the Pioneer is printed well with the correct amount of ink lay down on the pages to make the type (text) black and easy to read, also bringing the half tones to life with great contrast. Sports articles are prominent part of this great local paper where the editor and staff team together.

Second place this year went to The Leader from Angaston, a first place getter in previous years. It would be one of the best country newspapers in Australia. It is well received in the wider community it serves, its editorial and comment is fiercely parochial as any local newspaper should be, delivering and defending the views of the local community.
The Leader continues to deliver local news, vibrant advertising content and consistently engaging with its readers and importantly using a type size easy to read.

In third place, The Border Watch is an outstanding model of consistency with its clean presentation of front pages every week. A big picture and a bold front page story headline, plus two smaller headlines leading to pages inside the paper.
Inside pages are carefully laid out flowing consistently throughout the paper, a most professional presentation. It has a magazine feel like no other entrant.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 
Very worthy of an honourable mention is the York Peninsula Country Times voted by young advisors to have consistently the best and most compelling pick up value of all papers, their front pages are stand out material, generally with a magnificent photograph, encouraging the potential purchaser at the news stand to pick up their local paper. A point many papers could take note of.
The Murray Pioneer and the Angaston Leader pictures and print are well edited and printed, giving vibrant life to their papers.
The Border Watch did have some very good, longer stories, and one great obituary with heartfelt lines contained. It is the real readers newspaper, but it may pay to be mindful that today, the local newspaper unfortunately also competes with social media. Where online content readers skim 50 to 150 words and casual readers of material look at around 200 to 500 words, then move away.
I do understand our market of Newspaper readers may wish to read longer pieces but it’s worth commending reporter at the Centralian Today, Charles Geary who cobbled together 17 shorter articles and put his name to them in one edition.
I noted lengthy articles of council reporting that may be considered boring by some, the presentation may be improved by running them as a number of shorter pieces.
The Plains Producer  is to be commended on the amount of short stories it does produce and its strong position reporting sport in the community.
There were a couple of papers that had speeches reported without names included, that style needs to be addressed to add names to the article. Without names the articles appeared a little lifeless .
Some papers, pictures  or halftones lacked contrast and delivered a flat look while other papers l felt need to increase the type size of copy text. Don’t make your good articles hard to read.
Two papers were submitted with images out of register and ink marking on the printing plate gap transferring to the paper gave them a very poor printing mark.
I did note the Eyre Peninsula  Advocate represented the community against Australian  giant Australia Post demonstrating the great role a local community newspaper can play giving a voice and strength to their communities.
In summary, the papers submitted have quality local reporting, photography and advertising presentation that has improved and continues to improve.
We are the most trusted, reliable and responsible news service in the world today and we should be proud of that.

Finally l would like to thank the editors for their notes when they submitted their papers.

Bob Yeates