Extract from ABC News
By Rebekah Lowe
David Letts is handing over ownership of The Buloke Times to Candece Jay. (Supplied: Candece Jay)
In short:
A 150-year-old newspaper has a new owner.
The current editor, 95-year-old Robin Letts, will continue in the role.
What's next?
The Buloke Times will go from two editions a week to one.
One of Victoria's oldest newspapers, with an editor who is still working at the age of 95, has changed hands for the first time in 150 years.
The Buloke Times at Donald in north-west Victoria was started by the Letts family in 1875 and has just been purchased by an employee, Candece Jay.
Ms Jay joined the paper 10 years ago in advertising, and last month took ownership when it needed a lifeline.
"I didn't want the paper to close, I really didn't," she said.
"The Buloke Times has such a long, rich history and is such an important part of the community it was really important to keep it going," Ms Jay said.
"It's not just a business, it's part of the community's identity."
The distinctive masthead of The Buloke Times is well known across north-west Victoria. (Supplied)
The paper will be published once a week, down from two.
It sells about 1,000 copies of each edition, in a town with a population of just 1500.
'Embedded in the community'
A string of rural and regional newspapers have closed in the past few years, while many others are under threat.
Ms Jay said a local newspaper was the voice of smaller communities and she did not want Donald to lose that.
"It's embedded in the community," she said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Buloke Times joined the digital world and although the hard copy was still a priority, Ms Jay said she would be looking at opportunities to expand the outlet's online presence.
Buloke Shire Mayor Graeme Milne congratulated the new owner.
"It's fantastic to see the paper remain in local hands here in Donald, continuing its proud tradition of delivering quality local news," Cr Milne said.
"Local newspapers are the heartbeat of our communities. They keep us informed, connected and give a voice to the people.
"Your commitment ensures that important stories, events and perspectives will continue to be shared for generations to come."
Robin Letts's newspaper career began in 1947 when he was 17 years old. (ABC Landline: Tim Lee)
150 years of news
Earlier this year the Buloke Times celebrated 150 years since its first publication by founder Godfrey Morgan.
From then, it was owned by the Letts family, with David Letts its outgoing director, and his father Robin Letts remaining as editor for a record-breaking 77 years.
David Letts uses a feed-in press to print 1000 copies of each edition of The Buloke Times. (Supplied)
"We were a little bit worried about who would buy it because we didn't want to see it change too much," Ms Jay said.
"It was important to us all that it remained what people knew and loved.
"So I decided I might give it a go. It took me a few months to fully decide, but I'm truly on board now, and I reckon we've got this," she said.
The Buloke Times newspaper has been operating out of the McCulloch Street building since 1971. (Supplied)
Paper boy to printer
David Letts started as an apprentice at the paper in 1980.
As a boy, he delivered newspapers by hand, before eventually becoming a director.
"A lot of newspapers tend to get them printed on a web press somewhere, but we were a bit keen to still keep it in-house and have it done on a sheet-fed machine," Mr Letts said.
"It gets printed and then delivered on the same day. Really, we just hop into a car and head up and deliver them."
Mr Letts said there was still demand for the local paper.
"I think people … want to see their name in print and they want to keep up with events of what's happening around the place locally and also internationally," he said.
Although David and Robin will no longer own the paper, they will both continue to work there.
"David is stepping back a little, but Robin will always have the editor's role as long as he wants it," Ms Jay said.
"It's his chair. He made that chair what it is today, and it will always be his,"she said.
The newspaper has had a very low staff turnover, with many staff members being there for decades.
Shane O'Shea worked at the newspaper for more than 50 years before he retired two years ago.
"The atmosphere within the newspaper itself and also the community that they're serving was just so enjoyable to be recording the news and the achievements of our local residents as they happen," Mr O'Shea said.
"It's a chronical of what's happening within it, a record of history, as it happens. Any town without a newspaper, it just lacks that something special."
The first edition under the new owner is scheduled to go to print on January 22.
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