The country’s most read premium business masthead, The Australian Financial Review, will be a digital-only news title in Western Australia after the costs of printing are set to double.

The proposed 100 per cent increase in the printing price will bring to an end seven decades of the Financial Review distributing a printed newspaper in that state. 

Focusing instead on enhancing the digital offering for WA readers and subscribers on afr.com, this will include an upgrade to the ‘today’s newspaper’ which is digital version of the physical paper. Distribution of the premium magazines produced by the Financial Review will continue.

“This decision is specific to Western Australia and has no impact on our papers and magazines in the rest of the country,” said Tory Maguire, Managing Director of Nine, Publishing.  

“We work very constructively with the printers of our newspapers and magazines to ensure the long-term sustainability of our print products, which continue to be profitable. Fortunately the Financial Review is an incredibly successful digital publication, which has allowed us to make this decision in the best interests of our business.”  

With no alternative printing operations in WA, Nine will ensure print subscribers who wish to continue receiving hard copies of the award-winning monthly magazine, The Australian Financial Review Magazine and quarterly Fin! Magazine, will continue to do so. The glossy magazines will also be sold separately in news agencies. 

With a cross platform readership of 3.5 million people nationally, The Australian Financial Review has led coverage of the rise of Western Australia’s mining and energy sectors since its inception in 1951. The masthead will continue to focus on the state and its contribution to Australia’s prosperity.  

“Our WA coverage was recognised most recently with our journalists winning the business award at this year’s Quill Awards for Journalistic Excellence,” said Editor in chief Michael Stutchbury. “The Financial Review digital readership is disproportionally the biggest of any newspaper brand in Australia and we are confident we can serve all West Australians interested in our award-winning journalism.”

The last Western Australian print edition of The Australian Financial Review will be on May 22 and will also be the day of the Financial Review Mining Summit being held in Perth.  

For further information, please contact:
Adrian Motte
Senior Communications Manager – Trade & Publishing
amotte@nine.com.au

Thursday, May 9, 2024