Stop Press

the last days of newspapers

There is a story that no one in the media seems willing to tell, one in which journalists have a vested interest: the death of newspapers. Traditionally known to break the biggest headlines, to chase the rumours to their source, and to undertake the most in-depth reporting, newspapers are now grappling with the most formidable challenges since the advent of print.

Reporter Rachel Buchanan started work at The Age in 1993, as a subeditor. In 2012, after a decade out of the newsroom, she returned to subediting, but in a markedly different environment: along with a host of other jobs in newspaper production, the role had been outsourced. The title of subeditor no longer exists at the paper.

In this insightful, passionate book, Buchanan chronicles her experiences, providing a unique insider’s perspective on the rise and slow decline of the printed newspaper. She exposes the brutal cost-cutting measures of companies intent on squeezing every drop of profit from print before they turn to digital, and examines the consequences for those affected — for it is not only the journalists and editors who are losing their jobs, but also printers, paper-makers, and distributors whose livelihood is disappearing.

Investigating one of the most fundamental transitions in the Australian media today, Stop Press is a brilliant account from a journalist at the front lines of history.