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It’s been quite a while since Hawera had its own news. As early as late last year, the idea was looked at for a community paper or magazine that could service the advertising needs locally, while at the same time, providing news and views for locals.
It’s well documented that community newspapers are the conscience and soul of the communities they serve. People love to read about what they - or those they know - are doing, or have achieved, and what is going on in their own patch.
With all this in mind, Hawera locals Heather and Ken Carston, and well-known local identity Ella Borrows, have teamed up and come up with a strategy to bring back something they believe is much needed.
"What we intend to do is put in place a weekly community magazine, starting with an eight-page publication,” says Heather.
“It will initially be delivered to as many cafes (we have such a great coffee culture in South Taranaki), service stations, supermarkets, motels and wherever else we can get them into in the South Taranaki region.”
"If advertisers are willing to support us, we will look to roll out a tabloid community newspaper in a year.”
Heather is no stranger to media, having spent much of the past 40 years in the industry, doing everything from producing TV programmes – Garden Pantry ,and Adventure Aaron’s New Zealand adventures being just two – to spending time as a breakfast host on Auckland and Tauranga radio stations.
But most of all, much of her career has been as a journalist and later editor of a wide range of print publications from dailies, and magazines through to her biggest love, community newspapers.
"I still write for other papers in other regions, so I am aware of how tight things are for many businesses throughout the country.
"But it’s important that our businesses have a local voice to represent them too, and remind people who they are, what they do and why looking after the local economy is so vital to the health of the community we all live in,” she says.
The plan is not just for a magazine.
“We will also be looking to provide content on our online presences, which allows people who also want to advertise in both; digital media is important and not everyone will get a copy of the paper – so this is the best way forward.”
Ella Borrows is well known in South Taranaki, having worked and volunteered here for many years. “I was born in Takaka, grew up in the Nelson region, until I married my late husband Chester, and his work led us to settle here in South Taranaki,” she says.
“It’s been almost 40 years since we arrived in Patea, thinking we’d only stay for a couple of years but as so many of us know, the maunga weaves his spell and the landscape and people embrace you, so that now I am proud to call this beautiful region home.
”Ella has been involved in the community since her now adult children were in kindergarten, working and volunteering with the people she now calls family.
“My love has always been community, the feeling of being connected and working with each other to accomplish goals.
“I am delighted to join with Heather and Ken to provide a South Taranaki-centric news space to celebrate the stories of our people, our places, and to help keep you informed.”
The first issue of the Southern Star will be out in time for Father’s Day.
“We will be publishing every Thursday,” Heather says. The full digital version will be available as a flipbook with links from the website and Facebook, and links to advertisers' own websites.
