Earlier this week I was due to talk at a BeBendigo function, which unfortunately had to be cancelled at the last moment. The importance of local media was the topic of choice on this occasion.

For me, local media always was and always will be a conduit - a way for information to be shared among the community that the local media outlet serves.

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Can any of us imagine a world without our local media?

If you have an event to push, results to share, a story to tell, an advertisement to place... there is no substitute for local media.

Local media comes with a common denominator comprised of ethics, integrity, accountability, fairness, truth and the facts.

We're not Facebook, but we are on Facebook.

We're not Google, but we are on the Google News Showcase platform.

All the while, I am constantly reminded, there's never been so many people reading the Addy - in whatever format on whatever platform, than there are today.

For local media, our challenge isn't about quantity as much as it is about the value proposition, and considering our industry gave away virtually all our online content for the first 10-15 years of the digital era, it's been a constant struggle ever since to convince others of the need to pay when the idea of doing so wasn't even our own first reaction.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

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30 years ago, news was all about the negatives - our industry's way of enforcing the news upon readers.

The internet has changed that, and now, apart from covid, some of our most read stories of the past couple of years are the ones about people, about pubs and unique properties for sale, about bring your dog to work day, about police officers working alongside their son for a day, about the Hargreaves Mall, about our social history, or profiles about people we don't know but who trust us to tell their stories.

I think it's fair to say, the media industry has learned a lot about itself in the past decade or so, and as a result, it's far better engaged with the community. That's a huge bonus for all of us - and for news consumers.

Our news products today resemble and reflect a community, a meeting place of ideas, opinions and information, and not just what we mandate to be 'the news of the day'.

Local media is about contributing to positive change in the local community, to being the vessel of truth about what goes on in that community, and being the source people trust and want to go to.

Who else can do that? Who else can you trust?

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Your local media outlet doesn't do algorithms. It doesn't look to keep changing said algorithm. It just does the news. With some very important advertising around it.

And local media providers know they must stay true to the community to preserve the levels of trust we've been bestowed. You can't buy that - you have to earn it. And you can do enormous damage to it in an instant.

Our news has to be relevant, not just entertaining.

Entertainment is everywhere on the internet, but local news is unique - that's our niche, and it's what we fight for every single day.

We make no apologies for being so strong in our editorial messaging at the Addy about vaccinations.

Without the jab, or jabs, none of us would be back in the office today.

Or at the cafe, restaurant, pub, shopping centre or sporting field for that matter.

COVID-19 is the story of our lifetimes, make no mistake. Our world has changed - forever, as a result of COVID-19.

It's a privilege to work in local media, and whilst there's less of us doing so these days, none of us have ever lost sight of how lucky we really are.

That privilege comes with responsibilities.

The chance to earn someone's trust, to tell their story, to be the eyes and ears of the community, to serve the community - those opportunities have never been more real.

I am privileged to lead a team of smart, passionate, enthusiastic and agile professionals who I am simply in awe of. Every day.

During COVID we went from having one newsroom with about 19 journos in it, to about 19 newsrooms with one journo in each.

If the events of the past 20 months have taught me anything, it's that our people deserve to be acknowledged, thanked and rewarded.

A simple, heartfelt gesture costs you nothing, but can mean so much.

If you do one thing after reading this far - it should be to thank all your staff when you next get a chance, for what they do.

Trust me, you'll feel better for it.

In a time of so much uncertainty, giving your staff a strong foundation of belief in themselves is a pretty solid investment every business should make.

Finally, I wish all our readers, advertisers and supporters a very safe, happy and festive holiday season.

I thank you for your support of the Bendigo Advertiser, and of Bendigo, especially during these past 20 months or so.

That support has never mattered more.

I hope you get to spend time this Christmas with the people you love and who you have missed during these past 20 months.

Merry Christmas.

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