APN axes The Aucklander
New Zealand Herald insert killed off in a Tweet.
UPDATE: APN is closing The Aucklander, the community paper absorbed into The New Zealand Herald – as reported last week by NBR ONLINE.
The paper's demise was announced, ingloriously, on its official Twitter account, which said this afternoon: "APN has announced it is closing The Aucklander. We look back over the past 9 years."
The Herald turns tabloid next week, in an attempt to revive the paper's flagging fortunes.
APN News & Media's New Zealand chief executive Martin Simons is understood to be in Brisbane and was not immediately available for comment.
August 31:
New Zealand Herald insert The Aucklander is expected to be axed next week.
The 60,000-circulation freebie, included in Thursday's Herald, is being reviewed as part of the country's biggest newspaper's move to go tabloid on September 10.
APN News & Media's New Zealand chief executive, Martin Simons, told NBR ONLINE the paper might be closed and a final decision is imminent.
The paper, which started in 2003 and was absorbed by the Herald in about 2009, has an editor, Denise Montgomery, four reporters and a small number of sales staff, Mr Simons says.
He says The Aucklander is a small product being reconsidered as part of a review of sections in the Herald before the format change and no final decision has been made.
Staff are expected to be told their fate by next Friday.
APN's share price has dropped on news its Australian-based CFO has resigned.
David Williams
Fri, 31 Aug 2012
Fri, 31 Aug 2012
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
APN axes The Aucklander
23468