THIS year “CityNews” celebrates its 30th anniversary of providing news, views and information to Canberra. 

Started tentatively as a tabloid-sized, weekly paper printed on newsprint in 1993, it suffered initial setbacks in the health of its original owner, before being acquired and renamed the following year as “CityNews”.

Over the years the paper rode the economic highs and lows of Canberra, necessarily changing its publishing cycle to meet the times and at one point appearing only monthly. 

But it prevailed and the decision to change the format to a glossy paper in the early 2000s anchored the emerging magazine to a weekly presence. 

The early editions on file at the “CityNews” office in Mitchell reveal a busy paper with issues of small business prevalent in its editorial columns matched by support through advertising. Many of the advertisers in those early days are still with us today. Clearly it’s been a good marketing partnership. 

There was a steady mix of advertising features from local shopping centres and a gutsy editorial voice that exposed the collapsing circulation of the “Canberra Times”, thundered that Chief Minister Kate Carnell had to go and featured a mysterious, un-bylined column of political mischief called “The Whip”. 

The paper moved forward with technology and, after a change in ownership to Macquarie Publishing, in the mid-2000s settled into a consistent typography and editorial style, with a strong creative emphasis on producing interesting and inspiring covers. Columns were introduced, the arts coverage boosted and the daily, breaking news moved to the website, citynews.com.au

“When I took over editorial control in 2005, the paper was a bit rough and ready,” said editor/owner Ian Meikle, himself the former editor of “The Advertiser” in Adelaide and “The Australian” in Sydney.

“My objective was to provide a ‘paid paper’ experience in a free magazine by raising the writing and presentation standards to rival the daily paper. The more we did it, the better the response from our readers. And remember, our readers are articulate and affluent people who keep us on our toes.

He said the paper’s motto, ‘Well written, well read’, kept the pressure and focus on always working to the highest professional standard. 

“The regular columnists are the agenda setters for the magazine,” Meikle said.

“I have to thank Michael Moore, Jon Stanhope, Paul Costigan, Robert Macklin, Wendy Johnson, Richard Calver, Clive Williams, Nick Overall, Jackie Warburton and, more recently, Antonio Di Dio and Hugh Selby for their unswerving loyalty to the community. Added to that, arts editor Helen Musa and her incredibly loyal band of skilled reviewers. And who can take an eye off the highly original ‘KEEPING UP THE ACT’? 

“Advertising is the lifeblood of our paper. 

“It pays the wages, the overheads, the printing and the distribution. But there is a nobler role: through a decision to advertise, businesses keep an active and independent community voice alive and heard in Canberra. 

“Advertising, like editorial, doesn’t come out of thin air. It is hard fought for in a competitive market. 

“Our terrific general manager Tracey Avery and her sales team always act with integrity and our customers’ best interests in mind. 

“Tracey is a highly experienced and respected media sales executive. She understands the power of our paper and its website, and deeply appreciates its importance in the community.”