Today, as New England Times marks three years of independent regional journalism, we are proud to announce the launch of a new sister publication: North Coast Times.
What began as an experiment in regional digital news, New England Times was formally launched as a daily service on 22 February 2023. In the three years since, New England Times has grown into a trusted source of independent reporting for the New England, delivering in-depth investigations, regional policy coverage, and comprehensive community news.
Now, we are expanding.
North Coast Times will serve the 13 local government areas of the North Coast, from the Great Lakes and the Mid North Coast in the south to the Northern Rivers and Tweed in the north, with a strong focus on Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Grafton. The region is home to more than 650,000 people.
The expansion reflects both the success of the New England model and the clear need for strong, independent journalism across regional Australia.
We have seen in the past three years in the New England that it takes a long time for people to adjust to the idea that they can just click the link and read the news on our site. People have become so indoctrinated that news is behind a paywall, that they don’t even try to find out the full story.
That’s not good for our communities and not good for our democracy.
There are a lot of cross overs and connections between the New England and North Coast – not least of which is that we all feel the pain when roads like Waterfall Way are closed. But they’re also very different communities, with different priorities and issues.
We hope to bring the same dedication to real news – including investigations and features – that we have been able to deliver in the New England to the North Coast. We already have some great local journos on the team and will be looking to add more freelancers up and down the coast as we grow.
Three years in, our mission remains the same: to provide accessible, independent, regional journalism that strengthens democracy, supports community connection, and holds power to account.
Today, that mission grows.
Please check out our new site – https://nctimes.com.au/ – you’ll see it looks pretty familiar. Please share the news with your friends and family, and help us bring the same unapologetic, high quality, fact-over-fear approach to news you have come to know and love to our coastal cousins.
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