Another masthead bites the dust

By Carlotta McIntosh

The death of the once proudly independent newpaper, The Glebe, after 39 years has stunned the local community.

Last week journalists gathered for a goodbye drink at their favourite watering hole, the Australian Youth Hotel, about 500 metres from the newspaper’s former premises in Mountain Street, Ultimo.

Glebe journalist Marie Sansom said the saddest thing about the loss of the newspaper was that The Glebe had recorded a “proud history of social acitivism and grass roots politics”.

“I have been working on The Glebe for two and a half years and I really loved the atmosphere, the people and writing about all the stuff that happens here,” she said.

The Inner West Courier, which became part of the News Ltd stable in early 2007, will now have two editions: an inner city and an inner west edition that together will cover seven local government areas.

Both will be published on Thursdays in plain newsprint. A Tuesday edition will appear in a coloured glossy real estate advertising format.

Glebe Chamber of Commerce secretary Gay Kalnins said The Glebe would be “a big loss to the business community”.

“The Glebe has always been good for local news. By comparison The Inner West Courier is more like a real estate rag. I wish Murdoch would close down the Inner West Courier.”

Long time Glebe resident Shirley Webster greeted the loss of the local newspaper with dismay.

“I am going to miss those tickets to all those shows,” she told the City Hub.

In its heyday, The Glebe was a controversial rag, in the tradition of the old Truth newspaper, a fascinating read of sensation and gossip.

Legend has it that defamation letters from solicitors lined the walls of the newspaper office in Pyrmont Bridge Road, and that the original publisher claimed his dog was the owner and could not be sued.

In the late 1980s Rupert Murdoch’s News Ltd bought The Glebe and Western Weekly, as it was then known. In early 2007, News Ltd also bought out its competition in the area, FPC Courier, owners of the Inner West Courier.

Journalists were tight lipped about management’s decision to close the newspaper but most believed falling advertising figures and the demise of Glebe Point Road were decisive factors.

Staff has been assured there will be no job losses but no one is placing any bets on long term job survival.