Trust in community

Trust in community

Since 1906, the Circular Head Chronicle has served our community. 

Generations of locals have trusted in the paper to deliver community news and events each week. 

Now, the local newspaper enters a new chapter as ownership changes hands from Craig and Amanda Saward to proprietor Robert ‘Bob’ Yeates, bringing four generations of newspaper knowledge to the Chronicle.  

Yeates Media, established by Bob’s great-grandfather James in 1897, has a strong and vibrant history. 

Born in Franklin in the state’s south-east and now based in Bairnsdale, Victoria, Bob travels to his home state often to manage Huon News and Kingborough Chronicle in Tassie’s south. Across the pond, he manages the Bairnsdale Advertiser, Lakes Post, Snowy River Mail and East Gippsland News

His knowledge of the industry spans wider than management, starting out as a printing apprentice before moving into production and later advertising. Bob is a Life Member and former president of the Victorian Country Press Association. He has served Country Press Australia as president and is currently a board member with the Australian Press Council. 

“It has been said the local newspaper is the glue of the community,” he says. 

“Our role is to inform, to connect people locally with information about the local community – to present the news and views of people within the community.” 

While the digital age has meant the media industry has evolved, Bob and the local team at the Chronicle will use this medium to support the weekly printed edition. 

In a quarter of a century with the paper, Craig has seen this change in reporting and delivering local news. 

“With the increased presence of online news we have concentrated on the story behind the story or interesting stories about local people,” he says. 

Craig started his career with the Chronicle in advertising, growing the weekly edition from a 12 page publication to be in the strong economic position it is in today. Then, on the cusp of the millennium, he purchased the paper from Les Shearer. 

Accolades aplenty have been earned by the advertising and editorial team over the years, including Overall Newspaper Excellence Award for circulation under 3000 at the 2015 Victorian Country Press Association awards. 

As Craig, wife Amanda and children Lachlan, Madelyn, Jaxson and Tsega have become more involved in their community in Queensland, the family knows it is time for a new chapter. 

“While Circular Head, especially Marrawah, will always be home, I have realised my heart is no longer in the newspaper industry and I would be doing the local paper a disservice to retain it,” Craig says. 

“I believe the expertise and experience of the new owners will be a great asset to the growth of the Chronicle into the future. I can't imagine better hands to entrust the future of the Circular Head Chronicle to.” 

One thing remains: the passionate team working to deliver your news, in office manager Janelle McGowan, advertising manager and graphic designer Leanne Everett, graphic designer Carol Thomson and community news reporters Ashleigh Force and Isaac Popowski. 

The Circular Head Chronicle’s local team of (from left) community news reporters Isaac Popowski and Ashleigh Force, graphic designer Carol Thomson, advertising manager and graphic designer Leanne Everett, and office manager Janelle McGowan with incoming managing director Robert ‘Bob’ Yeates and director David Zagami. 

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