The Waikato Times is a daily newspaper published in Hamilton, New Zealand and owned by media business Stuff Ltd. It has a circulation to the greater Waikato region and became a tabloid paper in 2018.[1]

Waikato Times
TypeDaily newspaper
Owner(s)Stuff Ltd
EditorJonathan MacKenzie
Founded2 May 1872, Ngāruawāhia
LanguageNew Zealand English
Sister newspapersHamilton Press
ISSN1170-0688
WebsiteOfficial website

The newspaper has won the title of New Zealand Newspaper of the Year (in the category of up to 30,000 circulation) for two consecutive years: 2018 and 2019.[2][3]

History edit

The Waikato Times started out as the tri-weekly Waikato Times and Thames Valley Gazette, first published by George Jones[4] on 2 May 1872 in Ngāruawāhia but moved to Hamilton in 1875.[5] It was then managed by Messrs Langbridge, Silver, E. M. Edgecumbe, George Edgecumbe and J. S. Bond, who ran a book and stationery shop and changed the Times from tri-weekly to a penny daily in 1896, using Press Association news.[6]

For 20 years it competed with the Waikato Argus, until the papers merged in 1915.[7] The paper changed from afternoon to morning production from 5 September 2011, though had changed its Saturday issue in 2003.[8]

The Times had an audited net daily circulation of 11,633 copies at March 2021.[9]

As of December 2012 Allan Hawkey produces opinion cartoons for the newspaper.[10]

Papers Past has 2 May 1872 to 31 December 1892 issues in a searchable form on-line.[11] Hamilton reference library has microfilm copies of the Waikato Argus (29 Aug 1896 – 27 December 1902, 23 January 1903 – 30 April 1909, 1 June 1909 – 4 December 1914)[12] and Waikato Times from 1872.[13]

On 27 April 2023, Stuff confirmed that it would launch separate subscription-based websites for The Waikato Times and two of its other major newspapers, The Post and The Press. Previously, the newspaper had been hosged on the free Stuff news website.[14]

Community newspapers edit

The Hamilton Press is a weekly newspaper, delivered on Wednesdays, in the city of Hamilton.[15] It is one of many free weekly, or bi-weekly Neighbourly newspapers, which, since 2014, have been printed by Stuff.[16] They also include Cambridge Edition, Franklin County News, Matamata Chronicle, Piako Post (Morrinsville-Te Aroha area), South Waikato News and Taupō Times.[17]

Awards and nominations edit

Year Award Result
2019 Voyager Media Awards: Best newspaper with circulation of up to 30,000 Winner[2]
2018 Voyager Media Awards: Best newspaper with circulation of up to 30,000 Winner[3]
2014 Voyager Media Awards: Best Video Joint winner with Stuff[18]
2009 Qantas Media Awards: Best Website Breaking News Story Joint finalist with Stuff[19]

In 2017, Waikato Times journalist Aaron Leaman was the joint winner of the Senior nib Health Journalism Scholarship at the Voyager Media Awards. Leaman also won Regional Journalist of the Year at the same event.[20]

In 2018, Waikato Times journalist Ruby Nyika won Student Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards. The same year, Donna-Lee Biddle was runner-up for the Regional Journalist of the Year Award, and won the award for Feature writing - crime, justice and / or social issues.[3]

In 2019, Waikato Times columnist Max Christoffersen won the Opinion Writing (General) Award at the Voyager Media Awards. Christoffersen had died two months prior to the awards ceremony.[21][22]

References edit

  1. ^ "You're not going crazy – your local paper has shrunk in size". Stuff. 29 April 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Newspapers Winners 2019". Voyager Media Awards. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Stuff, The Press, the Waikato Times big winners at Voyager Media Awards". Stuff. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  4. ^ "The Hon. George Jones". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Papers Past – Waikato Times". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Hamilton". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Papers Past – Waikato Times – Description". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Time right for a morning move". Waikato Times. 27 June 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  9. ^ "Waikato Times". 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  10. ^ "Hawkey's cartoons". Waikato Times. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  11. ^ "Papers Past – Waikato Times". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  12. ^ [1] [dead link]
  13. ^ [2] [dead link]
  14. ^ "Stuff to put up first paywalls for news". Radio New Zealand. 27 April 2023. Archived from the original on 27 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Home page". PressDisplay.com. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  16. ^ "What is Neighbourly?". www.neighbourly.co.nz. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  17. ^ "Community Newspapers". www.neighbourly.co.nz. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  18. ^ "2014 Winners". Voyager Media Awards. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Qantas Media Awards 2009 Results". Scoop News (Press release). 16 May 2009. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  20. ^ "2017 Winners". Voyager Media Awards. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Opinion Writing Winners 2019". Voyager Media Awards. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  22. ^ "Stuff claims swag of top honours at 2019 Voyager Media Awards". Stuff. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.

External links edit

37°45′21.02″S 175°14′4.62″E / 37.7558389°S 175.2346167°E / -37.7558389; 175.2346167