I am delighted and honoured to have started this week as the Mandurah Mail's new editor and I am really looking forward to getting fully engrossed in the role.
Over recent years in particular, I have kept a close eye on this publication and been consistently impressed by the quality of journalism and dedication to the Mandurah community.
As such, it is a big challenge and an excellent opportunity for me to continue the newspaper’s stellar track record of breaking exclusive local stories, covering community events and keeping residents informed of the latest developments in news and sport.
I started my journalism career in the north west as a cadet reporter and progressed through the ranks as a member of the Broome Advertiser’s editorial team over five years.
During this time I focused on local sport and community groups in particular, which gave me a good grounding in the media.
From there I moved to the Sound Telegraph in Rockingham as the news editor at the start of 2016, where I led an editorial team and was charged with dictating the publication’s news agenda.
I am really proud of what my team and I achieved in that time.
The move to Mandurah is the next step in my career and one I am really excited about sinking my teeth into.
My favourite thing about working in the media is the opportunity to become an ambassador for the community, meet people from all walks of life and to help tell the many amazing stories of local residents.
Mandurah is a city with an exciting future as new projects come to fruition, the populace grows and tourism continues to be a major drawcard.
In any community, the local newspaper has a big role to play in advocating for the region, shaping its perception and being the first port of call for news that impacts readers.
The team at the Mail have done a great job over recent years in achieving this – both the editorial and sales staff deserve real credit for their dedication to Mandurah.
It is my job to play a role in continuing the good work they have started and hopefully take the publication to new heights.
If you have any feedback on the newspaper, a news tip or simply want to say hello, I can be contacted on gareth.mcknight@fairfaxmedia.com.au.