While the Herald Sun and The Australian are now being published each day at News Limited’s Technopark facility in Hobart, Fairfax has only opted to print weekend editions of The Age in Launceston, according to reports in yesterday’s Australian.

Fairfax has recognised that it will still have issues with distribution, having secured the last print slot on the presses publishing the Launceston Examiner, meaning parts of the state will continue to have to wait until the next day to get the newspaper.

In a statement to Tasmanian newsagents Liz Earl, The Age’s circulation and sales director outlined that the late print slot had proven a hurdle to same-day delivery in parts of the state.

She says, “As a result of the limited press availability, The Age will be printed too late to be delivered via our usual distribution methods.”

She continues, “Unfortunately, same-day delivery will only be available within certain areas of Launceston, Hobart and other key outlets. In all other areas of Tasmania, The Age will be available via next-day delivery.”

Meanwhile, Stephen Kaye circulation director of News Limited’s Herald Sun says he expected sales of the paper to complement rather than cannibalise local papers such as The Mercury and The Examiner, which are published by News Limited and Fairfax respectively.

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