The nation’s two major newspaper publishers are backing print in the strongest possible terms, by signing a new long term deal with paper supplier Norske Skog.

Both Fairfax and News have just signed deals with the global giant to supply their paperstock for the next ten years, in deals that are worth a combined figure of around $1.7bn.

The new deal will see Fairfax and News take around 500,000 tonnes of Noske Skog newsprint a year, which will come from the region’s three Norske Skog mills, Albury, Boyer and Tasman. This represents around 70 per cent of the output from the mills.

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Sven Ombudstvedt, CEO of Norske Skog, says, “We are happy for this confirmation of our position as the preferred supplier of newsprint and improved grades to the most influential media players in Australasia.

Both Fairfax and News have seen their print titles come under sustained pressure since the onset of the GFC, which has led to plant closures, format changes and much talk of the demise of printed newspapers. However the Australian newspaper market is appearing to be far more resilient than its US counterpart, and this latest deal highlights the confidence both publishers have in print.

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