Daniel Andrews denies print ad ban is related to critical coverage

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has defended axing government ads in newspapers, saying taxpayer dollars will be directed to news websites and television.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Daniel Andrews has defended axing government advertising in newspapers within weeks saying taxpayer dollars would be directed to news websites and television.

The Victorian Premier has denied the decision is related to critical coverage in the Herald Sun and The Age during last year’s state election, claiming it simply reflected the growth in digital audiences.

‘‘We are going to be advertising on (newspaper) websites still,’’ he said on Tuesday.

‘‘We make judgments about where the audience is and we’re not making any apology for focusing our efforts much more online, digital, television.

‘‘That’s where the audience is, that’s where the return on investment for taxpayers is.

There will be lots of ads, there might even be more ads on the website.’’

Mr Andrews predicted overall government advertising spend in 2023-24 would fall to pre-pandemic levels.

Andrews Government annual advertising spending hit a record $150m off the back of Covid-19 campaigns during lockdowns and the long economic recovery from the pandemic.

As revealed by The Australian on April 22, the government’s advertising report for 2022-23 shows Covid-19 spending of about $45m. The overall $150m advertisement bill is up 50 per cent from 2018-19 and about double the ad spend in 2015-16.

Mr Andrews brushed aside concerns that stopping print advertising would mean some

Victorians would miss out on vital government messaging around the road toll, bushfire preparation, workplace safety and major road work and disruption to public transport.

‘‘People get their information from lots of different sources and we are recalibrating the government’s spend towards digital, online (and) television,’’ he said.

‘‘(Newspapers) have a digital offering. There will be plenty of ads bought from (newspapers). They will just appear in a different way. They will be on a different platform.’’

Mr Andrews said there was no ‘‘basis in fact’’ to link the cut in print advertising to the election coverage of both major newspapers.

‘‘We are going to spend where there is the greatest audience and that is obviously online and the electronic media,’’ he said.

The government’s media agency OMD announced on Monday that “all Victorian public sector print advertising in major metropolitan newspapers will cease from July 1, other than those required under statute’’.