About the Western Weekender

Who we are

For 21 years, The Western Weekender has been the heartbeat of Penrith.

The Western Weekender is a local, independent publication that delivers to suburbs across the Penrith Local Government Area.

It boasts the widest circulation of all papers in the Penrith region, and has a loyal and dedicated readership.

Started in 1991 by a group of businessmen keen to shed Penrith’s image of being a down-and-out city, the Weekender grew to become a true voice for the people of the region.

As Penrith and its surrounds grew and the area became a major regional city, The Western Weekender grew with it. Today, it boasts more than 100 pages each Friday, including unrivalled coverage of rugby league and entertainment.

The Weekender provides a mix of up-to-date and breaking news, community stories, lifestyle columns and features, business stories, auto content, sports stories and much, much more. It also encompasses a dedicated Real Estate section, crosswords, quizzes and competitions.

Over the years, the Weekender has been there for all the big events in Penrith. We were there for the 1991 and 2003 rugby league grand finals. We were there when the Olympic Games came to Penrith, and we were there when political scandals engulfed the area. When news breaks, you can rely on our journalists to be there.

In 2009, the Weekender was purchased by MediaView Pty Ltd, and under that ownership, has grown to become a true force in local media.

The Western Weekender has a sister publication in Marrickville, the Inner City Weekender, and in 2010 launched an entertainment magazine, FYI, which revolutionalised entertainment coverage in local media. In 2011, this was followed up with the launch of a gloss rugby league magazine, Extra Time.

The Western Weekender continues to provide Penrith residents with the complete local newspaper, full of engaging content and targeted advertising.

Online, The Western Weekender continues to evolve from the traditional local newspaper format, providing up-to-date news on the website, plus regular updates across social media.

The Western Weekender is a true icon in Penrith and a local business success story in its own right.

Publication Day: Friday
Editorial Deadline: Wednesday 7pm
Advertising Deadline: Wednesday Midday
FYI Advertising Deadline: Tuesday 5pm
Circulation: 59,400 (CAB Audit, September 2011)
Founded: 1991
Editor: Troy Dodds
Advertising Manager: Simon Gould

Newswire

Belinda's bringing back the hits

Back in the late 1970s, if you had have told erstwhile punk rocker Dottie Danger, one-time drummer for seminal LA punks the Germs and back-up singer for avant-punks Black Randy and the Metrosquad, that she would be part of one of the most successful girl groups of all time and have a hugely successful solo career, she probably would’ve laughed in your face.

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Festival launches in style

The streets of Penrith will light up this St Patrick’s Day when the Penrith City Festival takes on a new feel.

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Chance to help local charity

The Australian Women and Children’s Research Foundation (OZWAC) is inviting the public to discover the vital work they do in the local and wider community.

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Bradbury backs Gillard

Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s permanency in the top job may be shaky but MP for Lindsay, David Bradbury, said his devotion to the Prime Minister is steadfast – as a tattoo.

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Spectacular launch for Panthers

Anyone still doubting that positive, monumental change was underway at the Penrith Panthers under the reign of Phil Gould had it completely dispelled on Saturday night by a spectacular official launch to the club's NRL season.

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Panthers thrash Eels in NRL trial

Michael Gordon stamped his authority as Penrith's number one fullback for the 2012 season, while another of the game's leading number ones suffered a serious injury as the Panthers and Eels met in an NRL trial last night.

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