In today’s world of instant communication and digital media, I believe the weekly, free, community-focused magazine still maintains a unique and vital role in how Australians connect with and learn about their community.

Having studied news and media over the past three years for a Bachelor of Communication degree at Charles Sturt University’s Bathurst campus, I have developed a deep understanding of the importance of free, physical media to Australia’s regional communities. Community papers are a dependable source of what state and federal MPs are doing for the community, the good old TV guide, and a reliable audience for advertisers wanting to promote their businesses.

Print media stands out in today’s crowded media environment through its tactile and tangible qualities; having your story or photograph in a widely-distributed physical publication does not happen very often, and is something you can cut out and hold on to.

Many studies have found that community outlets are some of Australia’s most trusted media. I believe this is the case because these publishers, such as Orange City Life, base their news on people, grounding their stories in those involved.

Whether it’s a story covering the decisions made by Orange City Council; reporting the results of local sporting fixtures; or photographing a music event, anniversary or birthday, Orange City Life always keeps the people of the Colour City front and centre.

Another great aspect of Orange City Life is its ‘human interest’ stories. These often go unnoticed by other outlets but celebrate the many weird and wonderful components that make up the Colour City.

The community, it seems, feels the same way about Orange City Life. Despite 13,500 copies being released on Thursday morning, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a copy of the magazine anywhere around town by Sunday evening – demonstrating that, in Orange, there’s still a healthy appetite for free, physical, community-focused news media.

It is publications like Orange City Life that have inspired me to pursue a career in news media.

I have always had an interest in the goings-on of the day, whether it be at the global or local level, and I have found the best reporting is that which makes sense of the day’s events for the audience. This is where it is vital to understand the distinction between reporting information and reporting news.

While it is certainly true that the world has never been more connected, allowing people to be informed at unprecedented levels, more information doesn’t replace news journalism. News is something greater than just reporting information; it is the sharing of people’s stories and experiences that form perspectives. Furthermore, news should always be focused on the people reading or watching the reporting; it must explain why this information is more valuable than all the other information so easily reached at our fingertips.

These are the reasons that make this magazine such an effective conveyor of local news. Orange City Life offers a free and comprehensive summation of community events, keeping its audience informed about what is happening in the Colour City.

To put it simply, Orange City Life is more than just news – it is a celebration of the people who make the Colour City such a great place to live.

• Brock Anderson is a final-year Bachelor of Communication student at Charles Sturt University’s Bathurst campus.