By John Dunnet
The passing of D.J.R. (David) Sommerlad FAIM, AM, aged 92, on August 7, 2021, represents the closure of a remarkable and productive life in the Australian country and regional newspaper industry.
David Sommerlad was both a vigorous participant in the country newspaper industry as journalist, editor and proprietor and a dedicated servant of that industry at State and National levels.
Mr Sommerlad belonged to a newspaper dynasty centered on NSW’s Northern Tableland; a family devoted to the duty and service which has been a particular characteristic of the men and women who hold dear the conceits and traditions of the Fourth Estate. His father, the Hon. E.C. Sommerlad. CBE, MLC, his brother, the Hon. E.L. Sommerlad, BA, B.Ec, MLC, and his son, Mr J.W. Sommerlad. The members of this remarkable family served at various times during most of the 20th century as journalists, proprietors or in senior administrative roles in state and federal newspaper industry bodies.
David Sommerlad not only followed the family’s dedication to the practice of journalism in the newspapers he managed he responded to the industry’s challenges in industrial relations, governmental and bureaucratic relationships, advertising and commercial arrangements, and matters of ethics and accountability relating to newspaper publishing by accepting executive roles in both the NSW Country Press Association and in the federal body, Country Press Australia.
David Sommerlad’s unfaltering drive and energy in all his roles were a source of admiration – awe, almost – among those within his industry and those in related roles, such as trade unions, advertising agencies and other groups which impacted on the continued well-being of the hundreds of regional and community newspapers he represented. David Sommerlad’s determination and dedication to task were often presented firmly, perhaps suggesting irascibility and dogmatism to people unfamiliar with his style. However, in truth, David Sommerlad was a generous, caring individual, capable of courtesy and deep sensitivity when dealing with others.
When David Sommerlad entered the regional newspaper scene in the ‘50’s and 60’s it quickly became apparent that the newspaper ‘values’ of his father and brother were well entrenched. He became an enthusiastic member of the NSW Country Press Association. This enthusiasm did not diminish as the decades moved on and he was ever-prepared to take on roles when the need arose.
However, the task of meeting the challenges of the seismic changes which began to affect the newspaper industry at all levels in the 1980’s onwards was onerous. The phenomenon of ‘convergence’ (brought about by the digital revolution) and the drift of advertising revenue to social media platforms, the rapid spate of amalgamations of once-independent newspapers into large group-owned strings, and consequent decline of state and federal industry resources, were just some of the problems which saw once-proud associations such as Country Press NSW lose large numbers of members. Of particular concern to David Sommerlad were indications that some country towns were losing their papers or facing the prospect of reduced scrutiny of local affairs and local activities.
He battled at both state and federal levels to try to ensure that regional and rural Australia did not lose their important ‘watchdogs’ and chroniclers of local history.
When it came to his retirement, David Sommerlad did so reluctantly, but continued trying his best to encourage and preserve local newspapers because of their importance to the life and progress of local communities.
In 1959, for example, NSW boasted 149 independent, feisty and committed local country newspapers.
By the early 2000s the number of truly locally-owned papers in NSW had fallen to about 20. The onset of Covid-19 and its adverse ramifications for local advertising on many of the ‘group-owned’ titles saw many of them fall by the wayside, leaving their communities without their mirror on community life.
In his lifetime, it was wonderful that David Sommerlad was honoured by his peers at state and federal level with life memberships. The AM was also an appropriate acknowledgement of his long service to an important industry. These honours were welcomed by David but what he loved most of all was organising and taking part in annual gatherings of country newspapermen; he would spark with enthusiasm on such occasions, enjoying the speeches, the handing out of newspaper awards and the warm fellowship of the men and women from far and wide whose company he enjoyed so much.
In his lifetime David Sommerlad not only admirably represented his proud family legacy of service to an important branch of the Fourth Estate – through his life and outstanding contributions, he enhanced it!!
