Nine newspapers says the company is "considering options" after its announcement it would stop printing newspapers in Tasmania was met with disappointment from local newsagents.
On Wednesday, the publisher said rising paper costs were behind the decision to stop printing The Age and Financial Review at the Rocherlea plant operated by Australian Community Media (ACM).
James Chessel, Nine's managing director of publishing, said it was a decision that "wasn't taken lightly", but that the "rising cost of paper meant it was uneconomic to print in Tasmania".
"We will continue to focus on our many Tasmanian digital subscribers who are able to access the increasingly popular digital version of 'today's paper'," he said.
The change would also mean that publications would not be flown in to the state on the same day.
However, later on Wednesday, Australian Lottery and Newsagent Association (ALNA) chief executive Ben Kearney said he had been contacted by Nine and told the decision was under review.
He said no timeline was given, and the original intention may still stand.
"They're going to look at that decision and consider some of the other options that might be available, so certainly from our point of view that's really good news, that's what we've asked for," he said.
Circulation figures for the two newspapers are not made available by Nine.
Nationwide, The Age and the Australian Financial Review rank in the top 10 news brands across both print and digital.
According to Roy Morgan Research data, in the last 12 months The Age had 6.1 million readers between both platforms, while the Financial Review reached 3.5 million.
Newsagents take a hit
Newsagency co-owner Teresa Sturzaker said her Hobart business would take a financial hit if the original decision went ahead.
"The direct hit is a $25,000 profit per annum, so it's about $2,000 a month that we'll lose straight off the top starting," she told ABC Radio Hobart.
Ms Sturzaker said as well as having to make tough cost-saving decisions, she was also devastated by an abrupt end to a long partnership.
"We've delivered [Nine's] newspapers for years. We've accepted their newspaper, we've delivered their subscription copies, there's a relationship there," she said.
"We've done everything we can in their best interests over the years and this is how they treat us."
Launceston newsagent Garry Matthews said he would lose a lot more than just newspaper sales.
"Probably across the board, you're not going to attract your general walk-ins anymore," he said.
"If they no longer can come in and buy a paper and a cordial … it just means there's one good reason why they don't come."
"It's pretty sad that a big company like Nine should really care very little about Tasmania."
Nine 'considering options'
Ben Kearney from ALNA said he was disappointed by the original decision, but cost-cutting strategies by news publications had been going on for years.
"We've seen them use different methods to get the cost down [but] what they're saying to us now is that the cost of paper and a range of cost imports … they're just losing too much money on the product," he said.
"The short notice period has been a major concern for some of our members and also the subscribers of their products in Tasmania."
"They haven't given me any guidance at the moment around the time frame.
"We've offered to work with them and work with our members on considering all the possible solutions over whatever time period they give us to do that."
If Nine's original decision stands, the only hard copy newspapers available in Tasmania would be Newscorp's The Australian and The Mercury, alongside northern papers The Examiner and The Advocate which belong to ACM.
"We certainly don't want to see less diversity of media products in Tasmania," said Mr Kearney.
"We're hearing loud and clear from customers that they still want the product, so we'd love to see the product still on the shelves."
