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Send me an email > ben.palmer@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Hi, I’m Ben Palmer.
You may remember me from such posts as ‘Check out this chocolate cob loaf’ and ‘Mudgee was just ravaged by a wild storm video’.
I like long walks on the beach and I am sustained by a steady diet of coke zero and good vibes.
If you’re here, there’s a good chance you’ve seen my name pop up in SOME capacity in the last few years whether in the newspaper or even more likely on a Facebook community page – I was even on Triple J one time.
I’ve worked at the Mudgee Guardian and for Fairfax Media since 2007 – I feel old.
For about 7 years or so I worked as a Sub-Editor, mainly focusing on layout, design and choosing which stories went where. I even used to create and build the A-Z Directory and some of those jazzy new years front pages with all the photos.
While I was Sub-Editor, I thought it might be a good idea to create a social media presence for the Guardian...I was right.
Fast forward to a few years ago and I applied for the position of ‘Group Digital Journalist’ for Fairfax Media and lucky me, I got it. Even luckier, I didn’t have to relocate or even change desks. My responsibilities however increased dramatically.
I was suddenly – along with another colleague – in charge of the digital strategy for nearly 20 different sites across Western NSW. We handled big sites like Orange, Dubbo and Bathurst as well as tiny sites like Boorowa Blayney and many in between.
I absolutely loved being a part of something fresh and cutting edge and I was always looking for a new challenge.
It probably comes as no surprise that I applied for the role when former Editor, Honor Elliott left and to cut a long story short – again, lucky me, I got the job.
From the outside it won’t seem like much has changed for a while. The paper still comes out and we still work to make our website the first and best place for news in the region, however, over time we will be introducing some exciting new content aimed at the Mudgee region including new ways of engaging with us and creating those really important discussions with the public.
I want to make the Mudgee Guardian something people think of and it mean something different to each person.
Maybe it means the newspaper, maybe to others it’s the Facebook page. To some they might only know it as an Instagram page or the website. Adding to these will draw new people to the community and expand how we can tell great stories and inform our readers, listeners and fans.