Is Mackay's Daily Mercury Still Worth Your Time?

When was the last time the Daily Mercury gave you real news you could trust?

When was the last time the Daily Mercury gave you real news you could trust? Let’s be honest—it’s been years since this paper had any journalistic credibility. Once a proud source of local stories and truth, it’s now nothing more than a joke, a clickbait machine that thrives on fake news and sensational court reports. If you’re still reading it, it’s time to ask yourself: why?

The Daily Mercury has become an embarrassment to Mackay. With only one print edition per week, it barely qualifies as a "daily" paper anymore. The few reporters left aren’t even from Mackay; they’re out-of-town blow-ins with zero connection to our community. They don’t know us, and they don’t care about us. They just regurgitate whatever will get a few clicks on Facebook, recycling the same story three or four times with different headlines. This isn’t journalism; it’s lazy, low-effort content designed to manipulate you.

But it gets worse. Instead of covering important issues that impact our lives, the Mercury focuses on humiliating locals with petty court stories. Minor misdemeanors get blown out of proportion, plastered across headlines for everyone to see. It’s not news, it’s public shaming.

This paper has lost the plot—completely abandoning any commitment to truth, fairness, or integrity. The days when journalists served the public are gone, replaced by an industry obsessed with fake news, sensationalism, and profit. And yes, I say this as a journalist myself who is disgusted by what my profession has become.

The sad reality is that the Daily Mercury is no longer interested in serving you. It’s interested in serving itself, milking every click and share it can squeeze out of cheap, recycled garbage. If you’re tired of being treated like a fool, it’s time to make a change.

Stop reading the Daily Mercury. It doesn’t deserve your time, your trust, or your money.

Sign up for real local news at www.MackayNews.com -- a new online news site coming soon -- that will actually inform and respect the Mackay community.

Let’s take back the truth and support journalism that actually serves Mackay.

We don’t have to settle for garbage. Let’s demand better and rebuild local news we can be proud of.