A report in this morning’s Australian claimed that Fairfax was in talks with US-based Platinum Equity about selling off its regional division — a claim Fairfax did not deny, with a spokesperson saying Fairfax had “nothing to say on the topic”.

The reported sale comes after a massive write-down in the company’s metropolitan papers, and savage cost-cutting through much of the regional division in recent years.

A tipster got in touch in the wake of the Oz’s story to say given what’s in their local paper, it doesn’t seem surprising.

“For weeks now in Orange, the Fairfax Central Western Daily has been frequently just 20 pages ($1.70 a copy) and among the pages collectively, there has appeared a combined total of approximately 3-4 pages each issue of house ads for their products or sponsored events such as Domain, Adzuma and others.

“That’s about 20% of each edition in house ads, with the number of display ads less than what you could count on one hand.

“Something must soon give.”