The Lakes District and Central Otago News is delivered to 17,600 homes weekly on Thursdays.

Based in Alexandra and with a branch office in Wanaka, The News was first published on June 1, 1948. The newspaper's heritage is seeded deep in the history of the region and can be found in the pages of the Alexandra Herald, the Dunstan Times and the Lake County Mail. These papers were amalgamated to form the Central Otago News.

Its circulation area is widespread, serving Lawrence, Millers Flat, Roxburgh, Alexandra, Ranfurly, Middlemarch, Clyde, Cromwell, Wanaka and Queenstown and surrounding areas as well as the Lakes district, the Vincent and Maniototo areas and the Clutha Valley.

The newspaper carries news items of regional interest, plenty of people stories, arts, sports and finance news as well as features and promotions on a wide variety of topics. It is printed on a Webb offset press and makes strong use of colour.