A unique skills set, dogged determination and whiff of an opportunity sparked a life-changing venture for Brian and Claire Rogers.

Two decades ago they bundled it all into a tiny office and launched their big plan with an even bigger circulation.

For Brian and Claire Rogers and their team of enthusiastic staff and clients, it was a matter of holding their breath and jumping in boots and all.

And so, 20 years ago, SunMedia was born – an ambitious undertaking that included regional weekly newspaper The Weekend Sun, rural newspaper Coast & Country​ and Waterline Magazine.

“The region was ready for locally-owned, locally-operated, grass roots news and we could see the overseas-owned dinosaurs weren’t efficient or filling the needs of the community,” says Brian.

The new company used many of the ingredients of a good team. Brian had been a journalist all his working life and Claire’s background is in marketing, sales and business.

“Our kids and parents were hugely supportive and we had great mates and community and business networks backing us up.

“There was a really big gap in the market because there hadn’t been a weekend paper for about 15 years, since The Bay Sun had shut down,” says Brian.

And there was nothing “flashy” about the new venture, says Claire.

They put their resources into new technology, adopting new publishing software such as InDesign and innovations such as double computer screens so staff could access tools of the trade faster.

“We started in 2nd Avenue – a tiny place and with one new car, Brian’s mother’s car and a bicycle. We have seen other businesses go broke because they went out all flashy … We were falling over each other at the start.”

Brian has many recollections of the events that unfolded during the weeks following the Rena coming aground on Astrolabe Reef.

Brian is also a highly experienced and qualified skipper, resulting in the first news photos from the reef being snapped from his Waterline photography boat. He broke the news to the world on SunLive, SunMedia’s online news website.

“It was a reasonably calm day and we got there pretty quick. The scene that unfolded when we arrived was indescribable, and we could tell straight away that this was going to be a major environmental problem.”

In the days and weeks that followed, Brian and his news team covered everything, from containers and oil coming ashore, to the clean-ups and community response.

In tandem with The Weekend Sun, the Rogers launched their own monthly rural tabloid Coast & Country.

With the region’s healthy farm and horticulture economy, there was strong demand for rural news and advertising and that has continued to this day.

Professional graphic design has been a big focus for the company, and all of its publications. Claire says a few key dedicated staff made the venture possible.

And the basic principles of The Weekend Sun haven’t changed much either since Day 1.

“Light, bright and entertaining,” says Brian and a focus on “looking forward not back”, says Claire.

And the community has responded and benefitted over the years.

“It has been a huge thing for the community. There has been a lot of organisations that have thrived because of the publicity,” says Brian.

Things like the What’s On are a big commitment and effort to produce, but allow groups with little or no budget to tell people what they are doing.

Claire says perhaps the biggest role they play is that of community connection, made more powerful by the fact The Weekend Sun has total coverage to homes in the Western Bay of Plenty – now 70,500 altogether.

“It’s that belief in the community, and doing our best to help businesses thrive and events flourish, that keeps us going.”

And that sense of community is in-house as well with staff often coming back to work there again after leaving for OE or study, or to try something different.

“A lot of people have left and come back over the years and that’s been awesome,” says Claire.