The Murray Valley Standard (1934-), Murray BridgeThis is Murray Bridge's oldest newspaper. It replaced the 'Murray Bridge Advertiser' reports in the pages of the Mount Barker Courier. Originally weekly, the Standard experimented with publishing twice weekly in 1973. It has regularly published on Tuesdays and Thursdays since 1981. Over the years the newspaper has had a strong focus on reporting about local people and their lives, with interviews, news reports, biographical sketches and obituaries. Matters relating to the River Murray have naturally featured also. Concerns about water flow have been voiced in its pages since 1939. Sports coverage became a main feature following the Second World War. Football received the most detailed coverage, but other sports, in particular rowing, were included. Murray Bridge was the centre of a busy agricultural district and the newspaper reflects this with agricultural articles, reports of agricultural associations and advertisements for agricultural equipment and products. The Standard has also devoted plenty of space to local government matters, freely voicing both Council and community opinions on a range of issues. Rural Press bought shares in the newspaper in 1986, taking over full control in December 1994. Rural Press merged with Fairfax Media in 2006.