The News was first published on 1 June 1948 under the title The Central Otago News. It was formed from a merger of three titles, the Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette (1899-1948), the Dunstan Times (Clyde, 1864-1948) and the Lake County Mail (Queenstown, 1947-1948). In October 1948 the Cromwell Argus and Northern Gold-Fields Gazette was incorporated into the Central Otago News. With the exception of the stronger Alexandra Herald, these titles had suffered from declining circulation and increased publication costs. The Otago Daily Times and Witness Newspaper Co. Ltd. became a shareholder in the Central Otago News in May 1950, the purpose being “to improve the news coverage of both journals in Central Otago” (I.F. Grant, Pressing On, 2024, p.357, quoting the Otago Daily Times).

The News was published twice each week until 1999 when it became weekly. Initially the Central Otago News, its title changed to the News (Central Otago) in August 2017. From 2021 November 11 it merged with News Wanaka to form News Central Otago & Wanaka. It is now a part of Allied Media.

Currently available - 1951, 1957, 1958, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1974-1976.

Pending - 1948-1950; 1952-1956; 1959-1966; 1970-1973; 1977, 1983