diff --git a/src/statusbar_gui.cpp b/src/statusbar_gui.cpp
--- a/src/statusbar_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/statusbar_gui.cpp
@@ -161,9 +161,9 @@ struct StatusBarWindow : Window {
 					DrawString(r.left + WD_FRAMERECT_LEFT, r.right - WD_FRAMERECT_RIGHT, r.top + WD_FRAMERECT_TOP, STR_STATUSBAR_AUTOSAVE, TC_FROMSTRING, SA_CENTER);
 				} else if (_pause_mode != PM_UNPAUSED) {
 					DrawString(r.left + WD_FRAMERECT_LEFT, r.right - WD_FRAMERECT_RIGHT, r.top + WD_FRAMERECT_TOP, STR_STATUSBAR_PAUSED, TC_FROMSTRING, SA_CENTER);
-				} else if (this->ticker_scroll < TICKER_STOP && FindWindowById(WC_NEWS_WINDOW, 0) == NULL && _statusbar_news_item.string_id != 0) {
+				} else if (this->ticker_scroll < TICKER_STOP && FindWindowById(WC_NEWS_WINDOW, 0) == NULL && _statusbar_news_item != NULL && _statusbar_news_item->string_id != 0) {
 					/* Draw the scrolling news text */
-					if (!DrawScrollingStatusText(&_statusbar_news_item, this->ticker_scroll, r.left + WD_FRAMERECT_LEFT, r.right - WD_FRAMERECT_RIGHT, r.top + WD_FRAMERECT_TOP, r.bottom)) {
+					if (!DrawScrollingStatusText(_statusbar_news_item, this->ticker_scroll, r.left + WD_FRAMERECT_LEFT, r.right - WD_FRAMERECT_RIGHT, r.top + WD_FRAMERECT_TOP, r.bottom)) {
 						InvalidateWindowData(WC_STATUS_BAR, 0, SBI_NEWS_DELETED);
 						if (Company::IsValidID(_local_company)) {
 							/* This is the default text */