Amidst the ever-evolving media landscape and a world plagued by misinformation, the Australian news publishing industry has maintained its relevance and impact through collaboration and a focus on creating premium, trusted, audience-first environments.
Vanessa Lyons, CEO of the news publishing media industry body ThinkNewsBrands, says collaboration is the heartbeat of the news publishing industry.
“We foster a unified approach that benefits the entire media landscape. By working together, we’ve not only strengthened our offering but also advanced the broader goals of trust in journalism and effective advertising.”
Vanessa Lyons
Executive chairman at News Corp Australasia Michael Miller agrees, telling Mediaweek the industry is far closer than many would know and has been galvanised by concerns around big tech and a desire to deliver for readers and advertisers.
“Our competition is probably not each other anymore. We’re now seeing [our competition] as the global tech platforms. Not just in a commercial sense but also regarding the threat to our industry and society more broadly. As a result, we’ve really come together on the importance of trust and credibility.”
This theme of trust comes through strongly whoever you speak to, with most considering it the lifeblood of the industry.
Michael Miller
Jo Clasby, director of sales, Total Publishing at Nine says the common goal for the entire industry is to ensure misinformation – whether its AI-generated or on global platforms – does not take hold.
“We are at a crucial time where a thriving, robust media has never been more important. And with a strong emphasis on investigative journalism, unbiased news and lifestyle content, Australian news publishing can provide the trusted environments we need as a society.”
Managing director and publisher of the Free News & Lifestyle division at News Corp Australia, Pippa Leary says “news media companies have invested in trusted journalism that advocates for what’s important and tells unique, honest and engaging Australian stories that enhance our culture and way of life.”
Jo Clasby
This comment highlights the coming together of an altruistic cause and a commercial strategy that is shared across the industry. That trusted content is good for society while also being key to creating credible, premium environments that audiences want to engage with. And that this ultimately delivers more value to advertisers.
Lyons drums home this point, saying advertising within premium trusted environments offers brands a unique advantage.
“Trust leads to higher engagement levels which combined with extensive reach, allows news media to deliver results that are unmatched by other channels. With news publishing media, advertisers can not only reach their audience but also connect more strongly with them.”
Leary further emphasises this point saying “how engaged someone is and whether they are in a trusted, decluttered environment matters – particularly in terms of the outcomes clients achieve. Readers who come to your homepage every day are not accidental clicks but deliberately choosing to engage with your content.”
Pippa Leary
The industry thinks its advocacy around this is taking hold with many marketers now talking about engaged reach rather than traditional metrics such as impressions and pure audience size.
Leary says, “the market is evolving, and smart marketers increasingly talk about not just the size or reach of the audience but also how engaged it is. They understand that engagement is a key determinant of the return on investment (ROI) their brands earn and a better reflection of consumer behaviour and how the market truly works.”
However, while there has been a shift, the industry believes more work needs to be done.
Recently announced Mediaweek Icon and director of sales at News Corp Australia, Lou Barrett, says marketers need to be prepared to have the tough conversations with finance and procurement departments to educate them that it’s not just about cost.
“Too many in our industry are hooked on Meta, which provides an easy but, in my view, ineffective solution that lacks the brand safe, trusted environment news media specialises in.”
Lou Barrett
“They need to shout it from the rooftop that investing in media that will really move the dial on your brand is just so, so important.”
Outside of delivering value for advertisers, the industry also points to the collaborative way it addresses its own environmental impact via its government accredited product stewardship scheme.
This world-leading scheme has seen publishers make a positive impact on the environment and set an example for other industries to follow.
Lyons says, “with nearly 35 years of industry collaboration, and over $350 million of investment, the scheme has put Australia at or near first in the world at recycling newspapers and magazines. Importantly, it also gives advertisers the confidence that buying news publishing space is both an effective and sustainable decision.”
Nicholas Gray
Managing director & publisher of The Australian and Prestige titles, Nicholas Gray, believes the product stewardship scheme is yet another example of the positive impact the industry creates when it comes together.
“We get bad laws changed, we provide a voice to those who struggle for a fair hearing and we tell the stories that make Australia unique. Despite the challenges before us, I know the industry will continue punching above its weight by working together for ourselves, our readers and our advertisers. Because when our industry is strong, positive and united, and when we believe in ourselves and our work, the effects flow far and wide and we can quite literally change the world.”
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