By Vanessa Lyons, CEO at ThinkNewsBrands
The legendary playwright Arthur Miller once said, “A good newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself.” His words highlight the vital role of local news publishers in creating spaces where diverse communities within a nation can connect, exchange ideas and shape their joint future.
While news publishing has evolved a bit since Miller’s time, his message resonates today, particularly in Australia.
News by Australians, for Australians
Australian news publishers bring national stories to life, capturing who we are, what matters to us, and where we’re headed. Their stories are written by Australians, for Australians, about the topics, events, and issues we care about.
This makes local news a crucial part of our society—a sentiment echoed by top media and marketing leaders. As Mark Coad, CEO of IPG Mediabrands Australia, puts it, “We want our local agendas. We want our politicians kept accountable by local media outlets… We’ve got local newsrooms setting the agenda, knowing what’s important to this country.”
Understanding what Australians connect with
Understanding what’s important to Australians makes news publishers vital channels for advertisers and media buyers.
Local news publishers know what Australians care about, how they engage, and the content that resonates with them. Their platforms are built to cater to the habits and behaviours of Australian readers.
As Kim McConnie, Group Executive Marketing, Tourism and Events Queensland, explains, “It’s really hard to leverage other mediums to truly tell the richness of the characters, the people, what they do, who they are, in a way which is relevant in that moment. And that is one of the strengths of news—why we keep investing in it.”
Put simply, publishers’ knowledge about Australians leads to increased audience engagement and trust, which advertisers can leverage to drive greater brand engagement and campaign effectiveness.
Data supports this. A study by FiftyFive5 found that 75% of readers are fully engaged when reading written news and that advertising in news is considered 18% more trustworthy when indexed to all other media.
Reaching a diverse Australia
When considering regional and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) audiences, the power of news publishing to deliver audience engagement and trust shines through dramatically. This is an important consideration in many marketing campaigns, given that over seven million Australians live in regional areas and seven million come from CALD backgrounds, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Research from the Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) found 80% of CALD audiences consume local news at least weekly, and a University of Technology Sydney (UTS) study showed over 60% of CALD Australians consider local news essential for staying connected with their community and the nation.
Authenticity is key for these audiences, and news publishers have spent years ensuring diverse representation and culturally relevant content and environments. They have also garnered countless valuable insights into Australia’s diverse communities that brands can use to create meaningful, culturally appropriate and targeted campaigns.
As Claire Butterworth, National Head of Investment at Group M, notes, “In the last few years, from what I’ve seen, there’s been a huge focus from publishers on improving and creating new platforms for minorities. We certainly work with clients closely to be able to authentically partner in those community environments.”
A call to action for marketers and agencies
Our local news publishers convey the Australian story by writing about the events and issues central to Australian life.
For marketers and agencies, news media represents a vital channel to tap into the nation’s passions and interests and, in doing so, drive greater connections between brands and Australians of all backgrounds.
Find out how Total News Publishing can improve your media mix [email protected]
ThinkNewsBrands helps advertisers and their agencies understand how advertising in today’s news content drives real business results.
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Top image: Mark Coad, Claire Butterworth, Vanessa Lyons and Kim McConnie.
This story is in partnership with ThinkNewsBrands