Joe Aston is a man who knows how to get people talking.
From his Rear Window column in the The Australian Financial Review, to his explosive book The Chairman’s Lounge, Aston is fearless in his commentary, all while managing to inject his meticulously researched copy with a wry wit and sarcasm, allowing his writing to transcend demographics, appealing not only to hard-nosed entrepreneur, but also to the occasional investor …. and everyone and anyone in between.
After stepping down from his role at the AFR in October 2023, Aston returned earlier this year announcing that he will rejoin the publication as a monthly columnist while running his new venture – RAMPART.
Priced at $65 per month or $680 annually, RAMPART will provide business insights and analysis via a paywalled website and direct-to-subscriber emails. Perpetual Equities Team has signed on as the corporate launch partner.
“I think it’s a pretty simple offering. It’s going to be me writing the stuff that I’m well known for writing about, and I’m going to do that a couple of times a week,” Aston said. He also plans to expand the venture with a weekly podcast later this year. “I just think it’s a bit dangerous to try and launch everything at once. There’s so much new technology to manage, and throwing in a podcast from day one would be too much. I want to do everything well.”
A unique proposition in the Australian market
While independent journalist-led publications have gained traction in the US, RAMPART is among the first of its kind in Australia. “At the moment, in Australia, this is a unique offering,” Aston noted. “High-profile journalistic talent has more influence than it used to. The audience is more engaged with individual journalists than with a masthead, and that’s objectively the case.”
Aston believes RAMPART’s target audience – professionals with a strong interest in business and finance -makes it an attractive proposition for advertisers. “It’s sort of fairly logical that an audience that is prepared to pay $700 a year for a subscription to read one journalist is quite affluent. It’s an audience of very influential people with a lot of discretionary income. I think that’s appealing to my advertisers.”
Nine’s partnership with RAMPART
Despite leaving AFR, Aston has maintained a connection with his former employer through a strategic partnership with Nine. While RAMPART remains independent, Nine is providing pre- and post-publication legal support in exchange for a share of revenue. AFR does not hold an equity stake in the venture.
“Well, it is a partnership. And I don’t think we cannibalise each other – I wouldn’t have done the deal otherwise, and neither would Nine,” Aston said. “The AFR audience still gets a taste of me, and I have a really deep connection with that audience built over 13 years. At the same time, Nine gets the opportunity to experiment in partnership with a business like mine, which is out there on the innovative end of things.”
Aston also emphasised his ongoing respect for AFR. “I’m glad to be staying as a friend of AFR, because I love AFR. I loved working there. I think it’s the best newspaper in Australia, and I think it made sense for us to be in an alliance because their audience is interested in what I have to say, and I am interested in what AFR is writing about.”
Joe Aston
Building something new
Aston sees RAMPART as both a creative and business opportunity. “The opportunity to start my own business and potentially grow something of value is super exciting. To do that and also, at the same time, get to do what you love – I feel lucky,” he said.
He acknowledges that RAMPART benefits from its focus on business and finance, where readers are willing to pay a premium for insights. “It’s only luck that I happen to write about business and finance. Business and finance news consumers have more money, and they’re prepared to pay higher prices for content because it helps them make money or prevents them from losing money.”
As Rampart rolls out, Aston is focused on delivering high-quality content and gradually expanding its offerings. “I want the quality of everything to be exceptional, and so I’m going to do it properly,” he said. “I hope RAMPART grows – I don’t know exactly what that looks like, but how could I, at the start of the journey?”
Pictured: Joe Aston