The New Daily Turns Five
Online news site, The New Daily, the brainchild of industry super fund boss Garry Weaven and former Age and Herald Sun editor Bruce Guthrie, turns five this week.
It boasts a monthly Google audience of more than two million and close to 500,000 daily subscribers.
It’s impressive climb up the Nielsen news site rankings – from outside the Top 200 at launch to inside the Top 20 for most of this year – represents a significant slap-in-the-face to early critics and sceptics who said it would never last.
On the eve of the site’s fifth birthday celebrations, Guthrie said: “We never took much notice of them (critics) to be honest.
“We just put our heads down and kept working hard. The results speak for themselves.”
Owned by Industry Super Holdings, which is made up of 29 industry super funds, The New Daily was created for fund members – and non-members – to provide a reliable and free news service in an age of news paywalls and increasing media concentration.
One of its primary goals is to improve the financial literacy of readers in an entertaining and compelling package.
Guthrie added: “Incredibly, we are often the only news site in the Nielsen Top 20 that’s been launched this century.
“In that sense, legacy media still dominates the landscape, but we are now firmly part of the conversation.”
Just last week the ACCC cited The New Daily’s emergence as one of the reasons it could greenlight the Nine-Fairfax merger, with ACCC Chairman Rod Simms saying: “With the growth in online news, however, many other players, albeit smaller, now provide some degree of competitive constraint”.
The site’s innovative funding model sees it supported by ISH and advertising.
The actual publishing of the site and its newsletters is done by Motion Publishing, whose directors are Guthrie, Crikey publisher Eric Beecher, and longtime Adelaide publishing identity, Paul Hamra.
Motion Publishing recently won a contract extension which Hamra, managing director since launch, said was an important endorsement of both the site’s achievements and its future.
In its five years the news site has grown to an audience of 2.3 million monthly users, according to Google Analytics.
Nielsen has had The New Daily in its top 20 news websites in Australia for most of 2018 – quite an achievement, given it couldn’t crack the Top 200 in its first month.
“We were coming from an absolute standing start,” says Hamra of the November 13, 2013 launch.
“Unlike most of our competitors we didn’t have decades of print or TV audiences following us into digital.”
The site now boasts an impressive editorial line-up of more than 30 editors and journalists, including Guthrie, Quentin Dempster, Michael Pascoe, Kirstie Clements, Kate Halfpenny, Tim Fergusson, Paul Bongiorno, Francis Leach and Paula Matthewson.
Ex-News Canberra correspondent, Samantha Maiden, recently started contributing to the site too.
Former Sunraysia Daily editor, Patrick Elligett, has been editor since November last year.
He replaced longtime editor, Thomas Hunter, who, in turn, replaced founding editor, Daniel Sankey, who now runs The Australian’s online site.
Earlier this year, one of The New Daily’s journalists, Christiane Barro, won a Walkley Award for her series on medicinal cannabis.
“Over our five years we’ve employed more than 100 journalists directly or indirectly,” said Hamra.
“Those jobs just simply wouldn’t have existed if ISH hadn’t taken that first step.”
While the site has a 24×7 homepage, the bulk of its audience comes through its weekday AM and PM bulletins and its morning bulletin on weekends.
More than 450,000 subscribers now get the regular news emails with hundreds of thousands of them also subscribing to specialist newsletters on Property, Travel and Health, which go out monthly.
“Most weeks we send out close to six million emails,” said Hamra.
“That makes us one of the biggest email publishers in the country.”
The site has had to continually upgrade its email service provider as its audience has exploded.
It currently uses Adestra.
“We are working with them on some very exciting innovations that we’ll unveil in the new year,” says Hamra.
Co-founder Bruce Guthrie says he is immensely proud of what the editorial and publishing teams have achieved in just five years.
“Even though the barriers to entry into news publishing have come down because of digital, the reality is that few Australian companies have stepped up,” said Guthrie.
“Indeed, if you look at the new entrants cited by the ACCC last week, The New Daily, Buzzfeed, Crikey, The Guardian and The Daily Mail, most are from overseas.
“When you add in The New York Times, CNN, BBC, Huffington Post, it’s something of an invasion.
“There aren’t many new Australian-owned media businesses having a go.
“To that extent, I think we’ve shown the way,” he said.
Latest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.