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Guardian Australia

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This article is about the Australian website of the British Guardian newspaper. It should not be confused with the Cowra Guardian, the Swan Hill Guardian, or any other unrelated newspaper bearing the same name in Australia.

Guardian Australia
TypeOnline newspaper
Owner(s)Guardian Media Group
Editor-in-chiefLenore Taylor
Deputy editorDavid Munk
Founded2013 (2013)
Political alignmentCentre to left-wing[1]
LanguageEnglish
HeadquartersFoster Street, Sydney, Australia
Sister newspapersThe Guardian, Guardian US, Guardian New Zealand
Websitewww.theguardian.com/au

Guardian Australia is the Australian website of the British global online and print newspaper, The Guardian.

Available solely in an online format, the newspaper's launch was led by Katharine Viner in time for the 2013 Australian federal election and followed the introduction of Guardian US in 2011. Guardian Australia is owned by Guardian Media Group, which is in turn owned by the Scott Trust, which aims to stay independent and free from 'commercial pressures'.[2] The online publication relies on digital advertising and voluntary reader donations or subscriptions for revenue, eschewing enforced paywalls implemented by other news websites.[3]

Guardian Australia's headquarters is based in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills, with bureaux in Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra.[4] It employs more than 70 journalists, editors and other personnel as of 2020, including editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor who assumed responsibilities in 2016.[4][non-primary source needed][failed verification]

History

[edit]

Prior to its 2013 launch the British edition of the website was already popular with Australian audiences, with over 1.3 million users per month helping it rank just outside the top 10 most-visited news websites in Australia.[5] In June 2018[6] and July 2021,[7] Guardian Australia was ranked No. 5 among news websites in Australia.

Following an investment from businessman Graeme Wood, prompted by Malcolm Turnbull,[8] Guardian Australia was launched on 27 May 2013 in the lead-up to the 2013 federal election.[9] The British team was joined by local journalists, some of whom previously worked at News Corp Australia and Fairfax Media, including Lenore Taylor, Katherine Murphy and David Marr.[10]

Guardian Australia has a Comment is free section edited by Gabrielle Jackson, featuring opinion pieces from regular writers, politicians, other public figures and members of the public.[9]

In 2016, it was announced that the then political editor Lenore Taylor would take over the editorship following the end of Emily Wilson's tenure.[11]

In May 2017, as part of a confidential legal settlement, Guardian Australia issued an apology to Noel Pearson over a story they published in January 2017, which made defamatory claims. The newspaper said it "The Guardian Australia accepts that the comments regarding Mr Noel Pearson in that article were false. The Guardian Australia unreservedly retracts the statements made in the article regarding Mr Noel Pearson and apologises for the harm and distress caused to him."[12]

Guardian Australia turned its first profit after five years of operations with a balance of $700,000 in financial year 2017–2018. Previously, the online publication posted a loss of A$7.5 million against a revenue of A$3.79 million in 2013–2014, a loss of A$6 million in 2014–2015 and a loss of A$14 million in 2015–2016.[13][14][15][16]

Ownership

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Guardian Australia is owned by Guardian Media Group, which is in turn owned by the Scott Trust, a limited company which aims to ensure the editorial independence of its publications and websites.[17]

Editorial stance

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Guardian Australia endorsed the Labor Party and the Greens for the 2019 Australian federal election[18], for the 2022 Australian federal election it endorsed the Labor Party, the Greens and the Teal independents.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Muller, Denis (19 June 2017). "Mixed media: how Australia's newspapers became locked in a war of left versus right". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024. So when these two companies become polarised to the extent they have, there is a void at the centre. Notably, this is where The Guardian Australia has positioned itself (in reporting, at least – its opinions still lean to the left).
  2. ^ "The Scott Trust: values and history". The Guardian. 26 July 2015. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  3. ^ Rawsthorne, Sally (27 March 2015). "Guardian Australia says no to paywall and print edition". Mediaweek. Australia. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Guardian Australia – meet the team". Guardian Australia. 14 November 2022. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Guardian to launch Australian online edition". ABC News/AAP. 16 January 2013. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2016. The newspaper, which reports a global digital readership of 39 million people, says Australia is its fourth-largest market with 1.3 million users.
  6. ^ Samos, Zoe (12 July 2018). "Nielsen swings continue as publishers seek to improve measurement coverage". Mumbrella. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Top News sites July 2021: ABC and news.com.au lead market". Mediaweek. 19 August 2021. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024.
  8. ^ Taylor, Lenore (16 April 2020). "Guardian Australia owes Malcolm Turnbull thanks – but not favours". Guardian Australia. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  9. ^ a b Christensen, Nic (27 May 2013). "The Guardian launches its Australian digital edition". Mumbrella. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2016. The website also includes an Australian version of its successful opinion and commentary website Comment is Free which launches with pieces from Robert Manne, John Pilger and Thomas Keneally.
  10. ^ "Guardian Australia primed and ready". B&T Magazine. 27 May 2013. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  11. ^ Mitchell, Georgina (20 May 2016). "Lenore Taylor named new editor of Guardian Australia". Fairfax Media. The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Apology to Noel Pearson". Guardian Australia. 21 May 2017. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Guardian Australia loses $7.5m, despite readership gains". NewsMediaWorks. 5 November 2014. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 22 December 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. ^ Davidson, Darren (20 May 2016). "Guardian appoints new editor to loss-making Australian site". The Australian. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  15. ^ Watkins, Emily (1 August 2018). "Guardian Australia posts first profit since launch". Crikey. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024. Guardian's first profit. Guardian Australia has announced, with great delight, that it has turned a profit. Its financial report revealed a $700,000 profit — the first since it launched five years ago. It's not turning over enough, though, to repay original benefactor Graeme Wood. Instead, parent company Guardian Media Group, based in the UK, recapitalised Guardian Australia to settle the loan. Guardian Australia now has 65,000 paying members, which accounts for 36% of the site's revenue. Advertising revenue makes up the rest.
  16. ^ Jolly, Nathan (24 September 2024). "The Guardian Australia doubled profits in 2024". Mumbrella. Retrieved 4 October 2024. GNM Australia Pty Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of Guardian News & Media, cleared a $1.27 million profit during FY24, more than double the $619,492 profit posted in FY23. The publication took $40 million in revenue, up 4.7%, from $37 million the prior year.
  17. ^ "About Guardian Media Group". Guardian Media Group. 24 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  18. ^ "The Guardian view on the Australian election: vote on the climate emergency". Guardian Australia. 16 May 2019. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  19. ^ "The Guardian view on the Australian federal election: say no to spin and inaction". Guardian Australia. 18 May 2022. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
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