Independent news commentary platform Cheek Media Co has appointed Mi3’s Kalila Welch as editor, making her the company’s first full-time employee.
The platform, described as “news that talks back”, was launched in 2021 by Hannah Ferguson and two female co-founders, with the ambition to fill the gap in accessible feminist media. It aims to engage young readers, addressing news topics through a progressive lens.
Hannah Ferguson spoke at the National Press Club in May
Now the sole owner of the business, Ferguson has grown Cheek Media across a number of channels, including Substack, podcasting, and primarily, Instagram.
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The Instagram page has increased from 10,000 followers in its first year, to 50,000 in late 2022, to 193,000 at the time of publication. According to Cheek Media’s website, it reaches over two million Australians every month on Instagram alone.
The company currently has five main revenue streams — Substack, a partnership with sexual wellness brand Normal Co, podcast sponsorship, live events, and Instagram sponsorship.
According to an Instagram post on Monday, this has put Ferguson in a good position financially, enabling her to make her first full-time hire in Welch. Cheek also employs two part-timers, a researcher and a social media and growth strategist.
“The rise of the independent media landscape in Australia this year is a testament to a growing number of Australians who are disillusioned with legacy media,” Ferguson said in a quote sent to Mumbrella.
“Bringing on Kalila to develop the content offering is incredibly exciting, she is the right person to help continue cultivating trust with Cheek’s audience.”
Kalila Welch
Welch will be responsible for the day-to-day operations, including correspondence with external contributors, development of the Substack platform, and management of social posts.
According to a Substack article, where Ferguson outlines exactly how the platform makes money, Cheek Media will still be “driven by progressive opinions on the news, but the breadth and depth of coverage will improve and the contributing voices will rapidly expand”.
Welch joins after 18 months as a senior journalist at Mi3. Prior to that, she spent two-and-a-half years at Mumbrella.
“I’ve loved watching Cheek evolve over the last five years, and it’s hugely exciting to be able to step into the business to help Hannah shape the next phase of growth,” Welch told Mumbrella.