News.com.au retains most-read publication ranking
News.com.au is Australia’s most-read news website for two months in a row, after slipping from the top spot midway through last year after a renewed focus on hard news by the ABC.
This is according to the Ipsos iris ranking report for December, which shows news.com.au’s readership has ballooned to 250,000 more than the ABC, after November saw the two publications separated by just 40,000 readers.
It’s a pleasing end to the year for news.com.au, who was the country’s leading news site from April 2023 through to last June, when the ABC took the crown from them. News.com.au took the lead again in July, and held it by just 10,000 readers in August.
Managing director and publisher of free news and lifestyle at News Corp, Pippa Leary, said: “Our network of
trusted news and lifestyle sites has had an incredible year.
“News Corp Australia was the leading news and information publisher for 12 consecutive months and importantly, through our highly engaged audiences, we delivered strong engaged reach that drives real results for our clients.”
ABC led the rankings ahead in September and October, but was toppled in November.
The ABC’s 2024 success can be attributed in part to a refocused online news offering, introduced after chairman Williams blasted the national broadcasters focus on lifestyle stories over the likes of Gaza strikes and NATO meetings.
“The ABC’s primary obligations are obviously to what might be regarded as serious news and commentary and to things that reflect a plurality of serious aspirations on the part of the community, or things that are in mainstream entertainment,” Williams told the Guardian.
The ABC was the country’s top-ranking news website for close to three years during the pandemic, when the country turned to the national broadcaster for updates.
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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