Connect with the Publishing Industry
Mumbrella Publish is back to reunite the publishing industry. Returning for the first time since 2019, this one-day summit covers the entire print and digital spectrum, welcoming those across custom, marketing, production, sales, journalism, editing, and senior leadership. With the publishing landscape experiencing a world of change and facing new challenges in the aftermath of COVID, there's never been a more important time to hear from its most influential and important experts and prepare for the industry of tomorrow. Discuss the cultural trends, the disruptors, and the next-level thinkers that define Australian publishing.
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Advanced Rate
Each individual ticket includes:
- Full access to conference
- Networking drinks
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Save over $100 per ticket when you purchase a bundle of five tickets. Each individual ticket includes:
- Full access to conference
- Networking drinks
Group Advanced Rate
Save over $190 per ticket when you purchase a bundle of ten tickets. Each individual ticket includes:
- Full access to conference
- Networking drinks
MEET THE SPEAKERS
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Ben May
Ben May is the founder of The Code Company — a specialist technical agency that helps content-based businesses find the best way to operate and monetise their digital platforms.
Over the last decade, Ben has led digital transformation projects for dozens of media brands, including Nine, Mumbrella, Private Media, Pedestrian, The Squiz and Drive. His passion is helping businesses cut through technical complexity to create high-performing websites that accelerate audience engagement and maximise revenue.
Chris Wirasinha
Chris Wirasinha co-founded Australia’s largest youth focused publishing company Pedestrian Group when he was just 21. Over 14 years Pedestrian grew from two people working out of a bedroom to a $100m valuation and staff of 100. After selling Pedestrian to Nine Entertainment and exiting the business in 2019 Chris has gone on to launch Linkby which helps brands grow their editorial coverage via monetised press releases that remunerate publishers for every click they drive back to the brands’ sites. In under two years Linkby has launched into the US & UK and helped brands including Koala, The Daily Edited, Jimmy Brings & Modibodi connect with publishers including The Daily Mail, Forbes, Buzzfeed, Instyle, Refinery29, Bustle, Broadsheet and News.com.au. Chris also works with a number of not-for-profits including sitting on the boards of Indigenous mentoring network AIME & The Biennale of Sydney.
Ebony Gaylor
A founder, speaker, author and thought leader, Ebony has worked on social and environmental movements globally, leading innovative system change through government and commercial lenses.
A BIT ABOUT EBONY…
Ebony is a sociologist and social futurist interested in the intersections of brands and social/environmental issues. She is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Decade of Action (or D.O.A), a social cause consultancy driving action and change with brands on the most important and complex issues of our time.
Over the last (almost) twenty years, she has smashed together the worlds of sociology, technology and marketing - trying to find ways to tackle social issues that drive action, disrupt culture and accelerate positive change.
Whether it was taking court hearings into virtual world’s through Second Life, tackling loneliness through professional e-sports teams, using predictive social media mapping to understand how/why people respond in disasters, creating the Report That Can Stop An Overdose with 0.4mg of Naloxone, The Help Economy and A Fire Inside to shine a light on the power of the human help reflex, or stopping the news for a day through #WaitingOnZuck - Ebony continues to lead the way in demonstrating that when it comes to big, gnarly and complex issues…change is not only necessary, it is possible and brands are one of the most significant forces to drive this change in the decade ahead.
A few extra bits…
Ebony is a co-founder of D.O.A, alumni of Singularity University,, an Adjunct Professor at Swinburne University, a PhD candidate, founder of REDx (an innovation DoTank at Red Cross) and authored A Fire Inside (A exploration of the help reflex in response to Black Saturday bushfires).
Gaven Morris
Gaven Morris GAICD is the CEO of Bastion Transform, a digital transformation and content strategy consultancy. He is Industry Professor at University of Western Sydney and an adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra. He sits on the advisory board of Region Media and the News and Media Research Centre.
Until December 2021 he was the Director of News, Analysis and Investigations at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. During his time at the ABC, he launched the ABC News Channel, led all the daily news and current affairs teams, and implemented a comprehensive strategic and cultural change programme that elevated ABC News to become Australia’s leading digital news service and significantly broadened the diversity and breadth of its audience and staff profile.
In his decade in international news, he was a senior member of the team that built and launched Al Jazeera English, the largest news channel and digital start-up in world journalism and was on the team that expanded CNN.com to become one of the first global online news teams.
With 30 years of experience in the Australian and international media, he spent many years covering global conflicts and terrorism attacks, natural disasters, and political upheaval. He spent many years in the Australian Parliamentary press gallery and is the recipient of Australian and international journalism awards.
Jake Challenor
Jake Challenor has spent the last 20 years in the media and entertainment industries, most recently as the Publisher and Editor of widely respected industry trade titles Radio Today and The Music Network. Under his leadership, both titles hit record audience and revenue heights, launched a series of industry awards programs, and were acquired in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Challenor joined The Brag Media in March 2022 as Executive Editor, B2B & Print. He oversees the editorial direction of the newly-launched Variety Australia, along with The Industry Observer and The Music Network, and works with Editor in Chief, Poppy Reid, on the quarterly Rolling Stone Australia magazine.
James Lyall Smith
Heading up the partnerships team, James has helped cultivate the rapid rise of Australia’s largest design centric publication, The Local Project. Emphasising the highest quality of local design and architecture, The Local Project celebrates honest and human-centred design to an inspired community.
Jane Huxley
Jane is Are Media’s Chief Executive Officer for Australia and New Zealand. Prior to joining Are Media, her 25+ year career spanned blue chip and scale organisations in the technology, media, telco and content space, most recently serving as Spotify’s regional director for Europe, Middle East and Africa (based in London). Previous organisations include Microsoft, Vodafone, Fairfax Media and Pandora (Internet Radio). Jane is passionate about leading and developing people and teams, and the power of aligning culture and strategy.
Karen Mahlab AM
Karen Mahlab AM is a passionate believer in the power of community and connection and serially ignites projects that build both.
She founded one of Australia's first and best known media social enterprises: Pro Bono Australia - Australia's preeminent media organisation for civil society organisations, and PS Media - a local media startup now piloting in three locations around Australia
Over three decades she has been a Publisher, Media owner, business proprietor, social entrepreneur and board member, concurrently sitting on a wide variety of commercial and not for profit boards.
Luke Girgis
Luke Girgis is the Chief Executive Officer of The Brag Media, Australia’s largest and fastest-growing publisher representing the most iconic culture brands in the world, including Rolling Stone, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, thebrag.com, Tone Deaf, The Industry Observer and more.
Luke spent over a decade managing and developing talent in the music and entertainment sectors before founding The Brag Media in 2017. He now leads an award-winning and passionate team working across the business’s commercial, content and events divisions.
Under Luke’s leadership, The Brag Media experienced year-on-year revenue growth of over 160% in the 2021 financial year and grew its audience 4.5 million MAUs in Australia and New Zealand, while talking to niche audiences at scale for some of the biggest brands in the world.
Luke Spano
Luke Spano is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of media and tech business, Avid Collective. Luke leads each of Avid Collective’s business units focused on a range of functions such Media, Software Development, Marketing, Strategy Sales, Content and Digital.
Previously, Luke was the Head of Operations at Sports Betting and Media Start-up, JR Sports, which was acquired by Play Up Australia in 2017 and the Co-Founder of hospitality tech start-up NightGuru.
Matt Rowley
Pedestrian Group is Australia’s leading youth publisher and the home of PEDESTRIAN.TV, Refinery29, VICE, Business Insider, Gizmodo, Lifehacker, Kotaku, Openair Cinemas and soon to launch The Chainsaw.
Pedestrian Group won Large Publishing Company and Matt won Leader of The Year at the 2021 Mumbrella Publishing awards. Matt was also Chair of IAB Australia 2019-2021 and still represents Nine Entertainment (owners of Pedestrian Group) on the board.
Matt has diverse experience in Media, having been a global marketer before running and owning creative agencies in London. After returning to Australia in 2013 he held the role of Chief Revenue Officer for Fairfax Media before taking the helm at Pedestrian Group in 2019.
Misha Ketchell
Misha is the Editor of The Conversation Australia and New Zealand. He has been an editor and journalist for more than 25 years. He was previously founding editor of The Big Issue Australia and editor of Crikey, The Reader and The Melbourne Weekly. He was also a reporter and feature writer at The Age and spent several years at the ABC where he was a TV producer on Media Watch and The 7:30 Report and an editor on The Drum.
Nick Shelton
Nick Shelton is the founder and publisher behind independent media brand, Broadsheet. He established Broadsheet in 2009 after returning from a stint in London to find that no Australian media outlets were reporting on Australian city culture in the way people were experiencing it. A decade later Broadsheet is regarded as the authority on city culture in Australia with an impressive 2.5 million readers on average each month and 50 employees
In addition to Broadsheet Media, Shelton leads Broadsheet Studio - the award-winning branded content arm of the business, Broadsheet Access – the brand’s new membership offering and Scout by Broadsheet - a jobs platform for creative, media, hospitality and retail industry jobs in Melbourne and Sydney.
In June 2020, Shelton co-founded Covid success story, Providoor, with chef Shane Delia.
Poppy Reid
Poppy Reid is the Editor In Chief of Australia’s largest independent entertainment media company, The Brag Media, which includes Rolling Stone Australia, Variety Australia, Tone Deaf, The Brag, The Industry Observer and The Music Network under its umbrella. She was shortlisted for Mumbrella's Editor of the Year and B&T's Journalist/Producer Award in 2021 and is currently nominated for Music Journalist of the Year at the Australian Women in Music Awards (AWMA).
Rachel Oakley
Rachel is the Brand & Experience Manager at Laminex, a leading Australian manufacturer and supplier of decorative surfaces. Heading up the communications team, Rachel manages a diverse portfolio of market leading brands. With over 25 years’ experience working on high profile brands, she has become a specialist in the Building and Architecture industry. Her passion for building memorable brands has seen her lead the development of highly successful campaigns resulting in increased audience engagement, sales and brand health.
Sam Koslowski
Business leader, journalist, presenter and commentator, Sam Koslowski is the co-founder of The Daily Aus alongside Zara Seidler. The Daily Aus is Australia’s leading social-first news organisation targeted at young Australians with an audience of over one million Australians per month engaging with its social accounts, podcasts and newsletter. Sam and Zara not only run the business and produce the content, but also anchor the flagship TDA daily podcast. It has become one of Australia’s most-followed news podcasts with largest under 30 audience and a community that is ever growing.
Will Hayward
Will Hayward is the CEO of Private Media, publisher of Crikey, SmartCompany and The Mandarin.
Will has spent over twenty years working in the media, having previously served as CEO to UK publisher JOE Media and as BuzzFeed’s first international commercial hire as VP of Europe, as well as a number of roles at The Economist and The Wall Street Journal.
Twitter: @mrwillhayward
Zara Seidler
Zara Seidler is the co-founder of The Daily Aus, a social-first news service that engages over a quarter of a million young Australians a day. Coming from a background in independent politics, Zara has worked as a crossbench political adviser to independent federal crossbencher Dr Kerryn Phelps and campaign manager for an independent Lord Mayoral campaign. She’s also worked at Sky News, Research Australia, and did a research stint at Georgetown University. Zara has also been a commentator on prominent television programs such as Q+A, The Drum and The Project.
PUBLISH 2022 CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Are Media is Australia's largest content company for women, reaching nine in ten women every year through its portfolio of leading brands including The Australian Women's Weekly, marie claire, Gourmet Traveller, Better Homes & Gardens, Woman's Day, Country Style, beautyheaven and bounty.
In a candid and in-depth conversation, Jane Huxley shares her vision on how Australia's publishing landscape is evolving; resetting Are Media's technology stack and investing in data to support the ten profitable business models which sit under its content engine; making moves in e-Commerce; and the challenges and opportunities of building an inclusive and thriving culture that attracts and retains talent.
A music industry in crisis. A pandemic ravaging the country. The state of print media. The Brag was up against it when it decided to relaunch the iconic Rolling Stone masthead in Australia, adding another chapter to the title’s storied history. From publisher to publisher, the title has changed hands time and again, but in 2020 it faced a market unlike anything before.
Now, in 2022, its readership has pulled ahead of established titles, its online presence has grown, it has made a profit in print, and The Brag Media is now the largest youth publisher in Australia.
Jake Challenor takes to the Mumbrella Publish stage to discuss what it took to see Rolling Stone succeed against difficult circumstances. Joined by Luke Girgis and Poppy Reid via remote link, they’ll reveal the journey of reinventing the classic brand for a new audience.
Despite its benefits, native content also presents significant limitations for marketers and advertisers. Constrained by established mindsets, it hasn't evolved at the same rate as alternate digital channels.
The opportunity is there to make native content not only more accessible for the general marketer and agency person, but to unlock its potential across the board. Luke Spano will speak to Mumbrella Publish about Avid Collective’s decision to launch Avid Native, a native content network that leverages a custom-built platform that has currently attracted over 70 Australian independent publishers.
Luke will explore the issues he observes plaguing the current digital publishing model, the reasons behind establishing this new native network, and where he sees native content as an advertising solution heading.
They're apathetic, lazy, lack resilience, and are disengaged with the news. Or at least, that’s the common misconception of Australians under the age of 30.
Over 360,000 young Australians follow The Daily Aus, an independently owned Instagram-based youth news outlet. These readers are responsive, engaged and – by much of the market – largely overlooked.
The Daily Aus co-founders Sam Koslowski and Zara Seidler will provide audiences with a thoughtful, in-depth, and entertaining understanding of this demographic, exploring exclusive research that puts this group at the forefront of politics, culture and society. The pair will also discuss their approach to monetisation, efforts towards supporting quality journalism and plans for future growth.
Discover how you can authentically connect to this switched-on market and take immediately actionable learnings back into your brand.
The last 24 months have seen marked success for The Local Project. The design community publication has used its niche focus to its advantage, developing unique and strategic approaches to partnerships and branded content across every platform: editorial (print and digital), social and video.
While commercial arrangements have the potential to affect editorial integrity if not handled with diligence and respect, the approach of The Local Project has not only resulted in an increase in its audience, but also increased sales for its partners.
In this session, The Local Project’s James Lyall Smith, and Laminex Australia's Rachel Oakley will reveal how it all came together, and discuss the path to achieving mutual success between publisher and brand. Sharing insight and data to chart the growth journey, the two will reveal the key to creating authentic and engaging branded content.
For publishers: discover how to integrate successful native content without compromising on your editorial; for brands: learn how to pick a title and work with them to craft a partnership that succeeds. It's an era where audiences are more discerning and results count more than ever – are you ready to turn the page?
In March this year, more than 50 independent Australian websites decided to stop the news. For 24 hours titles such as Broadsheet and Pro Bono News put a freeze on publishing any new stories or articles, in response to Facebook overlooking independent publishers via commercial deals or the company’s Australian News Fund. The initiative was called #WaitingOnZuck, and it was a pointed one.
Since the media bargaining code was introduced last year, publishers have been in a negotiation process described as a ‘three-way tug-of-war’ between the government, the digital platforms and the news media. While bigger media companies have long secured commercial deals with Facebook, many indie publishers continue to be left in the dark.
In this session, four speakers from independent publishers and organisations will provide an overview of their dilemma, discuss how things have changed - or not - since launching the #WaitingOnZuck campaign, the transparency (or a lack thereof) of the media bargaining code, and most importantly, what needs to be done in order to ensure the vitality and variety of Australia's news and media industry.
Sitting between affiliate and 'hand-sold' advertising, cost-per-click strategies hold the power to win back key spend from the big platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Google.
Used by global and local publishers alike to retain SME and direct-to-consumer brand spend, the CPC approach carries unexplored benefits for mastheads to compete in this David vs Goliath landscape.
Pedestrian Group and Linkby co-founder Chris Wirasinha will explore the path towards making CPC the missing link in your publisher monetisation toolbox. From arbitrage strategies to finding the most valuable second page to maximise your revenue, this session will showcase examples that have won over brands born on social and search, many of whom have never before allocated any spend with publishers.
Their metropolitan headquarters and audience focus puts major publishers at some distance from regional matters, with most resources focused on issues within the concrete jungle.
Yet for the sake of media diversity, local news needs to be supported as a central component of a publisher’s stack, not just an afterthought. And beyond the big publishers, independent regional players are investing and innovating to serve their communities – but are they getting the recognition and reward they deserve?
In this session, board member of Region Media Group and former ABC News head Gaven Morris will discuss why it’s vital to break out of the city bubble and reach audiences in the outer and regional suburbs. You’ll learn how traditional and digital mastheads alike can drive innovation, support local journalism, and support diverse voices across regional Australia.
Digital publishers are increasingly being squeezed to deliver more from the products with less time, resources and money. While it can feel like an overwhelming and impossible task, creating a lean and efficient media business is achievable if you approach it with a minimalist attitude.
For the last decade The Code Company’s Ben May has helped publishers of all sizes simplify their technology and scale for success. In this practical session, he’ll discuss some of the biggest tech game-changers, reveal learning points from current publishing trends in the creator economy, and reveal the best way to balance technology and teams
From empowering your editorial team to turbo charging your social output, discover the secrets to powerful, high-performance publishing.
With 20 years of investment in its three mastheads - Crikey, SmartCompany and The Mandarin - Private Media has seen its journalism reach more people than ever, revenue more than twice what it was, and employee satisfaction at an all-time high.
But what has the company learnt from this period? What are the limits of its monetisation strategies? And where should the investment flow next?
Join CEO Will Hayward as he opens the curtain to reveal the three key pillars of Private Media and discusses the strengths and limitations of newsletters, subs revenue and niche publishing. Learn how investing in journalists, migrating your tech stack and supporting an employee-focused culture can deliver positive results in a challenging climate.
Depending on who you talk to, the rise and approach of web3 is either set to reform the foundations of the internet, or burn out as just another buzzword. But amid its seemingly scattered concepts such as decentralisation, the blockchain and token-based currency, it’s a space being explored by Australia’s youth, where notions of taking back ownership of data and content from large tech companies are gaining appeal.
Pedestrian Group is betting on that momentum with the launch of its new digital publication, The Chainsaw. CEO Matt Rowley will discuss the behind-the-scenes thinking and the research that lead to the publishing group creating Australian’s first web3 news website. Cut through the buzzwords to learn the challenges and the opportunities of reporting within this space, the key to reaching young Australians where they are, and the importance of rising above the noise of ‘opinion leaders’ with decisive action.
AUGUST 31, 2022 | AMORA HOTEL JAMISON, SYDNEY
ABOUT THE EVENT
Mumbrella's Publish Conference is for everyone working in print and/or digital publishing, including publishers, CEO's, sales, production, marketing, journalists and editors; as well as partners associated with the industry. This event is an amazing opportunity for you to network with peers in your industry and get up to speed on all the latest in publishing.
"Mumbrella Publish was more than a networking opportunity- it was a space full of the brightest and most passionate minds in local media- people who fundamentally care about the future of our industry. It was affirming, compelling and provocative. I'll be back next year."
"Well organised event with content on point and an array of guest speakers delivering thoughtful commentary."
"Very insightful and helped me get a good idea of the narrative around the industry"
SPONSORSHIP
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Mumbrella Publish Conference brings together leading PR, publishing and media experts across brands and agencies to share strategies, insights, case studies and more specifically applicable for the communications space. The event offers businesses the chance to get their branding in front of key decision makers across the industry. Raise your brand awareness to a highly targeted audience and speak with us about creating a bespoke sponsorship that fulfils your marketing objectives.
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KEEPING YOU SAFE
Your safety is our top priority. The team at Mumbrella are carefully following the latest advice and guidelines to put new measures in place to deliver a safe event for you to meet and learn.
Although our upcoming events will slightly look different than normal, these changes will allow you to enjoy the full experience whilst keeping yourself, and others, safe.
EVENT DETAILS
PUBLISH 2022
Event date: August 31, 2022
Venue: Amora Hotel Jamison, Sydney
Publish brings together everyone working in print and/or digital publishing, including publishers, CEO’s, sales, production, marketing, journalists and editors; as well as partners associated with the industry, including measurement companies, printers, distributors, marketing services agencies and technology suppliers. If you work in any of the following areas, be sure to attend:
• Newspaper, Magazine and Digital Publishers
• Media Agencies
• PR and Content Marketing Agencies
• Media Sales Consultants
• News Agents / Distributors
• Technology Vendors
• Journalists
