You thought Rupert was right wing? You’ve seen nothing yet
With today’s news the Mail Online is set to launch an Australian arm, Alex Hayes looks at what it means for the local media scene.
We could be about to see one of the most exciting periods for Australian journalism there has ever been. But, first, I have one question for you. How much is your house worth?
If you’re ever interviewed by a Daily Mail journalist, be prepared to know the exact market valuation of your two-bedder in Wagga, or they will pop along to a local realtor to get a drive-by estimate, and include the, almost certainly irrelevant fact, in their story.
It’s a tactic known as ‘People like us’ which aims to show make the characters at the centre of some of the bizarre stories the paper digs up as relatable-to as possible for the mainly middle-class housewives who devour the paper every day with glee.
The Daily Mail has not done well re gaining ad revenue, in spite of its claim to be the world’s most-read news site. The year isn’t over yet but guesstimates of the DM’s global ad revenue say that it will finish 2013 with a 59% lift in ad revenue to US$72 million.
Most of this revenue is from the UK and in September MailOnline launched a US$1 million ad campaign in the US – where it boasts 600,000 readers a day – in a bid to attract US advertisers. The campaign is called Seriously Popular – and the text reads – The Kims – They Are On The Same Page and features images of Kim Kardashian and Kim Jong Un.
The main demographic reading MailOnline is not middle-class housewives. Gen Y women aged 25 to 24 account for half its readership. according to AdAge.
Will the Mail Online succeed? Readers will decide, whatever pejorative label Alex Hayes uses to describe the Daily Mail. Me thinks there’s a huge audience for the Mail’s tabloid journalism—far bigger than the Guardian’s audience.
Great piece. I wonder if those who choose to take a daily dose of Kim Kardashian’s bikini will be less excited when they start to see the matter of its editorial ?
I am embarassed to admit it but I visit the Daily Mail about 3 times a week.
I like the sidebar of shame. And I am a lefty pink commie!
Don’t tell anyone – it’s good trash tho
I worked with the founding editor of The Daily Mail as a writer and news executive. We read pieces like this every day in our rivals – usually after we had scooped them!
Decades on, The Mail and now the Mail Online continue to dominate. Even on a world stage.
The strategy is simple to understand but hard to execute: know your readers completely; delivery what they want (and nothing else); do it with professionalism and panache.
Mail Online will do brilliantly in Australia. Expect more hand-ringing pieces about how on earth they stole Australian readers’ hearts…
Just wondering if you felt compelled to announce The Guardian as a lefty rag when its Australian branch came online?
I much prefer The Daily Mash http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/ who have to be mentioned when discussing The Daily Mail.
The Daily Mail already does brilliantly in AU – have a look at the thousands of views of the sidebar of shame during lunch in your office.
Some may not approve but they and The Guardian are the UK papers transcending national borders to become global brands.
As I said before, Fairfax should launch The Age globally if they have any real ambition.