Australian Street Press Is Here To Stay

A note from the publisher has been posted on TheMusic.com.au, standing up for Street Press Australia amidst the latest shambles to happen at Fairfax and News Ltd. It would appear that our beloved print media is going nowhere, adapting to the changes that the market continues to throw at them.

The article assures us that “for as long as the current directors are at the helm we will continue to produce the printed magazines on a weekly basis”, followed by a list of reasons justifying their position:



1. We Are Free – supported by advertisers, but in control of our circulation. We know our publications are read, we know the readers would like even more papers on the street. We do not face the same issues as our daily counterparts as no purchasing choice is made. Our content is available across multiple platforms and will remain free wherever you read it.

2. We Are Relevant – ask any band, label or advertiser. There is something special about print and in our eyes the printed word, or the online word covered by print journalists, carries more weight than simply ‘online content’. Showing someone a printed article still has more kudos than sending them a link to some far away website.

3. We Are Facing The Challenges – Street Press Australia understands the need to provide a multi-platform environment for our content, whether it be the iPad editions, the launch of theMusic.com.au across web and mobile or other platforms (stay tuned for a major announcement in August), Street Press Australia is committed to producing and distributing content to as many readers that we can access.

4. A Digital Strategy – theMusic.com.au since launch has allowed us to extend out coverage and reach into new markets that have been restricted by current print publications, but is driven by the history and ethos of the weekly mags. The digital world means that we can take the written word and allow it to come alive digitally, Tracks embedded in reviews on the iPad, exclusive footage shot by us of up and coming, and established, bands all adds to what usually starts with the written word. Major up-to-the-minute news published to the site and one of Australia’s leading entertainment industry daily newsletters are ensuring that the group, and the magazines, stay relevant for many years to come.

5. Multiple Publications – Street Press Australia is not beholden to the whims of a single market, our national reach ensures that we can ride the bumps and waves of single-state publications.

6. We Will Change – In the background and boardroom we are constantly evolving and looking at all our media to ensure each piece of the puzzle remains relevant, especially print. The site will develop, and the papers will change but this will be led by the readers – one thing the digital world has given us greater access to is incredible analytics. More than ever before we can define what is relevant and what our readers and users want.

The company has admitted that times are tough, but is committed that the dedicated crew behind the whole operation will keep kicking ass and continue to get the job done.

Signing off, the publisher takes one final swing: “In the words of a fellow publisher “Street Press is dead” but perhaps added to this should have been “Long live street press”.

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