- Thinking About It by Zee Feed
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For the third year in a row I’m sitting here writing a Year in Review for my own media business. It’s so surreal! I’m prouder than ever of what we’ve produced, the reputation Zee Feed has and the trust we’ve built with you all. But (there is always a but)...
This was undeniably the hardest year yet. I had multiple meetings to get advice and insight from people working at bigger publications, only for those same people to lay off their own staff shortly after. 2023 was a brutal year for the Australian media industry, and while it’s been kind of reassuring to know that big media brands are facing the exact same financial pressure (that means it’s not just me!!!), I’m not naive. These are dangerous waters; while the big, ugly duopoly of News Corp and Nine will be able to weather the storm, independent outlets are at huge risk right now. We won’t all survive, the industry is too unwell. Even the ABC seems on the brink.
So in 2024 I’m taking a big risk to ensure that Zee Feed is not only able to survive the next few years, but thrive. It won’t be a typical move for a media outlet… but there’s logic to it. And it’s something I’m confident holds up to my values, and the strong morals and values of Zee Feed readers (which is often the problem with other revenue models). Sorry this is so cryptic, but all will be revealed soon!
The year ahead remains uncertain… but I am the optimistic New Year’s girly. Things will change, and team Zee Feed will be working our damn hardest to ensure those changes are for the better – within our business, our world, and ourselves.
Thank you for supporting us through such tough times. Here’s to more for us all in 2024!
The Triumphs:
POV on the Voice Hub: The single most important piece of journalism we produced this year was this Google Sheet compiling exclusively First Nations perspectives on the proposed (and ultimately defeated) Voice to Parliament. It helped people actually listen to the Indigenous folks sharing their views without asking for additional labour, it was ad-free, it isolated the conservative No campaign, and it refused to add to the noise. I’m excited to try more outside-the-box ideas next year.
Our Editorial Position: This was a shameful year for Australian journalism, shown in the way many mainstream and independent media outlets covered the Voice Referendum and the escalation of Israel’s campaign against Palestine. Zee Feed’s editorial commitment to progressive and feminist beliefs has cost us financial opportunities. But the messages, emails and comments we receive assure me we are right to stand by them. If it turns out the only way to ‘win’ in this industry is to publish to neutral centrist values using Gen Z slang, then I’ll simply quit. Our values are the value.
Growth: We had great year-on-year growth across the board: 40% more traffic to our long form writing on the site; 30% more people listening to what we have to say on Instagram and 40% more on TikTok. Considering we achieved this with a lot less money behind us than some of our peers, I’m stoked with those numbers!
The Challenges:
Money: Per the 300-odd words at the top of this email. We’re not the only ones struggling – redundancies at other titles were still being made in the week before Christmas. Manifesting more financial stability for all of our faves in 2024, please!
The Industry: There are some ugly truths about this industry that I’ve been too scared to talk about, but I can feel are making me a little bitter. It’s holding me back from doing my best work. In 2024 I’ll be working on personally resolving some of those feelings, and professionally advocating for the changes that need to be made.
Leaving Sydney: Some of you will already know, but after almost 7 years Pierre and I have moved to beautiful Hobart! Which has, essentially, relocated Zee Feed HQ too. This will be a challenge, as the decision-making of Australian media is so heavily centralised in Sydney and Melbourne. And I loved our life in Sydney! But as a Perth girl, I know what it’s like to be an outsider – sometimes the best, most insightful work requires a step back for some perspective. Let’s see what the cool change will bring?
Good stuff on Zee Feed rn:
I’ll be spending the first week of 2024 reading all the bookmarked articles I didn’t get to this year. If you’re also looking for something smart to read that' is not a book, we have compiled EVERY content recommendation from the year – separated into categories. CLICK TO CHECK THEM OUT.