Arrival of a new regional news publisher in Australia has left others questioning how it’s possible and who’s behind it.

Gazette founder chief executive Anna Saulwick announced the company’s “soft launch” in a LinkedIn post this week, saying that it was “exactly the right time to rethink the news”.

Earlier, Private Media’s Crikey had published two reports – most recently this week – asking who is funding the publications and why?

This week, the Gazette company launched the East Melburnian – targeted at Manningham, Maroondah, Whitehorse, Monash and Knox – and promised “more titles coming soon” with Gippsland and Sydney’s North Shore “next”.

Saulwick says the venture has the support of “an incredible group of philanthropic backers” who share a mission to combat misinformation, elevate public interest journalism and address environmental challenges, and the website names Matthew Doran, James Taylor and Mark Rawson.

“This seed funding has enabled us to start delivering free, accessible reporting to Australian communities,” she says. Revenue will come from “a diverse mix” of sources including advertising, affiliate marketing, reader donations and events.

Saulwick says with the internet having “upended the business of news” there are fewer voices left to tell stories, “and the vast majority of Australians on the wrong side of a paywall.

“Meanwhile, social media platforms have perfected a business of engagement over information – fuelling our feeds with outrage, and soothing our spirits with a barrage of affirmation for our existing beliefs.

“These algorithms are indifferent to whether they’re spreading misinformation or polarising us to the point that some of us can barely talk to loved ones and neighbours.”

She says independent journalism is essential for building informed, connected, and resilient communities that can advocate for their own interests, “and that’s why I’m launching Gazette”.

She notes the support of “visionary philanthropists” including Doran, Taylor and Rawson, but says Gazette won’t be accepting funding from political organisations, and promises “a firm editorial firewall” between all funding sources and newsrooms.

Saulwick, who has a bachelor’s degree in genetics and a doctorate in law, says she “moved back from a long time overseas to do this”.

LinkedIn lists an interesting background, including membership of the board of documentary film institution The Flaherty.

During almost five years with Change.org in San Francisco – which she joined as chief of staff – she developed an ML-enabled media tool to serve content to reporters, and found herself leading innovation there. Her CV also lists 11 months as New York-based System Initiative’s “first product leader hire”, building features for a “highly ambitious” B2B SaaS product in the DevOps space, and almost two years as innovation lead for UNICEF in New York.

Flashback ten years and you’ll find Saulwick leading a team in Germany working for democratic reform of the EU ahead of the 2014 elections. Before that, she was helping Australian academics and legal practitioners understand caselaw on client legal privilege, and before that, as a campaign manager for GetUp! in 2008-9, working to end mandatory detention of refugees entering Australia. You’ll find references to her 2008 evidence to a parliamentary committee as rights, justice and democracy campaigner for GetUp!

With Gazette, she promises free, high-quality local news delivered online to communities around the nation. “We'll build a stable of authentic, local voices and deliver a mix of lifestyle content and coverage of the issues, a ton of vertical video, with a commitment to building trust with the audiences we serve,” she says.
With recruitment still underway, key members named on the website include editorial director Brad Esposito, who was a founding member of BuzzFeed Australia, and audience growth director Sean Dillon, who worked previously for Nova Entertainment and Pedestrian.

Saulwick says she’s “looking for folks who want to make an impact and are excited about rethinking the way we inform, entertain, and connect with audiences”.

Pictured, top (from LinkedIn): Anna Saulwick; and (above) the East Melburnian site, where reports have so far included a mix of food and event guides, together with calls for more Croydon shops and faster election counts.