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Global Mail website to close less than two years after its launch | Global Mail website to close less than two years after its launch |
(7 months later) | |
Independent journalism start-up The Global Mail is being wound up less than two years after the bold experiment, funded by Wotif founder and philanthropist Graeme Wood, was set up. | Independent journalism start-up The Global Mail is being wound up less than two years after the bold experiment, funded by Wotif founder and philanthropist Graeme Wood, was set up. |
Staff at the digital journalism project based in Sydney – which employs 21 journalists, editors, photographers and IT staff – were sent an email on Wednesday telling them the Global Mail would cease operation next month. | |
The Global Mail describes itself as a “philanthropically funded, not-for-profit news and features website". It is a free site which carries no advertising. | The Global Mail describes itself as a “philanthropically funded, not-for-profit news and features website". It is a free site which carries no advertising. |
On its website it says: “Our mission is to deliver original, fearless, independent journalism. We strive to inform, provoke, expose – and entertain.” | On its website it says: “Our mission is to deliver original, fearless, independent journalism. We strive to inform, provoke, expose – and entertain.” |
But the site failed to gain the traction it needed to gain a strong foothold in the Australian media market, despite being well resourced with experienced journalists and editors. | But the site failed to gain the traction it needed to gain a strong foothold in the Australian media market, despite being well resourced with experienced journalists and editors. |
Focusing on long-form journalism projects and international stories, the Global Mail did not engage in daily news. | Focusing on long-form journalism projects and international stories, the Global Mail did not engage in daily news. |
The site suffered from internal instability, losing its founding editor Monica Attard after just three months after disagreements with staff over the site's direction and style. | The site suffered from internal instability, losing its founding editor Monica Attard after just three months after disagreements with staff over the site's direction and style. |
The unpopular sideways scrolling design of the website was dumped eight months after launch. | The unpopular sideways scrolling design of the website was dumped eight months after launch. |
In 2011 Wood pledged $15m over five years for the independent online journal with the slogan "Our only agenda is our audience". | In 2011 Wood pledged $15m over five years for the independent online journal with the slogan "Our only agenda is our audience". |
It launched early in 2012 with former ABC journalist Attard as its founding editor. | It launched early in 2012 with former ABC journalist Attard as its founding editor. |
When Attard left, Jane Nicholls, a former editor at Time Inc’s Who magazine in Australia and New York, was appointed chief executive officer. | When Attard left, Jane Nicholls, a former editor at Time Inc’s Who magazine in Australia and New York, was appointed chief executive officer. |
The editor of the Global Mail is Lauren Martin, an American journalist who worked at The Sydney Morning Herald before editing the US paper The Vineyard Gazette, in Martha’s Vineyard. | The editor of the Global Mail is Lauren Martin, an American journalist who worked at The Sydney Morning Herald before editing the US paper The Vineyard Gazette, in Martha’s Vineyard. |
Senior writers at the Global Mail include Eric Ellis, Bernard Lagan and Mike Seccombe, all former Fairfax journalists. | Senior writers at the Global Mail include Eric Ellis, Bernard Lagan and Mike Seccombe, all former Fairfax journalists. |
The site’s director of photography is Mike Bowers, who hosts Talking Pictures on the ABC’s Insiders program and is a former chief photographer for The Sydney Morning Herald. | The site’s director of photography is Mike Bowers, who hosts Talking Pictures on the ABC’s Insiders program and is a former chief photographer for The Sydney Morning Herald. |
Wood co-founded wotif.com in 2000 and is involved in a range of philanthropic projects in the arts, environment, youth development, medical science and journalism, including contributing funding for Guardian Australia. | Wood co-founded wotif.com in 2000 and is involved in a range of philanthropic projects in the arts, environment, youth development, medical science and journalism, including contributing funding for Guardian Australia. |
Wood has been reported as saying he believes independent quality journalism is the foundation of a healthy and civil society. “I think that was under threat in Australia," he said in an ABC interview last year. | Wood has been reported as saying he believes independent quality journalism is the foundation of a healthy and civil society. “I think that was under threat in Australia," he said in an ABC interview last year. |
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