2012 was a bad year for the print media. What Queen Elizabeth might call an annus horribilis.
So, after a year packed with announcements of staff layoffs at Australia’s major newspapers, it’s nice to begin 2013 with some good news – about new jobs for journalists.
The Guardian has confirmed rumours that it will launch an Australian (digital-only) edition, backed by internet entrepreneur and philanthropist Graeme Wood, backer of the Global Mail.
The Guardian’s deputy editor, Katharine Viner, will move to Sydney to head up the venture later this year.
Paul Chadwick, the outgoing director of editorial policy at the ABC, will become a non-excutive director of Guardian Australia.
‘We will build a small Australian team to cover the issues that really matter to the nation and connect our Australian readers to the Guardian’s global network of correspondents and commentators,’ says Viner.
There will be ‘a number of short-term secondments’ from Guardian News and Media in London, but the majority of staff – in editorial and technology – will be hired locally.
The newspaper says Australia is its fourth largest market.
‘We already have a large number of Australian readers, who tell us they want more of our on-the-ground reporting, lively commentary and groundbreaking open journalism,’ says VIner.