Digital news channel The Daily Aus, which has pioneered a social media-first approach to current affairs for younger Australians, has raised $1.2 million in Seed funding.
The round was led by media former Nine CEO David Gyngell, supported by Canva executives Zach Kitschke and Rob Kawalsky, as well as festival’s Untitled Group. Canva’s support is synergistic, as The Daily Aus has built an Instagram audience that uses Canva to create its narrative tiles.
Co-founders Sam Koslowski, 26, and Zara Seidler, 24, will use the money to ramp up the newsroom workforce with new young journalists, and to delve deeper into audience insights for advertisers. The company is also looking forward to international expansion and plans to launch in the UK within the next 18 months.
The Daily Aus distributes its content via Instagram, podcast and newsletter, as well as having a website. It is part of a new wave of digital media seeking a younger audience in a highly fragmented media market. The Daily Aus now reaches over 1.3 million Australians on social media per month and has a strong focus on young women, with 75% of its audience aged 34 and 80% female.
Even The Australian, which features hits by older white men, recently launched a youth spin-off, the Ozo†
While news satire titles like The Betootata Advocate and The Shovel have performed well and built a strong following on social media, titles like The Squiz are also targeting a younger, digitally savvy female generation who want the news to them. to explain.
Koslowski and Zara Seidler quit their full-time jobs 18 months ago to focus on their media business, which now has more than 370,000 followers on Instagram.
The title, which has two journalists, was edited by Billi FitzSimons, the daughter of media royalty Lisa Wilkinson and Peter FitzSimons.
Koslowski and Seidler said, “the hard work has just begun” after the raise.
But there’s a certain energy around The Daily Aus and a quiet confidence that we’re onto something special. Above all, there is a continued determination to provide high quality news to an under-reported audience of young Australians, and to improve our understanding of this dynamic, intelligent, proud cohort,” said de.
“We are delighted to bring some of the brightest minds from Australian business and media into the mix – we are ready to go and know we have the best team in the industry alongside us.”
After following his father’s trade to become a highly successful media executive, investor David Gyngell said: “Zara, Sam and their team are very impressive. They understand and respect their audience and in a very difficult space they have had early success. It won’t be easy from now on, but it’s easy to support good journalists.”
