Cheers to 20 years of getting inside the news in South Australia
This week South Australian-based publishing house, Solstice Media, celebrates 20 years of producing local, independent news through InDaily – originally launched as a newspaper called The Independent Weekly in September 2004.
The Independent Weekly was a brave venture, supported by South Australian investors who believed the state needed a new voice and different view from The Advertiser.
On September 19, 2004 it rolled off the press, selling about 25,000 copies of the broadsheet weekly. After five years of printing, The Independent Weekly transitioned its print audience to the pioneering new daily online news – InDaily.
We asked our founder, Paul Hamra, what he is most proud of over the past 20 years. Here’s his list of the 20 best things about publishing in South Australia.
1. Breaking local news. With impacts.
2. Covering and uncovering so many stories about the great things people do in our state.
3. Exposing some of the bad things people do, too.
You might like
4. Putting a spotlight on issues and seeing governments act on change as a result.
5. Pioneering the transition from print to digital news, which has become a case study for other news outlets.
6. Working with some of the best journalists, editors, columnists, producers, photographers and designers.
7. Working with a resilient sales team, creating solutions for clients, often against fierce competition.
8. Creating jobs opportunities for over 250 people in the local media sector over 20 years and currently employing more than 80 people across the country in three states.
9. Gathering a community of investors and donors to support public interest journalism.
Stay informed, daily
10. Creating events to showcase our talent – 40 Under 40, South Australian Business Index and Regional Showcase and more.
11. Launching InReview – our arts journalism and reviewing website – and The Post for South Australian Millenials.
12. Building an audience of over 500,000 readers*. (*Audited by IPSOS)
13. Winning multiple awards for our journalism, commentary and photographs over 20 years.
14. Employing three Journalists of the Year. Employing five Young Journalists of the Year.
15. Providing diversity of media voices in South Australia.
16. Providing more than 150 journalism internships and giving young journalists their start in media.
17. The only local publisher to secure Google and Facebook funding (Facebook has since been cut).
18. Expanding nationally with InDaily in Queensland and The New Daily in Victoria.
19. Acquiring SALIFE magazine and CityMag in 2018.
20. To still be publishing 20 years later when they said we wouldn’t see out the first year!
