What Private Media does

Private Media Pty Ltd is an Australian independent digital-first media company headquartered in Melbourne, founded in 2001 and operating across offices in Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra (with a Gold Coast presence via the Pinstripe Media acquisition). The company operates a multi-masthead portfolio — Crikey (independent political journalism), The Mandarin (public sector and policy coverage), and SmartCompany (small and medium business journalism) — and in July 2025 acquired Pinstripe Media, adding Startup Daily and Flying Solo to its SMB/startup-adjacent SmartCo Media division alongside sub-brands Business Builders and Your Money & Your Life.

The company's underlying technology is built on owned-and-operated digital publishing platforms for each masthead (Crikey.com.au, TheMandarin.com.au, SmartCompany.com.au, StartupDaily.net, Flyingsolo.com.au), supported by an in-house Senior Developer and a Product Owner role; no proprietary AI/ML capabilities, third-party model integrations, or platform APIs are disclosed in the available sources. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through subscription self-service and email, supplemented by digital advertising and a dedicated sales function ([email protected]).

Private Media monetizes through three revenue streams: recurring subscription revenue across its five+ mastheads (priced below public disclosure), digital advertising and TV sponsorship via its sales team, and an events vertical integrated with its publications targeting small business, startup, and policy audiences. The customer base is segmented horizontally across policy professionals, public sector employees, small business owners, entrepreneurs, and politically engaged readers — a structurally diversified D2C subscriber base rather than concentrated enterprise contracts. Leadership comprises CEO Russ Horell, Chairman Eric Beecher (also a notable Australian independent media figure), Chief Financial & Operating Officer Ai Mawdsley, and Chief Growth Officer Kevin Cooper, with the company employing over 50 staff and drawing on a network of 100+ global contributors.

Name

Private Media

Legal name

Private Media Pty Ltd

Website

https://privatemedia.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Private Media is an Australian independent digital-first media company operating a multi-masthead portfolio — Crikey, The Mandarin, SmartCompany, Startup Daily, and Flying Solo — serving policy professionals, public sector employees, SMB owners, and politically engaged readers through subscriptions, advertising, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital News Media

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

Keywords

• Digital media publishing
• Independent journalism
• Subscription news
• Business publications
• Political commentary

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Recurring subscription revenue from digital publications including Crikey, The Mandarin, and SmartCompany serving policy professionals, entrepreneurs, and political audiences.
2. Advertising and Sponsorship: Revenue from digital media advertising and TV sponsorship to grow audience revenue and advertiser interest.
3. Events: Events revenue integrated with publications focusing on small business and startup audiences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Private Media is an Australian digital-first media company that publishes a portfolio of independent news and analysis mastheads, including Crikey (political journalism), The Mandarin (public sector and policy), SmartCompany (small business), Startup Daily (startups), and Flying Solo (sole traders). It monetises through digital subscriptions, advertising, sponsorships, and events aimed at informed Australian audiences.

Product overview

Private Media operates a portfolio of digital-first media publications focused on distinct audience segments. The company owns three core mastheads: Crikey (political journalism for policy professionals and political enthusiasts), The Mandarin (public sector news for government professionals), and SmartCompany (small business journalism). Following the 2025 acquisition of Pinstripe Media, the portfolio expanded to include Startup Daily and Flying Solo (startup and sole trader publications), all integrated under the SmartCo Media division alongside existing sub-brands Business Builders and Your Money & Your Life. This multi-masthead structure allows Private Media to serve policy professionals, entrepreneurial types, and political tragics through distinct publications while sharing resources and maximizing audience reach across platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crikey: Australian independent news and political commentary publication
• The Mandarin
• SmartCompany
• Startup Daily
• Flying Solo

Products and services

• Crikey Australian independent political news publication providing hard-hitting journalism with objective facts that drive opinion, serving policy professionals and politically engaged readers.
• The Mandarin Publication focused on Australian public sector and government professionals, providing news, analysis, and policy coverage for public sector employees and policy makers.
• SmartCompany Small and medium business news and advice publication providing journalism, resources, and practical guidance for Australian SMEs.
• Startup Daily Startup-focused publication covering entrepreneurship, startups, and the startup ecosystem in Australia, integrated into Private Media via the 2025 Pinstripe Media acquisition.
• Flying Solo Publication serving sole traders and small business owners in Australia, integrated into Private Media via the 2025 Pinstripe Media acquisition.
• Events and Sponsorship Events and TV sponsorship offerings integrated with Private Media's publications, focused on small business, startup, and policy audiences to drive advertiser and audience engagement.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Pinstripe MediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 July 2025Private Media has acquired Pinstripe Media, a move that combines two media networks focused on small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs in Australia. The deal aims to enhance resource sharing and expand reach across multiple platforms. Pinstripe Media publishes Startup Daily and Flying Solo. No redundancies expected from the acquisition.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• News Corp Australia:

Direct peers

• Schwartz Media: Independent Australian media company publishing The Saturday Paper, The Monthly, and The Quarterly Essay. Closest direct peer to Private Media — also a privately held, multi-masthead independent digital-first publisher targeting engaged Australian audiences.
• The Conversation Australia: Australia-focused independent digital news publisher featuring academic-expert journalism. Comparable as an independent, digital-first Australian publisher with a distinct editorial model and strong audience engagement in policy-adjacent verticals.
• Mamamia: Australia's largest independent women's digital media company with podcasts, newsletters, and video. Comparable as a privately held Australian digital publisher operating multiple content brands and direct-to-consumer subscriptions.
• Business News Australia: Australian business news publisher covering SMBs, startups, and corporate Australia. Directly comparable to SmartCompany, Startup Daily, and Flying Solo within Private Media's portfolio.

Emerging players

• Junkee Media: Australian independent digital media company targeting younger audiences with culture, music, and news content. Comparable as an Australian indie publisher with diversified brand portfolio and digital-first distribution.
• Capital Brief: Subscription-based Australian business and policy news publication. Comparable as a digital-first, subscriber-supported Australian publisher in the policy/business vertical where Private Media's Mandarin and SmartCompany operate.

Broad incumbents

• Nine Entertainment: One of Australia's largest media conglomerates (Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Australian Financial Review, Nine radio/TV). Competes with Private Media's political and business mastheads and represents the dominant incumbent in overlapping verticals.
• Politico: Major political journalism brand owned by Axel Springer, covering politics and policy globally. Comparable in vertical focus to Crikey's political commentary and The Mandarin's public-sector coverage, though at much larger scale.

Regional players

• The Guardian Australia: Australian edition of The Guardian, an internationally funded independent digital-first news outlet. Comparable as a digital-first independent publisher serving Australian political and policy audiences with a similar subscription/reader-revenue model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Private Media