The Global Media and Internet Research Project report found that Australia has one of the highest concentrations of media in the developed world (especially so in regional Queensland), with many foreign players siphoning revenue from the sector and influencing editorial decisions.
The "mainstream" media no longer does its core job of holding power to account, and this is having a negative influence on our democracy.
The following extensive list of independent new sites, podcasts and YouTube videos (compiled by Denise Shrivell) provide us with some welcome choice. We've fleshed out Denise's list with some more details.
Information in each case is obtained from the About page (or equivalent) on each site.
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Aggregated newsletter
The TrueNorth newsletter is a great way to get a taste of what quality, fact-checked independent media has to offer.
Michael West Media is an independent media publisher covering the rising power of corporations over democracy. We are non-partisan and our focus is investigations into big business, particularly multinational tax avoidance, banking and the energy sector.
Pearls and Irritations is an Australian platform for the exchange of ideas from a progressive, liberal perspective, with an emphasis on peace and justice.
We publish informed analysis and commentary on issues that matter to Australians, with a focus on politics, public policy, foreign policy and world affairs, defence and security, the economy, media, the arts and religion.
Who
John Menadue AO (formerly Secretary of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Ambassador to Japan, Secretary of Immigration and CEO of Qantas), Catriona Jackson
Crikey is an independent Australian source for news, investigations, analysis and opinion focusing on politics, media, economics, health, international affairs, the climate, business, society and culture.
Who
Bernard Keane, Rich James, Jack Callil and others
Also features
Ketan Joshi, Michael Sainsbury, Adam Schwab, Ben Eltham, Rachel Withers, Nick Feik
Business model
Free account allows access to a subset of articles (with ads);
Subscription ($) provides full access with no ads.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair: a unique collaboration between academics and journalists, and is the world’s leading publisher of research-based news and analysis
We do this as a not-for-profit company guided by a clear purpose: to provide access to quality explanatory journalism essential for healthy democracy. We place a high value on trust. All authors and editors sign up to our Editorial Charter. Contributors must abide by our Community Standards. We only allow authors to write on subjects on which they have expertise. Potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
Who
Editor, Misha Ketchell, and CEO, Lisa Watts and a team of 35 editors
Independent Australia is a progressive journal, supporting freedom and justice for individuals, and getting to the truth. IA opposes governments of the country beholden to vested interests. Our main editorial focus is on federal politics, democratic government, the environment, human rights, Australian identity, Indigenous issues, world affairs, economics, finance, health, law and the justice system. IA insists on rigorous fact-checking, openness and accountability, as with the practice of providing extensive references and links in articles.
The Klaxon is a completely independent Australian news outlet delivering top-quality news for our community. We shine a light on the systemic and structural improprieties currently flourishing within the collective blindspots of much of the general media.
Who
Anthony Klan, award-winning journalist
Also features
Peter Mayer, Sukhmani Khorana, Shir Weinbrand, James Meese, Joanne Kuai
An independent news source which started in the UK in 1821. It's owned by the Scott Trust Limited, created in 1936 to "secure the financial and editorial independence of The Guardian in perpetuity and to safeguard the journalistic freedom and liberal values of The Guardian free from commercial or political interference." Has US, Australian and European editions.
Who
Lenore Taylor, Gabrielle Jackson, Sarah Martin, Amanda Meade, Ben Doherty, Ben Smee and ithers
Also features
Greg Jericho, Ranjana Srivastava, Malcolm Turnbull, Paul Daley
Business model
Free to read.
Has advertising.
Accepts reader donations, which provides ad-free articles
The Point is an initiative of The Australia Institute. We believe knowledge should be publicly accessible. Democratic choices should be clear and open for the public to participate in, not available to a select few. We strip away the jargon and explain public policy in plain English, giving people the tools to understand what is happening and why.
Who
Richard Denniss, Anna Chang, Amy Remeikis, Stephen Long, Greg Jericho, Ketan Joshi
The AIMN provides a space for citizen and public interest journalists to engage in and contribute to independent media, focusing on politics, democracy, environment, and identity.
Cheek Media is redefining the way public discourse unfolds, delivering bold and progressive perspectives on subjects that capture the zeitgeist. Challenging the rhetoric of the Murdoch media, Cheek aims to make political and cultural ideas digestible, engaging and welcoming to those who have felt excluded or disengaged from the overcomplicated language of power systems. Cheek calls out taboo subjects and provides opinions with bite.
Who
Hannah Ferguson
Also features
Kalilah Welch, Mililma May
Business model
Free to read
Requests donations
Sells books (and merchandise, including a vibrator)
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information.
The New Daily embraces the journalists’ code of ethics and its principles of honesty, fairness and independence. Our journalists and editors strive at all times to gather and report all sides of the story with the highest standards of accuracy and balance.
Who
Neil Frankland, Bruce Guthrie
Also features
Allanah Sciberras, Abe Maddison, Paul Bongiorno, Alan Kohler and Michael Pascoe, Zoe Daniel, Quentin Dempster
The Shot prides itself on providing witty yet thoughtful news, opinion and analysis pieces that are ‘Profane and Profound’, focusing on the oddly unique perspective of telling stories from the perspective of regular people stuck in an awful system looking for hope.
We present varied, topical and interesting opinions. The pool of writers at The Big Smoke are generally not journalists, although some write for a living. Our contributors come from all walks of life – comedians, barristers, students, politicians, business owners, academics. The Big Smoke is dedicated to promoting the arts, creatives, and entertainment because we know that if these things flourish, everyone else will too. Also has a US version.
Who
Derryn Hinh, Jane Caro, Paul McDermott, Catherine Fox
Also features
Andew P Street, Deb Turney, Maggie Beer, Anthony Albanese, Clover Moore, Julian Burnside
Independent journalism that cuts through the spin. Deepcut exposes the hidden truths behind the smokescreen of establishment media and politics.
Covers state of democracy in Australia - with a focus on civil liberties, policing, racialised and vulnerable communities, and harmful activities targeting basic democratic freedoms
The National Account is your go-to source for fair, balanced, and common-sense analysis of the news. Covers politics and policy and quirky local yarns. Editorial independence is a core tenet of our work: we maintain an editorial firewall between our newsrooms and our funders and advertisers
Inside Story is an independent, non-profit magazine featuring analysis, commentary and reporting. Drawing on a network of Australian writers and academic researchers, together with correspondents in Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas, Inside Story investigates the forces shaping politics, society and culture.
Who
Peter Browne, Peter Mares
Also features
Saul Eslake, Judith Ireland, Kate Manton, Peter Brent, Graeme Dobell, Frank Bongiorno, Margaret Simons, Rodney Tiffen, Jane Goodall, Tom Greenwell, Mike Steketee, Carol Johnson
Business model
Free to read
Receives funding from Australian Cultural Fund and Copyright Agency's Cultural Fund
Meanjin was founded in Brisbane in 1940. It has fostered a rich and rigorous national conversation by remaining true to its founding principles: ‘to talk poetry’, ‘to work for a healthy climate of opinion and literary activity’, and ‘to make clear the connection between art and politics.’
NOTE: The Meanjin publication ceased production at the end of 2025. The Meanjin website is still available, but will not publish new content.
Who
Ben Eltham, Tyson Kane, Bradley Hardy and others
Also features
Many contributors
Business model
Sells back copies of the Meanjin publication
Had funding from Melbourne University, wich has now been withdrawn
The Monthly is one of Australia’s boldest voices, providing enlightening commentary and vigorous, at times controversial, debate on the issues that affect the nation. The Monthly is published in multiple formats: print magazine, apps, ebook and online.
Who
Michael Williams, Michael Nolan
Also features
David Marr, Zoe Daniel, Helen Garner, Don Watson, Anna Goldsworthy
In 1954, Overland was founded from a broad progressive movement of political organisations, trade unions, writers and activists. In 2025, the stakes have never been higher. Overland maintains its progressive editorial vision, publishing online and in-print perspectives on issues rarely given space in traditional media and pointing public debate in alternative directions.
Who
Evelyn Araluen, Jonathan Dunk, Cher Tan, Giovanni Tiso, Claire Corbett, Elena Gomez, Sam Wallman
The Daily Aus empowers young people to engage with the world around them. TDA is a media company that has pioneered social-first news delivery in Australia by offering young Australians a digestible and engaging way to access the news. We’re a newsroom of young journalists, delivering news for young people. We do not publish any opinion pieces.
Who
Zara Seidler, Sam Koslowski, Billi FitzSimons, Emma Gillespie, Lucy Tassell
Also features
Elliot Lawry
Business model
Free to read (requires signing up to a free newsletter - which gave an error)
Has commercial partnerships (We only partner with brands who we believe are aligned to our company ethos.)
Has raised money from investors who "do not have the ability to control or influence TDA's editorial policy"
We have ads on our Instagram page, in our daily podcast and in the newsletter.
Inspired by the pulp fiction and noir of yesteryear and with a progressive gonzo attitude, our team of reporters brings you some of the most enthralling exclusives and investigations from Australia and around the world. We are a fully independent publication with a reputation for breaking the big stories.
Who
Serkan Öztürk, Steve Austin VI, Gary Johnston, Adam Greenwood, Paige Armstrong, Aisha Hussain, James Johnson, William Austin, Jordan Adeyemi, Therese Taylor, Kieran Butler, Miles Hunt, Pierce Field
The Australian media too often report the nation as a compliant ally of the US, UK and the Western alliance but ask few questions about why and what it really involves.
Declassified Australia challenges this narrative by publishing in-depth, unique and largely hidden stories that reveal the reality of Australia’s relationships with both democracies and dictatorships.
From the arms trade to whistleblowers, defence policy to surveillance, espionage to free speech, Declassified Australia also examines relations with other nations including Israel, China, Russia, and more.
Who
Peter Cronau, Antony Loewenstein
Also features
Scott Burchill, Matilda Byrne, Mary Kostakidis, David Mcbride, John Pilger, Jenny Hocking, Michelle Fahy, Kellie Tranter and others
Zee Feed publishes commentary and critical analysis of the news, social issues, digital & pop culture from a proudly, loudly intersectional and feminist perspective. It’s quality over quantity. Context over clicks. Progressive and 100% independent.
Who
Crystal Andrews
Also features
Kevin Bonham, Tegan Lerm
Business model
Unclear.
There is no advertising, no request for donations, no subscriptions.
An Australian news website that primarily covers business and politics. It was launched in August 2023 and is aimed at founders, executives, investors, politicians and policymakers.
Who
John McDuling, Anthony Galloway, Bronwen Clune, and others.
We publish original content from Indigenous writers across Australia. IndigenousX is a 100% Indigenous owned and operated media, consultancy, and training organisation
IndigenousX believes in the principles of self-determination and works to effect change by upholding Indigenous knowledges, voices and ways of being.
Who
Luke Pearson, Michael O’Loughlin
Also features
Laniyuk, Vanessa Edwige, Joanna Alexi, Belle Selkirk, Pat Dudgeon, FLEWNT, Rev Dr Djiniyini Gondarra OAM, Ben Abbatangelo, Casey Millward, and others
Established in May 1991, the Koori Mail is a fortnightly national newspaper reporting on the issues that matter to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We give Indigenous Australians a voice missing in the mainstream media.
The Koori Mail is and has always been 100% Aboriginal owned.
Who
Todd Condie, Darren Coyne, Christian Morrow
Also features
NA
Business model
Has story teasers - need to subscribe to read whole articles
The National Indigenous Times is a multi-award winning Indigenous affairs news organisation set up by Owen Carriage which first appeared in newspaper form on February 27, 2002. Covers Indigenous business, justice for Stolen Generations survivors, fashion and the arts, sport, Voice, Treaty and Truth, and deaths in custody.
Who
Giovanni Torre
Also features
Journalists and engages contributors in every Australian state and territory.
Business model
Included as an insert in several newspapers
Has advertising (by corporates like Woolworths, Woodside, RioTinto, and the Asutralian government)
Striving for mediocrity in a world of excellence. The Chaser is a satirical media empire which rivals Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation in all fields except power, influence, popularity and profitability.
Who
Kathy Williams, Dr John Wilson PHD, John Lemon, Beverly Thrupple,
Also features
John Delmenico,
Business model
Accepts advertising
Also has a podcast with advertising-free subscription
The Betoota Advocate is an Australian satirical news website and digital media company that publishes articles on international, national, and local news. The site puts a comedic spin on current news topics and broader social observations. The site is based in inner Sydney, but takes its name from the deserted regional town of Betoota, Queensland.
The Shovel is a well-known Australian satirical news website. It is similar in style to the American website The Onion and aims to lampoon Australian political and social culture by presenting fictional, humorous stories in the format of real news articles.
"Get all your news in one place." We want to help the world’s best news organisations so they can continue to hold corporations, governments, and individuals accountable by featuring content from news sites aorund the world.
TrueNorth aims to be your trusted guide to Australia’s large and vibrant independent news media sector where much of the heavy lifting in public interest journalism is done. Provides a daily email of curated content from independent Australian news providers.
Who
Denise Shrivell
Also features
Content from a multitude of independent journalists
Australian Associated Press (AAP) is Australia’s independent national newswire service. Our team of experienced journalists provide rigorous and impartial analysis of misinformation and disinformation circulating online
Founded in 1935, AAP has been described as the backbone of Australia’s media sector, supplying wholesale text and images to hundreds of news outlets across the country. "We supply news to hundreds of outlets every day"
Interest in politics, and particularly elections, in Australia and other English-speaking countries. Providing foundational data which can help everyone do better work analysing elections..
Analysis and discussion of elections and opinion polls in Australia since 2004. After many long years with the Crikey Blogs network, it returned to its independent roots in November 2017.
Australia’s best informed, most respected, most read, and the go-to web-site for information on the green energy transition. News and views on renewables, storage, hydrogen and EVs. Established 2024.
Who
Giles Parkinson, Sophie Vorrath
Also features
Piers Verstegen, David Leitch and others
Business model
Advertising supported (with technically poor setup resulting in poor usability)
Market Forces believes that the banks, superannuation funds and governments that have custody of our money should use it to protect not damage our environment.
Our work exposes the institutions that are financing environmentally destructive projects and helps people around the world to hold these institutions accountable. Launched 2013.
Who
Will van de Pol, Bernadette Maheandiran and several others
Also features
Campaigns and resources (as well as news)
Business model
Funding from a combination of philanthropic institutions and large individual donors
Accepts donations
We don’t receive any funding from financial institutions or governments.
Women’s Agendashares the latest news on how women live and work and reaches around a million people each month. We’re small, independent and 100 per cent women owned and run.
Our team of journalists and editors look at politics, business, leadership, health, tech and life from the perspective of professional women and female entrepreneurs.
Who
Angela Priestley, Tarla Lambert-Patel
Also features
Philippa Lewis, Jo Tarnawsky and many other contributors
We offer young Australians a digestible and engaging way to access the news. Our objective is to provide the context to a news story making the rounds.
Who
Zara Seidler, Sam Koslowski
Also features
Billi FitzSimons
Business model
Free to listen
Has commercial partnerships (We only partner with brands who we believe are aligned to our company ethos.)
Has raised money from investors who "do not have the ability to control or influence TDA's editorial policy"
We have ads on our Instagram page, in our daily podcast and in the newsletter.
The best analysis and discussion about Australian politics and #auspol news. Presented by Eddy Jokovich and David Lewis, we look at all the issues the mainstream media wants to cover up, and do the job most journalists avoid: holding power to account. Seriously.
Who
Eddy Jokovich, David Lewis
Also features
NA
Business model
Free to listen (Apple)
Accepts donations
Paid subscribers get full access to content and free books
Lamestream is an independent news publication tackling the crisis in media. Our podcasts and newsletters cover how the media shapes news, culture, politics and current affairs, and how the industry's transformation is reshaping the world we live in.
Who
Osman Faruqi, Scott Mitchell
Also features
Various guests
Business model
Paid subscriptions provide newsletter, some articles and ad-free podcast episodes
We used to be journalists, but now we mostly just bitch about them. (Kidding. Kind of.) We also break down broken news. This weekly podcast brings you honest and original media analysis from two insiders who’ve broken plenty of news and been broken by it, too. We Used to Be Journos is your guide to the way the media works. We’ll show you how the media sausage is made —so you know what you’re being fed.
Who
Jan Fran, Antoinette Lattouf
Also features
Antony Loewenstein, Fatima Payman, Tom Ballard, plus other guests
The Western media is in crisis, experiencing a justified lack of public trust and under attack by authoritarian governments. What will the future hold for bold and truth-telling journalism?
Mark Kenny takes a weekly look at politics and public affairs with experts from The Australian National University and beyond.
Each week, Mark is joined by political scientist Marija Taflaga and a host of top academics, journalists and policymakers to provide expert analysis on the issues facing Australia and the world.
We live in a media saturated world. The news cycle travels at lightning speed and is impossible to ignore. Spin Cycle aims to make sense of the 24/7 updates and hot takes we are bombarded with from media outlets, politicians and pundits all trying to own the narrative.
Who
Jess Lilley, Charlie Lewis, Rachel Withers
Also features
Chris Hedges, Omar El Akkad, Antoinette Lattouf, Evelyn Araluen
Alan Kohler, Eureka Report's Editor-in-Chief, explores and explains the week's news, views and events with smart people who like good coffee. Topics include but not limited to inflation, Bitcoin, Scott Morrison, vaccines and climate change.
Broadcast journalist Nicole Chvastek and ethics expert Denis Muller seek out the media industry's good, bad and ugly, taking you behind the headlines in their revealing podcast Truth, Lies and Media.
Who
Nicole Chvastek, Denis Muller
Also features
Various guests
Business model
Free to listen
Various subscriptions fro extra content and tickets to live taping
Delve into the world of anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists, Sovereign Citizens (yes, we know that is an oxymoron) and politics and learn about the movement of influencers, grifters and characters
A Friday weekly live conversational style podcast which wraps the #auspol news of the week & highlights the standard daily interplays between our politics & the media.
Australia's media is amongst the most concentrated in the world and it is essential that as many of us as possible step up and allow other voices to be heard in important debates and discussions.
Commentary on Australian and world events from a socialist and democratic viewpoint
Who
John Quiggin (Australian economist, professor at the University of Queensland, formerly an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow and Federation Fellow and a member of the board of the Climate Change Authority of the Australian Government)
Helping the brave build better systems through human-centred communication, EQ, ethical leadership & courageous collaboration. Supporting people to lead, engage, & sell with empathy & clarity towards fairer work, inclusive societies & truth in public life.
Jordan Shanks-Markovina, also known online as friendlyjordies, is an Australian journalist, political commentator and stand-up comedian. His content often discusses contemporary Australian cultural and political issues, involving self-described "lowbrow humour."
We are non-partisan, do not take advertising and are funded by readers. Our investigations focus on big business, particularly multinational tax-avoiders, financial markets and the banking and energy sectors.
The Shot’s Jo Dyer and Dave Milner are joined every Sunday at 9am AEDT by a roster of Australia’s best independent journalists and thinkers to discuss what’s been happening this week in politics.
Who
Jo Dyer, Dave Milner
Also features
Various guests, including Doug Cameron, Zoe Daniel, Michael Pascoe, Ketan Joshi
To be included in this site, independent newsrooms must be producing high-quality, public interest journalism, and meet a number of other requirements. Find the digital newsroom of interest using their map.
