The Brag Media, which reaches over 33% of the Australian population each month across its digital and print properties, has entered into a further licensing agreement with Variety’s parent company, Penske Media Corporation, to launch Variety Australia. Variety Australia launches online today, featuring original and syndicated content most relevant to local audiences. A print edition is also slated for late 2022, along with a number of premium industry-first events including the Variety Australia Awards and the Variety Australia 100. It will be led by Jake Challenor, Executive Editor, B2B, who joined The Brag Media in March following the acquisition of The Music Network. Seasoned journalists Lars Brandle and Vivienne Kelly will work across Variety Australia, The Music Network and The Industry Observer.
The Brag Media’s Editor in Chief, Poppy Reid, said Variety is a brand she has long admired.
“The US team has contributed game-changing examples of journalism in the entertainment industry and has continued to shake up the trade sector in all the right ways,” Reid commented “I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Jake Challenor at the helm of Variety Australia. I have such a great deal of respect for his work with trade publications The Music Network and The Industry Observer, and know he will bring that same journalistic integrity and nose for future-focused coverage to the global legacy of such an iconic title.”
“Variety is thrilled to launch Variety Australia,” Variety’s Chief Executive Officer & Group Publisher, Michelle Sobrino-Stearns commented “Over the course of the past century, we’ve covered the exciting developments that have led to Australia’s status as one of the world’s most important and dynamic film and television production centres. Australian culture is impacting the world and this new publishing venture will help readers stay up to date on Australia’s creative leadership role today.”
Sobrino-Stearns explained that Variety is the most authoritative and trusted source of entertainment business news, recognised and respected throughout the world. Since 1905, influential producers, executives and talent in entertainment and beyond have turned to Variety for news, insightful award-season coverage, must-read feature spotlights and intelligent analysis of the industry’s most prominent players.
Reid said that the agreement between The Brag Media and PMC marks the pairing’s second local edition of a global media brand after the successful launch of Rolling Stone Australia/NZ in 2020. Variety Australia is the second international edition following the launch of Variety China in 2019. Reid added that The Brag Media’s clients are now able to garner the attention of hard to reach executives, decision-makers and influencers in the entertainment industry through high impact display, clever content and A-list events via The Brag Agency, The Brag Creative and The Brag Events. Reid went on to point out that the arrival of Variety Australia follows two recent acquisitions by The Brag Media: The Music Network and Epic Digital. The Brag Media now achieves 40 million monthly page views and eight million users, cementing its position as the market-leading youth and pop culture network. Variety Australia joins The Brag Media’s growing network that includes Rolling Stone Australia, The Music Network, IndieWire, Billboard, thebrag.com, Tone Deaf, The Industry Observer, don’t bore us, Funimation, Enthusiast Gaming, Life Without Andy, HypeBeast, and more.