Where do you get your business news?

In an age where syndicated content is increasing and journalists at major news outlets are being asked to produce more with declining resources, the alternative voice and subject matter offered by independent publishers is needed more than ever.

Where do you get your business news? The usual suspects, Forbes, CNN Money, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal, have readerships of between 20 and 50 million people per month. But what about independent opinions, and insights others may not have?

We take a look at a handful of the most interesting independent business news sites from Australia and around the world.

GP Business

GP Business is the business section of The Global Post, a US website founded in 2009, determined to “help fill the enormous void that has grown up in coverage of the world by US news organisations”. The site employs 65 journalists around the world; however, it does publish some syndicated content from companies such as CNBC.

GP Business focuses on international news and is particularly relevant for those seeking information on developing countries, with specific sections on emerging markets and BRICs.

The ‘in-depth’ section includes feature articles on business issues from around the world, with, perhaps, a slight bias towards news from China – not such a bad thing if you have an interest in that area, as many do.

Click on the ‘menu’ tag in the top right hand corner to access sections on the global economy, the debt crisis, technology, science, innovation, elections, diplomacy and aid.

Business Insider Australia

This site is an offshoot of the original US version, which was nominated this year for a highly coveted Webby Award, the ‘Oscar of the Internet’, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Business Insider Australia is published by Allure Media, which also owns the local versions of Gizmodo and Lifehacker.

According to publisher and editor, Paul Colgan, Business Insider is “more than a site for financial news and board tussles. It shares ideas on innovation, creative thinking, smart leadership and entrepreneurship.”

Its simple layout features sections on tech, money & markets, general business news, new ideas and ‘executive life’, the latter borrowing heavily from its US parent. The ‘ideas’ section is a great news source for anyone interested in venture capital and startups.

Mashable

With more than 20 million monthly visitors and almost 600,000 subscribers, Mashable isn’t exactly a small-time player in business news. It has, however, remained a privately owned company since it was started in 2005 by then 19-year-old Pete Cashmore, in his parents’ Aberdeen home.

Mashable began as a social media news site, but has grown into a leader in mobile, tech and related business news. It remains true to its origins, however, with news and developments in all social media applications extensively covered.

For anyone needing information on business strategies for social media, cloud or digital strategies Mashable is the place to go. It’s also a fun site to browse for tips on ‘life hacking’ and digital productivity tools.

Leading Company

Leading Company was launched in March 2012 by Private Media, the publisher of Crikey and Smart Company. The site’s target audience is Australian leaders of mid-market companies – those with annual revenue between $10 million and $250 million – but it’s useful to anyone interested in trends and issues in management.

A unique feature of Leading Company is the C-Suite, which allows ‘C-level’ executives – CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CIOs, CHROs and CMOs – to go directly to the news relevant to the issues they face.

Leading Company is also an excellent resource for those working in strategy, business intelligence, risk, procurement or human resources.

The current hottest topics in leadership, such as ethics, big data, change management and employee engagement, are all well covered under their own sections. There is also a great section on new research, with feature articles on subjects as diverse as ‘why things catch on’ and ‘teenage dropouts often make visionaries’.
The webinar section of Leading Company features free online tutorials on leadership in Australian businesses.

Business Review Australia

Headquartered in San Diego and owned by American media company WDM Group, Business Review Australia manages to achieve an impressive level of coverage of business and finance happenings in Australia.

The site, and its eponymous monthly magazine, cover 10 major sectors in depth, including manufacturing, technology, healthcare and construction. Mining news comes under energy.

As well as doing the standard stuff well, BRA (excuse the acronym) focuses strongly on innovation, technology, social media and digital marketing.

Separate technology sections discuss subjects such as apps, cloud, gadgets and software, while Marketing 2.0 is essential reading for anyone interested in mobile, social media, viral or web marketing.

The Business Leaders section contains feature articles by Australian industry leaders. Money Matters comprehensively covers domestic finance and investment, with stories ranging from the impact of Ford’s withdrawal in Australia to the opportunities in the Melbourne serviced apartment market.

Last updated:
27 February 2019