After four years of bringing female-centric articles to the Australian public, the ABC’s The Hoopla this week announced that they would be shutting down next Monday. The website’s publisher Jane Waterhouse reveals the closure is the result of the launch of a slew of new female-focused websites from wealthy competitors.
The Hoopla’s editor Wendy Harmer explains in the official statement: “The online media game in Australia is evolving at dizzying speed and increasingly becoming one for players with very deep pockets – often supported by overseas media networks who are able to absorb enormous financial losses for their forays into the local market.”
Specifically, Harmer refers to the female-centric creations launched by publishing giants in recent months - namely, News Limited’s RendezView, the Mamamia group’s Debrief Daily and a new (and as yet, unnamed) site from Bauer Media, set to launch on April 1.
It’s not all doom and gloom however, with Harmer explaining The Hoopla’s last edition refers to it in its “present incarnation”. She hasn’t ruled out a relaunch, but says it will not happen “until we can find a way to fulfil our original commitment to pay Hoopla writers decently; provide them with adequate editorial back-up; create a safe space for commenters and recommend to you, the readers, those advertisers we trust”.
Despite the website’s recent setback, both Harmer and Waterhouse believe The Hoopla has played a powerful part in publishing strong female-centric opinions and reigniting the debate on feminism within Australia.
“The topics we’ve covered have, hopefully, shown that women’s interests cannot be corralled,” Harmer says.
