Broadsheet Media is set to launch in London later this year, marking the independent publisher’s first foray into the international market.
Founder, Nick Shelton has shared why now is the right time to expand, citing the brand’s strong position and London’s untapped potential.
Broadsheet—founded by Shelton 15 years ago as a city guide and lifestyle publication—reported a monthly audience of 2.5 million in a 2022 submission to the government. As reported by Mumbrella, Shelton said the business was “in great shape” and ready to take the next step.
“I’ve got a really terrific management team, including a managing director, here in Australia, and I feel really comfortable with the way the business is running,” Shelton told Mumbrella.
After considering different expansion strategies, including opportunities within Australia, London emerged as the ideal location. Shelton described it as one of the “most exciting cultural centres of the world right now” that isn’t receiving the level of media attention it deserves.
He pointed to the decline of once-dominant UK cultural publications like Time Out—which he described as a “shadow” of its former self—and the Evening Standard, which has scaled back from daily to weekly publication.
“There’s an opportunity there,” Shelton said, as reported by Mumbrella. “Those titles have often covered London well, but there’s nothing quite like Broadsheet. People often say, ‘I wish there was a Broadsheet there’.”
While the UK media landscape shares similarities with Australia’s, Shelton emphasised the need to establish a strong local presence to ensure Broadsheet’s success. The company is currently searching for a London-based editor to lead the new venture.
“London has a very competitive media market generally… We know we’re going to have to adjust to the market, we’re under no illusion that we can just take exactly what we do in Australia and do it in London,” he admitted.
“I’m going to go over and spend a lot of time there, we know we need to take this seriously,” he said. “We’re not going to reinvent the wheel when we get over there… we’re going to have to import our DNA across.
Broadsheet’s London launch is tentatively set for September, with Shelton hinting at some early activity in the coming months. Looking further ahead, he suggested that London could be a gateway to a broader European expansion.
Image credit: Mumbrella
