About Maple Starling
We built this network because Australian media needed an alternative model. One that doesn't rely on clickbait metrics or corporate editorial interference. One where quality journalism coexists with sustainable business practices.
How We Started
In 2011, three journalists left their positions at major publications. They were tired of watching newsrooms shrink while executive bonuses grew. Tired of killing stories because they made advertisers uncomfortable. Tired of optimizing for engagement instead of truth.
They started Maple Starling with a simple premise: brands would pay for quality content production, and that revenue would fund independent investigative work. The model worked because both sides got something genuine. Brands received credible storytelling. Readers got journalism that served public interest rather than shareholder returns.
Fifteen years later, we employ 37 full-time journalists, editors, and producers. Our network reaches millions of Australians monthly. We've published investigations that changed policies, exposed corruption, and gave voice to communities typically ignored by mainstream outlets.
Our Operating Principles
Editorial Independence
Brand partners fund our work but don't control our editorial decisions. Every contract includes explicit independence clauses. We've turned down lucrative projects when clients wanted approval over final content.
Source Protection
We maintain strict protocols for protecting sources and whistleblowers. Our journalists understand the legal frameworks around confidentiality and have never been compelled to reveal a source.
Fact Verification
Every factual claim goes through our verification process. We employ dedicated fact-checkers and maintain relationships with subject experts across industries who review our work before publication.
Transparent Funding
We disclose when content is produced in partnership with brands. Readers deserve to know who funds what they're reading. This transparency builds trust rather than undermining it.
Community Focus
Big stories happen in small towns. We dedicate resources to regional reporting and maintain correspondents in communities often overlooked by Sydney and Melbourne-centric media.
Continuous Learning
The media landscape evolves constantly. We invest in ongoing training for our team, from investigative techniques to new distribution platforms, ensuring our capabilities match current needs.
Our Team
We bring together journalists, editors, producers, and strategists who share a commitment to quality work. Our team includes Walkley Award winners, former foreign correspondents, documentary filmmakers, and digital strategists who've built audiences in the millions.
What unites us isn't a shared background but a shared frustration with media that prioritizes profit over purpose. We believe journalism serves democracy. That seems obvious, but in practice it requires difficult choices about which projects to pursue and which revenue to accept.
How Our Model Works
Organizations partner with us for content production. They receive professional storytelling, access to our distribution network, and association with credible journalism. Revenue from these partnerships funds our independent investigations and public interest reporting.
This creates a sustainable cycle. Brand work generates income. That income supports investigative projects. Those investigations build our reputation. Our reputation attracts better brand partnerships. Better partnerships fund more ambitious investigations.
We're not claiming to have solved the media funding crisis. But we've found a model that works for our scale and maintains the editorial standards we refuse to compromise.
Impact and Reach
Work With Us
If you're an organization that values credible storytelling, or a journalist interested in joining our team, we'd like to hear from you.
Get in Touch