Sixteen Years of Printing the News and Raising Hell

Sixteen years ago this week, the first edition of the City Hub hit the street. Since August 21, 1995 our aim has been “to print the news and raise hell.” From day one the City Hub has been freely distributed at thousands of small local businesses throughout the inner city and at some of Sydney’s best and most iconic destinations including the Bondi Pavilion, Sydney Town Hall and Gould’s Books in Newtown (see our Best of Sydney supplement).
Publishing an independent alternative newspaper year in and year out requires the support of a range of independent minded businesses. From hip outdoor markets to fearless fringe theatres, from trendy trattorias to hip, underground pubs, we have had the support of some of Sydney’s best independently owned businesses targeting the vibrant inner city marketplace. Year in and year out, you — our loyal readers have shown your support for unique and authentic Sydney based business by putting your money in their tills and by voting for them in our annual BEST OF SYDNEY readership poll. Once again your votes have been tallied and the results appear in the pages of our anniversary edition. As always your opinions are provocative, engaging and spot on.
Of course, publishing an independent alternative newspaper also requires the efforts of a dependable and passionate team of independent minded individuals: a tenacious group of sales professionals who can help local businesses reach the inner city marketplace, talented designers who can turn scanty directions into inviting layouts; one of the few remaining independently owned and operated newspaper printers in Sydney who can deliver a high quality print product; distributors to drop papers into thousands of outlets. And a tireless team of young writers, old fashioned muck raking journalists and some damned good editors who can pull it all together, polish it up and actually get each and every edition of this paper to print on time.
Our commitment to tell Sydneysiders what they want and need to know has not waivered over the years. Sure, our old fashioned medium may have had its ups and downs along the way, but we are still here to print the news and raise hell. Let Murdoch buy up every other local newspaper group in town. Let him tap our phones and shut down a weekly newspaper or two along the way, we will not be deterred. When all is said and done about the future of a free and vibrant independent, alternative press here in Sydney: you are holding the single largest edition of the City Hub to have been produced in over a decade. Enjoy!
Australians value a free and fearless press. Sure we may live in the most monopolistic media market in the “free world”; ours may be one of the only democratic societies not to protect the right to free speech in a Charter of Human Rights, but we are still willing to speak the truth. This year Australians have made global headlines as they have broken laws to publish illegally obtained, secret information. 2011 was ushered in with Julian Assange, an Australian born hero publishing leaked, state secrets on the Internet. Half a year later another Australian born anti hero, the media monopolist Rupert Murdoch was hauled before the British parliament and grilled for publishing illegally obtained private secrets in an old fashioned newspaper. In so doing each publisher has provoked debate about what the public does and doesn’t have the right to know. Here at the City Hub we are not surprised that it has been Australians stirring the pot, sparking debate, printing the news and raising hell.

Why We Are Publishing the City Hub

1) To print the news and raise hell. To offer an independent alternative to Australia’s media conglomerates. To be unique, vital and indispensable.
2) To fight for progressive social change. To see that everyone gets a fair go. To look out for the underdog (who better than an alternative title to fight the good fight?).
3) To champion local Australian arts and culture. To counter the cultural cringe. To define what is next. To seek what is new.
4) To provide creative individuals with a forum for intelligent discourse. To develop fresh talent. To encourage well-written, accurate and insightful prose.
5) To give every employee the opportunity to grow and advance. To respect our staff. To have fun.
6) To empower our managers to run each department entrepreneurially and responsibly. To encourage new ideas. To develop a collaborative team effort.
7) To serve the interests of young urban readers. To always put our readers’ interests first. To ensure that every publishing decision expands our readership (by so doing our advertisers’ interests will be served).
8) To offer advertisers an effective, targeted advertising alternative. To provide small, locally-owned businesses with an affordable advertising option. To help our clients grow.
9) To operate profitably and with fiscal responsibility. Revenues are the means by which our message is delivered. Profits ensure that our business is secure.
10) To seek expansion opportunities within our defined market niche. To grow and grow again. To guarantee that our community hears an opinionated, independent voice.