AUSTRALIAN MEDIA:

News Crap Australia, publishers of the The Australian newspaper, has confirmed the closure of its short-lived youth website The Oz.

The special project began life in April 2022 aimed at garnering a younger readership for the national broadshit and was the brainchild of former editor-in-strife Chris Dore.

Staff at The Oz who spoke to The Bug on condition of possible new employment said they did not believe the “youth” concept had a great chance of success from its initial conception.

An insider at The Oz said Dore’s choice of little-known US import Lenny Wosniak (main picture) as editor of The Oz was a mistake.

“Lenny’s a nice bloke, but didn’t really connect with his potential audience,” the insider said.

“Chris Dore was very, very excited about the whole concept of The Oz.

“He began to become a little morose when it became obvious that The Oz wasn’t reaching the audience he wanted it to reach.

“He often spoke to staff of how he was offering young readers a pathway to connect with some of the greatest thinkers in Australia, people like Gerard Henderson and Greg Sheridan. (below)

“He was especially perplexed when it became clear that The Oz wasn’t connecting with young female readers.

“Chris would wander through the bean bags in the newsroom asking nobody in particular: ‘I’ve given them Judith Sloan, Peta Credlin, and Janet Albrechtsen. (below) How much more youthful can a news website be?’

“I must say Chris was very hands-on, sometimes in a good way. The trouble is we all know what happens when Chris gets excited. It all soon ends in tears, as it has done so now for The Oz.”

The insider said there were already suggestions being floated of a replacement website under The Australian masthead targeted at young readers.

“We hear rumours that senior management and editorial staff are planning to have another crack at the youth market ,” they said.

“But this time they are going to be a bit more direct and simply call it The Young Liberal.”