Speaking from the Gold Coast, recently appointed new chair for ThinkNewsBrands and News Corp Australia state managing director for Queensland, Laura Maxwell, might have surfers catching waves outside her window. But her focus remains strictly on the high-stakes business of Australian journalism.
“My passion for journalism and for news, why we exist, why it’s important, has never been stronger,” Maxwell said. “Chairing ThinkNewsBrands, which really is a champion for journalism, is an absolute privilege. But also I see it as incredibly important.”
Maxwell thrives in the complexity of modern media disruption. As the former chief executive officer of New Zealand’s Stuff Media, she carved out a fierce reputation for leading teams to drive sustainable profit and capture market share.
Prior to that, she held dual heavyweight roles as chief digital officer and chief commercial officer at New Zealand Media and Entertainment. This hybrid background uniquely shapes her approach to leadership.
She’s just as comfortable driving sweeping, company-wide newsroom transformations as she is applying the relentless focus needed to scale a digital startup.
Moving beyond measurement hygiene
Maxwell now directs that sharp strategic focus toward ThinkNewsBrands. For the past few years, she notes the organisation focused heavily on getting the industry hygiene right. They ensured advertisers had access to robust, independent audience measurement, rather than publishers simply “marking their own homework.”
With those industry standards firmly established, ThinkNewsBrands is stepping into a new strategic direction.
Maxwell cracked wise that the industry needs to stop calling it a “pivot” because that word died in 2020!
Instead, the goal is to use hard data to connect brands to the immense commercial value of news environments.
Crucially, this expanded remit is not just a future ambition; it is action already underway. ThinkNewsBrands hit the ground running this week with the launch of a major new research report, News Nation: Why Journalism Has Never Mattered More.
The study shifts the industry conversation squarely from basic measurement into the tangible power of trust and the deep value of journalism to Australians.
For Maxwell, this translates into a vital commercial mandate, backed by the report’s data showing a $3.90 return for every $1 invested.
“You shouldn’t advertise in news media environments because you feel it’s the right thing to do,” Maxwell explained. “It’s not a charity placement. It’s a smart placement and it’s a considered placement that will deliver a commercial outcome for business.”
Compounding crises and the cultural BS filter
As social platforms flood with unverified creator content, AI slop, and algorithmic noise, audiences actively crave the truth. Maxwell points to recent global events, such as the evolving crisis in Iran that began over the weekend, as prime examples of why professional journalism is vital.
“Especially at a time like now, when there is huge unrest and a lack of social cohesion in the world, people want to confirm what they may have come across in a social feed,” Maxwell said. “They’re going back to a trusted news source to verify it.”
She notes that audiences are currently navigating a polycrisis of news cycles that just are never ending.
Fortunately, Australians and New Zealanders share a unique cultural advantage when navigating this misinformation: a powerful detector for spin.
“We can smell something that doesn’t feel right from a mile off, and that’s just who we are culturally,” Maxwell said. “We’ll give people a fair opportunity to have a say on something, but we will also want to challenge them. And one of the key roles of news media is to hold the powerful to account.”
This level of accountability provides a stark contrast to the unregulated reality of social media feeds.
“Journalism works in an ethical and legal framework,” Maxwell noted. “They don’t always get it right because they’re human. But they’re held to account. On social platforms, somebody can post an AI video of me selling you anything. They’re not held to account in the same way.”
Ands, not ors
Maxwell isn’t suggesting that marketers abandon their social or search budgets entirely. Instead, she advocates for practical, realistic thinking when building a mixed media proposition.
“I always think of this as ands not ors,” she advised. “So it’s not stop everything you’re doing, but consider this channel. Consider the pros and the cons. Consider why you’re not using it now or if you are using it.”
For Maxwell, supporting the news sector is not just a civic duty; it’s a proven commercial multiplier for advertisers. And rather than resting on the achievements of audience measurement, she’s ready to push the conversation forward.
“I’m delighted to come into this role at this time,” Maxwell concluded. “I can’t wait to get stuck in on behalf of news media and Australia.”
Feature image- Laura Maxwell, News Corp Australia state managing director for Queensland and ThinkNewsBrand chair.