Congratulations on the recent launch! Tell us more about how and why Edge of the Crowd got started.
We felt there was a gap in the market for a website that specialises in both sport and culture. There are plenty of sports websites and culture websites, but no one is really looking at where the two subjects are interlinked and connected. At the end of the day, sport is another sub-genre of culture, especially in Australia.

We also felt that there are plenty of up-and-coming writers that are not given the platforms that respect them and their work. Edge of the Crowd provides that platform for a diverse group of skilled young writers to show off their talents, whether that be through writing, podcasting, or through video.
 
Your publication focuses on sports and culture - is this strictly centred around Australia, or do you write stories on broader international topics as well?
The focus is Australian-centric. That being said, we have covered international events such as the recent Super Bowl. When it comes to international topics though, we try and bring it back to an Australian focus, whether that be through a player connection in sport or an Australian making a mark overseas in the world of culture.

With events like the recent Australian Open and the Winter Olympic Games, what do you think has been the biggest highlight to cover so far?
The Winter Olympics was certainly a highlight, and a lot of demanding work for our team, covering events every day. From a sports perspective, the summer of cricket was certainly a great way for our organisation to get underway. On the cultural side, the recent launch of the Adelaide Fringe Festival was amazing to see, as well as the build-up to the Oscars and awards season.

What do you think sets Edge of the Crowd apart from other mainstream publications that provide coverage on sports and culture?
Representation is important in the media and Edge of the Crowd is aiming to represent what modern Australia looks like more accurately. Well over 50 per cent of our team identifies as female, and we also have a strong representation of the LGBTQIA+ community. We have a commitment to maintaining equal gender representation at a subject, writer and editorial level. 

What really makes us unique though is the combination of sports and culture. No other outlet seems to be combining these two aspects of Australia and showing it in the media. Our team is also incredible in that they are willing to try new things, whether that be featuring on a podcast for the first time or moving outside their comfort zones.
 
You have a team of journalists working across Australia - how does the day-to-day editorial process work in terms of planning and getting stories out?
We have a weekly meeting over Zoom between all of our journalists where we go through the coverage we will be providing for the week ahead and pitch stories. From there, stories will either be approved or molded into ideas that we think are more in line with the goals of Edge of the Crowd.

Journalists can also pitch stories to individual editors during the week if something comes to them that would be a great idea. The editors, along with journalists, will then work on contacts for interviews if needed, and then stories will be written by journalists and edited by our team of editors. Stories will then go up on social media as a way of promoting the ideas of our journalists, while also growing the brand as a whole.
 
What are three things you expect from a good PR pitch?
1) Be concise and to the point. There is nothing worse than reading paragraphs of text and still not understanding what the point is.
2) Be well-researched. Make sure that you know what you are talking about and make it relevant to our publication or audience.
3) Make it easy to respond. It is best to finish with questions rather than just pitching and leaving it at that. Asking questions at the end makes it as easy as possible for the company to reply.
 
Any big plans or projects planned this year for Edge of the Crowd that you are looking forward to?
There are a lot of huge events coming up over the rest of the year. Currently, we are looking towards the AFLW and AFL, in addition to the Women’s Cricket World Cup.

From a cultural perspective, the Melbourne Comedy Festival will be a major highlight, as well as some amazing and game-changing films that are set to be released during the American summer. 

Answers submitted by Rory Denis, Co-Founder / Managing Editor at Edge of the Crowd.