Fairfax first to team with Facebook

Fairfax has been named as the first Australian publishing house to sign to Facebook’s Instant Articles. The social media giant’s new development will see publishers post content directly on the platform, as well as utilise displays and advertising on iPhones, and Android later this year.

Global rollout has only just begun, but Fairfax Media’s titles The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and Stuff.co.nz have been confirmed as launch partners within Australia and New Zealand.

Fairfax’s editorial director for Australian Metro Media Sean Aylmer commented in an official statement: “From today, we will use Instant Articles to share a significant number of our news stories daily, delivering our large and growing Facebook audiences an immediate, radically improved and more engaging mobile experience. We are taking advantage of innovative new technologies – including Instant Articles – to maximise the audience reach of our quality, independent journalism and enhance the experience our audiences have with our content.

“Our strategic partnership with Facebook underlines the tremendous mobile innovation happening at Fairfax and our unrelenting commitment to putting audiences at the centre of our publishing model.”

Facebook’s managing director Australia and New Zealand Stephen Scheeler said in a statement: “Expanding Instant Articles in Australia and New Zealand is a significant milestone for the product and for each of our early launch partners. Fairfax is at the forefront of digital publishing innovation and we’re pleased they are our first local publisher to use Instant Articles in Australia and New Zealand, with the audiences of the SMH, The Age and Stuff enjoying fast, interactive articles in the Facebook app.”