The Real Media Collective membership up 40 per cent

The Real Media Collective has gained 191 new member businesses across Australia and New Zealand, a rise of 39.9 per cent, in the last year as the association increased its service offering to include in-house industrial relations and workplace health and safety support.

The association which represents the paper, publishing and printing sectors now has just shy of 700 member businesses with 71 per cent of those being small businesses.

Supplier businesses also make up 17 per cent of the membership and trans-Tasman print companies represent seven per cent.

The Collective’s CEO, Kellie Northwood, said: “The team have worked tirelessly this year and the results are a positive indicator that what we are delivering is of value to our members and our industry. Even during a very tough year we have welcomed new members and retained our existing members.”

The Collective has now released its annual report which shows from the FY13 to FY20, the association has realised an increase of nearly $1 million in membership revenue with an average growth rate of 15.78 per cent.

The growth has been more moderate in the past 12 months at 1.4 per cent despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Northwood said the membership growth has been stabilised and a strategic review is now in place to look to grow membership further through an increased service offering from industrial relations, workplace health and safety, industry partnerships and sponsorship alliances.

The year so far:

  • Rebuild Together webinar series achieved 23,582 member engagements, attendance, downloads, views and/or likes and shares;
  • Increased rates of digital engagement with 78,799 LinkedIn post views and a 98.3 per cent YOY increase in LinkedIn followers;
  • Subscribers to the Collective’s e-newsletter increased by 2,432;
  • Twitter impressions hit 190,727;
  • The Collective’s website received 193,459 page views with an average of three minutes and nine seconds spent within the site/s.
  • Defended the industry against misrepresentation in light of Coles catalogues and distribution decision;
  • Conducted an Industry Insights Survey;
  • Launched a ‘Buy Local’ campaign;
  • Picked up the management of Women in Print;
  • Built a resource and factsheet library to navigate COVID-19;
  • Hired IR expert Charles Watson as General Manager – IR, Policy and Governance meaning it can now offer IR and workplace services direct to members.

“The Board had long been reviewing inconsistency of rulings from FWC across our industry Awards with some concern and determined this was largely due to an increasing range of representations from outlier association’s running hotlines for the print industry,” Northwood said.

In-house IR support: Charles Watson is the Collective’s General Manager – IR, Policy and Governance

“We needed to regain consistent and expert representation for our industry to assist the Commissioner in their judgements. Charles, with over 13-years experience across our nine Awards was the expert we worked very hard to bring onto the team and I was delighted when he accepted challenge.”

Northwood said the Collective has also moved to defend the industry from misrepresentation with the Coles catalogue and letterbox delivery announcement.

The Collective also submitted a 36-page Essential Services submission to the federal government, compiled an Industry Insights survey

“We are happy with these results, however we cannot rest, our members and industry need us now more than ever to assist through the recovery phase, we must keep listening to our members needs, work with our like-minded industry body partners and keep delivering. I, the Board and the team, remain as passionate as ever about the industry’s future and the role TRMC will play in ensuring a strong and sustainable industry,” concluded Northwood.

The patrons of Women in Print

The annual report will be released to members and soon will be available for public viewing on the Collective’s website.

The full 2019 annual financial and governance audit was completed by independent auditor, KMS Financials, without any contraventions listed and released to members at the Sydney AGM in December of that year.

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2 thoughts on “The Real Media Collective membership up 40 per cent

  1. Your Association is exactly what the Printing Industry needed
    Just shows you give the members what they require and they will join in great numbers.

    Well done to the Board, Kelly and the team!!

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