Four of the Australia’s well known independent business, news and analysis websites have combined into a online media group, First Digital Media, that will provide advertisers on the sites a single sales network with almost no ‘wastage or duplication’.

The network will be made up of Crikey, SmartCompany, Eureka Report and Business Spectator.

Between the four websites, 640,000-plus unique browsers are attracted each month, and are offering advertisers an ‘incomparably wealthy, highly-educated and influential audience of senior executives and professionals’.

According to a statement from First Digital Media, of the group’s combined audience:

• 80% have tertiary or post-graduate qualifications
• 46% earn more than $104,000pa – 12 times higher than the equivalent number in the general population
• 60% are in senior roles within their organisation
• 28% have more than $1 million in personal investments, and
• 31% are likely to travel first class or business class internationally.

With sales teams in Sydney and Melbourne, the network is supported by an online publishing operation of more than 50 full-time publishers, editors, journalists and marketing staff.

First Digital Media will be headed up by experienced senior online media executive, Oliver Hinton.

“Our concentrated readership of wealthy senior business professionals gives us a strong competitive advantage when helping advertisers target these often hard to reach groups,” explained Hinton.