News Corp has launched True Crime Australia, which will run as a stand-alone site and a new vertical across all metro mastheads.

The vertical will include dedicated true crime sections on all metro mastheads, curating print, digital and broadcast content from News Corp’s journalists.

According to News Corp, geo-tracking will be used to promote relevant stories to specific audiences.

Kathy Lipari, executive editor News360 at News Corp Australia said: “Whether it’s fear or fascination, an increasing number of people love nothing more than a gripping read of cold cases, crimes and criminals in our community, and stories of our criminal history.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Our expert crime writers will dive into the unsolved cases that have baffled investigators and left communities searching for answers for years.’’

Lipari said News Corp investigative journalists work passionately and tirelessly because their work helps keep people safe.

“This relentless commitment to devoting countless hours to interviewing, questioning, researching and crafting the story behind the crime, proudly showcases the role of our mastheads and investigative journalism in keeping our communities informed and our people safe.

“True Crime Australia will take readers behind the police tape to get the facts and search for answers.”

The launch is supported by a creative print and digital ad campaign across all News Corp metro mastheads, 15 and 30 sec TV ads targeting crime programming, along with a a digital marketing, social media and PR campaign.

Charles Miranda, national editor of True Crime Australia said: “The true crime genre has always been popular but never more so than now as there is a blur between fact and fiction.

“You watch TV or films and you see these horrific crimes or gut wrenching tragedies and it’s often not clear what is true life, what has been inspired by true events or completely made up by Hollywood. Audiences want to know the truth and would sooner follow a real life crime. There is always that thought the nightmare could happen to them or someone they love.”

News Corp’s crime writers headlining True Crime Australia include: Charles Miranda from News360, Andrew Rule and Keith Moor from the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun, Mark Morri and Janet Fife-Yeomans from The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, Kate Kyriacou from The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail, and Sean Fewster and Nigel Hunt from The Advertiser and Sunday Mail.

In recent years the true crime vertical has had something of a renaissance thanks to the success of shows like Making a Murderer on Netflix, and US podcasts including Serial from This American Life and the Los Angeles Times’ Dirty John.

Back in April, The Daily Telegraph launched a new true crime podcast, Eight Minutes.