This year marks the 20th anniversary of Eureka Street. In the fickle world of media where many publications fail to find a sustained readership, this longevity is quite an achievement. To celebrate the anniversary, Eureka Street presents video interviews with some of its most prominent contributors. The first series of six conversations begins today, with one appearing every fortnight. There will be a second series later in the year.
Prior to the advent of Eureka Street, many Australian Jesuits had discussed their desire to publish a journal featuring intelligent comment on topical issues in church and society. They were inspired by Jesuit publications overseas like the US Jesuits’ America, established in 1909, and the The Month in Britain (1864-2001).
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So it’s fitting that the first interview should be with Jesuit priest, Michael Kelly, Eureka Street’s founding publisher, who made this vision a reality. He talks about the significance of the journal, and the future of the Catholic Church and faith in Australia.
He spoke with Eureka Street TV last Sunday at St Canice’s Church in Elizabeth Bay, Sydney, just prior to the Mass celebrating the 25th anniversary of ordination of fellow Jesuit, Frank Brennan, another high profile contributor to Eureka Street.
Michael Kelly is a man of vision, who brought his boundless energy and entrepreneurial spirit to the foundation of Eureka Street. He studied the marketplace, and with scant finances put together production facilities. He assembled gifted personnel, such as longtime editor, and now prominent public intellectual, Morag Fraser.
Eureka Street began as a monthly print magazine. In another insightful and, at the time, controversial move, Kelly anticipated the switch from print to internet media and encouraged Eureka Street to go online in 2006, well before many similar publications made the move. This rejuvenated the journal and gave it a larger and more diverse readership.
Eureka Street is just one of a host of Michael Kelly’s activities and achievements. Shortly after its foundation, he also launched Australian Catholics, a mass circulation bi-monthly magazine. Both publications were part of a revamping and consolidation of the considerable publishing activities of the Jesuit order, coming under the umbrella of Jesuit Communications which he created.
In the mid-1990s Kelly founded, and was the first CEO of Church Resources, a charitable trust which combines the buying power of Catholic and other Church institutions in purchasing services and supplies such as telecommunications and stationery.
In 2004 he was founding CEO of Aurora