Established in 2012, AFL Media provides content to AFL.com.au and the AFL Livemobile app, and formerly published the AFL Record from 2012 to 2018. Although Telstra currently holds the digital mediabroadcasting rights for AFL games, there is an agreement in place that allows AFL.com.au to host video content from Telstra Media. Telstra also receives the advertising revenue from the website. Although AFL Media is located in the same building as the AFL's headquarters in Docklands, Victoria, it employs an independent editorial and journalist team to report on the league and produce content on its various mediums. Since its inception as a business, AFL Media had published the match-day AFL Record; however Crocmedia acquired the publishing arm of AFL Media in July 2018, and will assume the operations of producing the AFL Record and its related brands from 2019.
Content
AFL Media provides content for a range of digital products including AFL.com.au and the 18 clubs' official websites, the AFL Live mobileapp and the various social media channels operated by the AFL on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram. It also produces a range of podcasts and online videos analysing various aspects of the AFL, as well as operating the league's photography and film departments: AFL Photos and AFL Films, respectively. It has been speculated that AFL Media could potentially control the broadcast of AFL games in future broadcasting agreements, and either directly sell to audiences itself or on-sell the content to free-to-air and subscription television networks.
Criticism
Due to its direct affiliation with the Australian Football League, AFL Media has received criticism from rival media outlets and journalists questioning whether it can truly provide independent coverage of the league, and that it is not just a public relations tool. Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas publicly reiterated this criticism in 2016, stating that AFL Media was "avoiding" reporting on several controversial issues to protect the AFL's brand.
