An informed public is crucial to our democracy.
Public interest journalism reports the information the public is entitled to know and holds authority to account. It is a vital pillar of Australian democracy.
But public interest journalism
is now in crisis.
How can we citizens make sound decisions if we don’t know what’s going on in our own backyards?
PIJI is moving the issue from
talk to concrete actions.
PIJI exists to catalyse public concern about the state of public interest journalism and to help shape the policies and actions needed to sustain it.
Eleven inquiries have been held into the future of Australian journalism and media but there has been no robust public debate to turn ideas into workable solutions.
Many innovative business models have been suggested and tested, modes of government assistance mooted and research done. However, there are gaps in our knowledge and a lack of clear, elaborated proposals on the table for consideration.
PIJI has two
main objectives:
- To mobilise an informed, broad-based and supportive constituency for public interest journalism
- To research, support and promote existing and new mechanisms that will ensure a sound future for public interest journalism
The overriding imperative is to ensure an enduring capacity to fund public interest journalism.
