Options available in code reflect broad spectrum of news media businesses and capacity
PIJI and JNI welcome the introduction to Parliament of the government’s News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code.
December Newsletter
Today PIJI is releasing our inaugural Annual Report 2020, which outlines our first 18 months of research, policy development and financial performance. Additionally, PIJI is now a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)!
PIJI survey shows support for public interest journalism remains high
The Australian public’s media consumption has increased substantially through 2020, according to the third of PIJI’s investigations, Community Value of Public Interest Journalism.
ACMA disinformation code submission
In November PIJI made a submission to the Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI) on its draft Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation. Our submission stated that the code did not sufficiently address the issue of news quality and the role that the availability of high-quality news plays in improving the digital information ecosystem. A recommendation was […]
Mandatory Bargaining Code essential to stemming erosion of public interest journalism
PIJI and JNI today reiterate their support for the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code and its urgent passage through Parliament.
Community Value Surveys
Community Value Surveys The benefits of public interest journalism are considerable, but difficult to quantify. In a series of surveys, PIJI used ‘willingness to pay’ analysis to evaluate how Australian communities value public interest journalism and to establish evidence-based reference points for future research and policy. Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 1 Findings […]
October Newsletter
PIJI was pleased to release its Guidebook to implement and claim a public interest journalism tax rebate last week. The research was first revealed by Max Mason in the AFR, including PIJI’s economic modelling that shows tax rebates for industry investment in public interest journalism could reap more than $700 million in benefits.
PIJI proposes tax rebates, unveils guidebook
PIJI releases its next tax investigation for the news media industry – the Guidebook to implement and claim a Public Interest Journalism Tax Rebate.
Public Interest Journalism Tax Rebate
PIJI’s program of research into taxation to encourage investment in public interest journalism suggests that a tax incentive scheme is worth serious consideration. The following guidebook and research report investigate an industry rebate scheme, specific to news producers.
September Newsletter
The joint PIJI-JNI submission of drafting News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code made 28 recommendations, with emphasis on more pricing clarity and ensuring media plurality, with players of all sizes equally needing to be able to bargain under the new framework.
Bucking the trend: Building a newsroom in regional Australia
By Eliza Berlage Senior Journalist, Naracoorte Community News South Australia’s south-east region continues to have one of the largest losses of media jobs and outlets in the country, a worrying trend for a highly populated and valuable area. Between 2006 and 2016 the region recorded a 3.5 per cent decline in the number of journalism jobs, the […]
PIJI recommendations seek ACCC code clarity and fairness, but more initiatives also needed
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code is a welcome step towards acknowledging the digital transformation of the news industry and the importance of public interest journalism to our community.
August Newsletter
PIJI is conducting research including industry and community consultations to inform our response to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) draft news and digital platforms mandatory bargaining code.
PIJI welcomes world-first code to support public interest journalism
The Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) welcomes today’s release by the Federal Government of the draft Mandatory News Media Bargaining Code and the inclusion of many of PIJI’s key recommendations in the proposed framework.
Journalism’s new normal
By Professor Glenn Withers Applied Economics and Australian National University Australian communities are battling multiple challenges of the times. The vast majority of Australians believe good journalism is important during these trying days. Fires, floods, storms, drought and pandemic have had impacts for us all. In dealing with this, public interest journalism has been a […]
News Deserts and Ghost Newspapers
July Newsletter
PIJI recently led a joint submission with The Judith Neilson Institute For Journalism and Ideas (JNI) to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Concepts Paper on the Mandatory News Media Bargaining Code.
PIJI, JNI support ACCC mandatory News Media Bargaining Code
The Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) and Judith Neilson Institute For Journalism and Ideas (JNI) support the establishment of a Mandatory News Media Bargaining Code by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and have outlined how it can work, including calculating the value placed on news content used by digital platforms such as Facebook and Google. However, their joint […]
Number of public interest news contractions in Australia tops 200
The number of contractions in Australia’s public interest news landscape has grown to over 200 since January 2019, according to newly updated data from PIJI’s Australian Newsroom Mapping Project.
Community values and is willing to pay for public interest journalism
The vast majority of Australians value public interest journalism and are willing to pay for it, according to a research report released today by PIJI, in the midst of a dramatic contraction within the news industry.
PIJI welcomes rescue package, recommends additional policy options available to government
The Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) welcomes the media rescue package announced this morning by Minister for Communications and the Arts the Hon Paul Fletcher MP.
Mandatory code to make online platforms pay for news content is a good move
A mandatory competition code to make digital platforms such as Facebook and Google pay for the content they publish from Australian news media businesses is appropriate and timely for the future of public interest reporting.
PIJI commends Victorian government’s $4.7m plan to buy regional advertising
The Victorian government’s plan to book one page of print and digital advertising in more than 100 regional news outlets each week for six months is a commendable move that will contribute in the short-term to easing the cash crisis in public interest journalism, made acute by the COVID-19 pandemic.
PIJI welcomes funding for regional and small publishers but much more is needed to save public interest journalism
The Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) welcomes this morning’s announcement from the Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP that the Federal Government will release $5 million from its Regional and Small Publishers Innovation Fund to support journalism during COVID-19.
April Newsletter
This week, PIJI launch The Australian Newsroom Mapping Project to track the now rapidly changing health of Australia’s news industry. We are now calling for public submissions of relevant data.
Government must act now to save public interest journalism
PIJI is calling on the federal government to put in place emergency measures to save the country’s news industry at a time that so clearly demonstrates its role in Australia’s emergency infrastructure.
Public interest journalism in Australia needs AAP
PIJI welcomes the final report of the ACCC Inquiry into Digital Platforms, as an important document that puts a stake in the ground in the battle to sustain public interest journalism.