A standard, percentage-based digital levy in Australia would create financial and operational certainty for digital platforms (and their shareholders) who pay it, rather than the uncertainty case-by-case negotiations with news producers has the potential to create, argues Public Interest Journalism Initiative Chair Allan Fels in an opinion column published in the Australian this week.

A digital levy could provide financial support for public interest news production. This type of content records, reports, or investigates issues of public significance for Australians, engaging them in public debate and informing democratic decision-making. It also covers community and local events. Such a levy is vital for social cohesion and transparency, especially in rural and regional areas. It serves as a counterbalance to the misinformation and disinformation often spread through social media, which we might suggest has been inadvertently encouraged.

Meanwhile, ABC News is covering a five-day strike of journalists at Nine newspapers, after staff voted reject a pay offer from management on the eve of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

Nine is blaming the advertising downturn and a decision by Facebook parent company Meta to not renew a $70 million deal with media companies for their news content.

Dan Ziffer took over from Alan Kohler on the ABC News’ finance report last week and presented PIJI data on the decline of the Australian news media (see below)  while Public Interest Journalism Initiative CEO Anna Draffin was asked to comment on the state of Australian news media following Meta’s decision. She stated among others that: “Obviously a lot, $70m in anyone’s language and in any industry is significant on a per-year-basis.”