Today marks the final release of the Public Interest Journalism Initiative’s Australian News Data Report.
Launched in 2020, the report provided monthly insight into the state of the country’s news industry, shining a light on everything from market changes in news production to local character and quantity of public interest journalism.
The December report breaks down the number of print, digital, radio and television news outlets by breadth of coverage across Australia and provides updates on new and historical market changes such as news outlet closures, mergers and launches.
There has never been a more important time for public interest journalism in Australia than right now.
Financial and political pressures, changing industry conditions and technological disruption have seen mastheads fall like dominoes, ensuing job cuts and an increasingly concentrated industry with less room for the diversity of opinions and stories necessary for a healthy democracy.
With the completion of the research project (linked above), PIJI will shift focus this year from academic work to strengthening our advocacy, government relations and thought-leadership activities.
PIJI will soon return with fresh versions of commentary and reviews into the state of Australia’s public interest journalism. These will reflect our new focus on changes and the innovative funding models the industry needs for sustainability and healthy growth.
PIJI welcomes the government’s recent commitment of more than $150 million under the News Media Assistance Program to support public interest journalism. We eagerly await more details on how exactly that funding, in addition to the millions earmarked for other programs and the Australian Communications and Media Authority, will be distributed and used.
We also look forward to updates on the progression of the government’s efforts to bring tech giants back to the table to make deals with news publishers.
I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank all the researchers, former PIJI staff and other members of the industry, academia and public who contributed to the Australian News Data Project over the years. Your work, along with financial support from the Federal Government, allowed PIJI to play a critical role in highlighting the importance of public interest journalism and its place in a robust democracy.
Alex Cramb
CEO
Public Interest Journalism Initiative
For media enquiries, please contact:
Sezen Bakan
About the Public Interest Journalism Initiative
The Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) is an independent advocacy group dedicated to diversity and a sustainable future for public interest journalism amid an ever-changing media and regulatory landscape.