Public Interest Journalism Initiative CEO Anna Draffin testified before the Australian parliament’s Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society on Friday 28 June 2024.

Below you can read her opening statement:

OPENING STATEMENT

Thank you Chair and Committee members, for the opportunity to appear before this inquiry today.

I also wish to acknowledge the traditional lands on which we meet today, and their owners past, present and emerging.

Public interest journalism is in crisis – both in Australia and globally.

We need to address the issues facing the sector, quickly and decisively. This crisis is time critical.

Without public interest news, we put democracy and social cohesion at risk, hamper the ability of Australia’s population to engage in informed civil discourse, and amplify and abet the rise of mis and disinformation.

The Public Interest Journalism Initiative has been at the forefront of tracking the health and trends in the Australian news market over the past 5 years, as well as investigating policy solutions for news diversity and sustainability. Our work has been replicated internationally and is referenced widely in Australia, including by all sides of politics.

As of March 2024, our Australian News Index lists 677 news entities which operate 1,211 print, digital, radio and television news outlets. 88% of these outlets are primarily focused on local news coverage, leaving the remaining 12% at a metropolitan, state/territory or national level.

Our longitudinal data, collected on a monthly basis, demonstrates prolonged news market stress and instability. There have been 519 market changes – including 161 news outlet closures – between 2019 and 2024, which is a sharp acceleration from ACCC data of 106 closures over the previous decade. Roughly two thirds of total news contractions are skewed to regional communities.

This crisis in public interest journalism is not a communications problem. It impacts our economy, social cohesion and security.

A two-speed approach is required from Government.

Firstly: short-term support now to ensure continued delivery and access to public interest journalism for Australians.

Secondly – and concurrently – the introduction of a suite of measures, including taxation reform, that can drive sector transformation. This will require robust evidence, thought leadership, experimentation and investment.

Sector transformation cannot be achieved by Government alone – and importantly, it must be insulated from political pressures and focused on the protection and long- term sustainability and diversity of public interest journalism at all levels.

In an age where Generative AI can both threaten and enhance the power of public interest journalism, there is a magnitude of demands and complexities.

As an entity, PIJI is evolving to harness the strength of all stakeholders – news peaks, their members, academia, digital platforms and civil society, here and internationally – such that we can act as a lightning rod for collaborative efforts to help Government.

There are important lessons from two decades of digital disruption across Australia’s economy and society.

Collectively, we need to future proof public interest journalism now: to strengthen the unique qualities that set it apart from other types of information, to ensure its viability, diversity and accessibility as an antidote to mis and disinformation, and to build trust and resilience in the Australian community and democracy.

I welcome your questions.

Thank you.