I am delighted to share some brief updates, following PIJI’s first Future Focus Roundtable held on Tuesday 12 December, focused on Local News Markets and featuring special guest speaker, Minister for Communications, the Hon. Michelle Rowland MP.

Minister Rowland took the opportunity in her keynote to announce the Federal Government has awarded PIJI a further $800,000 to continue our crucial work mapping, researching and reporting on the health of Australia’s public interest journalism landscape.

Taking PIJI’s government support to $1.7M, this new funding recognises the critical value of our independent data, analysis and comment, the value it adds in informed policy and industry development and the need for this work to continue into the future.

Other highlights of the day included:

• The Minister’s announcement that consultation on the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) – which aims to promote a diverse and sustainable media sector – is now open and will close on 22 February 2024. PIJI will be consulting with stakeholders to help inform our submission so please reach out.
• The unveiling of new research commissioned by PIJI from Monash Business School, which revealed factors that may impact the viability of local print and digital news outlets.
• The release of a new study from the University of Technology Sydney into the consideration and investigation of the potential uses of GenAI in news production.
• A further announcement by the Minister of the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) upcoming Media Diversity Measurement Framework, supported by $10.5 million in funding.

PIJI looks forward to continuing to provide independent, expert comment and analysis and to collaborating with government, industry and the community to productively assist the long-term viability and diversity of public interest journalism in Australia. We will also provide you with updates on our progress.

Anna Draffin
Chief Executive Officer