PIJI, CAJ voice support for shield law
Protecting sources is a key component of the production of public interest journalism, according to PIJI and the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Advancing Journalism in their joint submission to the Queensland government’s consultation on a proposed shield law for journalists.
These two organisations came together through their shared support for the introduction of a shield law and their joint submission makes several recommendations including the need for a strong and clear definition of the word “journalist”, so it is clear who can access this protection.
The submission also recommends shield laws be applicable in any setting where a journalist can be compelled to provide evidence that could identify a confidential source. This includes trial proceedings, preliminary proceedings, tribunals, police investigations and coronial inquests.
Read our submission to the Queensland shield law consultation and PIJI’s other recent submissions here.
Around the traps
The ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society and AlgorithmWatch are conducting a research project to track the Australian Search Experience.
The project will see users download a plugin to collect their search results on websites like Google or Bing to analyse how different audiences get served different results.
PIJI is pleased to support the project. Such data will assist with a better understanding of the delivery of public interest journalism through search engines.
To participate in the project or to learn more, click here.
Meanwhile, Walkley Foundation has launched the program for its Regional Journalism Summit to be held on November 18 & 19 in Tamworth, NSW.
As part of the line-up, PIJI CEO Anna Draffin will be hosting a panel entitled “How can we sustain regional journalism?” A range of international experts will explore how policy, philanthropy and public buy-in can intersect to secure the future for public interest journalism across our communities.
Tickets are available online.
New Contractions Dominate
During July the Australian Newsroom Mapping Project logged 18 market changes, with six openings or service expansions, but 12 decreases in service across regional Australia.
The ANMP report for July shows these decreases were driven by WIN announcing it would be cutting local news bulletins in numerous locations across Victoria and Queensland.
Meanwhile a new masthead, the Western Plains App, opened in Coonamble, the Washington Post opened a Sydney bureau and four newsrooms across Queensland and NSW all increased services.
Click here to read the full report.
Recent Media Coverage
Australia
- Media Reform Green Paper interview with Anna Draffin on The Grapevine. Triple R, July 26 (from 45m)
- Sky News Australia banned from YouTube for seven days over Covid misinformation. The Guardian, August 1.
- ACM’s Catalano brands newspaper staff ‘delusional’ as journalists lay strike groundwork. The Age, July 21
- News Corp cuts jobs, brings in McKinsey for restructure. The Age, July 26.
International
USA
- More chain-owned news organisations are returning to local ownership. Poynter, July 26.
- Sen. Ron Wyden and colleagues aim to support local journalism through tax credits for newspapers. Argus Observer, July 25.
United Kingdom
- Younger readers are passing mainstream news by, but what can publishers do about it?. Press Gazette, July 29
New Zealand
- How One New Zealand Media Company is Trying to Make Trust Pay. Editor and Publisher, July 6.
News
A monthly selection of new research from academic and industry groups, relevant to the future of public interest journalism.
- Signal interruption in Baldwin city: filling a communication vacuum in a small town news desert
J Steven Smethers, Sam Chege Mwangi, Bonnie Bressers, Newspaper Research Journal - The platform beat: algorithmic watchdogs in the disinformation age
Philip M Napoli, European Journal of Communication - Revealing problems, pointing fingers and creating impact: a survey of investigative reporters/editors regarding journalistic impact , Nichole Dahmen, Brent Walth, Newspaper Research Journal
- It’s like dying but not being dead: US newspaper journalists cope with emotional and physical toll of job losses
Scott Reinardy, Lawrie Zion, Annalise Baines, Newspaper Research Journal - Risk perception in newspaper chains: threats, uncertainties and corporate boundary work
Helle Jovaag, Thomas Owren, Journalism - Towards (hyper)local public sphere: comparison of civic engagement across the global north
Jaana Hujanen, Olga Dovbysh, Lottie Jangal, Katja Lehisaari, Media and Communication - Putting trust into antitrust? Competition policy and data-driven platforms
Stefan Larsson ,European Journal of Communication