2022 Highlights and the road ahead
In little over three years, PIJI has become a credible, evidence-based voice for the health of public interest journalism in Australia and the public benefit it generates for all.
While our focus also included investment, financial sustainability and public support for news, we have invested heavily in assessments of media diversity than originally intended, simply due to a lack of ongoing data.
PIJI now holds dynamic market data from across the pre and ‘COVID-norm’ periods. We have applied use of this data to parliamentary inquiries, reporting media, industry and community activity, as well as to our own policy investigations. Our 2021/22 highlights include:
- The Australian News Mapping Project + Local News Producers Map
- The Australian News Index
- The Australian News Sampling Project
- Release of 12 national reports on news production and availability
- Evidence and submissions to 5 parliamentary inquiries
- Release of PIJI’s Federal Election 2022 Position Paper
- Presentation of an international expert panel at the Walkley Regional Journalism Summit 2022
- Community engagement of over 2,500 responses to news maps
We are delighted that PIJI’s work remains directly relevant and in demand.
On behalf of the PIJI board and team, my thanks to our supporters, who recognised the urgency, and backed this start up at just the right time. We are currently reviewing PIJI’s future course, and will be looking to make announcements early in the new year.
In the meantime, please read our latest Australian News Data Report and reflect on another busy year through our Annual Report 2022.
Wishing you all a happy, festive break.
Anna Draffin
CEO
Australian News Data Report November ’22
PIJI has released the November Australian News Data Report which features assessments of local news in:
- Shire of Bourke, New South Wales,
- City of Burnie, Tasmania
- City of Fremantle, Western Australia
PIJI holiday hours
The PIJI office will close on Thursday 22nd December 2022 and reopen on Monday 9th January 2023. We wish everyone a happy holiday season and thank you for your continued support of PIJI and of public interest journalism.
Sector Roundup
- PIJI has welcomed the recommendation made by Treasury’s Review of the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code, that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) be granted further information-gathering powers in order to obtain information about the commercial agreements struck under the legislation.
- Twelve media startups have emerged from the 2022 Google News Initiative Startups Bootcamp (GNI) held in Australia and New Zealand.
- Federal President of MEAA’s National Media Section Karen Percy has warned of growing mistrust in the media in her speech at the 67th Walkley Awards held recently in Sydney.
- A Bill supporting community broadcasting to streamline licensing has passed through Federal Parliament.
Industry News
- 3CR Community Radio, The now and what’s next of journalism in Australia
- Sydney Morning Herald Media sector battens down the hatches as ad dollars dry up
- Sydney Morning Herald Gov scrutinises media laws as NZ forces Google, Meta to bargain
- Columbia Journalism Review, Is Facebook quitting the news business?
- The Age, Olympic bosses fly in to negotiate Games broadcast deal
- Croakey Health Media Why Australia needs a national strategy to tackle misinformation
- Mirage News First step towards news measurement framework for digital era