Broadcast media reform must support diversity and news access

Media Reform Green Paper: Modernising television regulation in Australia

Any new broadcasting reform must be fit-for-purpose and encourage diversity in news production, we have argued in PIJI’s submission to the Federal Government’s Media Reform consultation on modernising television regulation.

The submission notes that TV still remains an important and trusted source of news for Australians, despite shifts towards other types of technology.

Any transition must ensure that Australians do not experience any decrease in access to news content wherever they reside in Australia and continue to enjoy a choice of Australian news providers.

Media regulation also needs to encompass the different commercial realities faced by regional, remote and metropolitan broadcasters. Equally, while there are fundamental differences between public and commercial broadcasters, any reform must be inclusive of common interest, specifically regarding safeguards and innovation for public interest journalism.

PIJI’s submission argues that where direct financial relief is provided to industry, it should carry some obligations that tie outcomes to news as a public good.

“A choice of news providers is fundamental for an informed citizenry and resilient communities. Government is urged to place an appropriate premium on local content and news. However, this approach will require data and monitoring to measure and assess public benefit outcomes. PIJI supports the regional broadcasters’ goal of achieving financial sustainability and agrees that market mechanisms should be exhausted before government subsidies are considered.”

Read more on the proposed impact for public interest journalism in PIJI’s Media Reform Green Paper submission.

We are currently finalising our submission to the Queensland Government’s consultation on the establishment of a media shield law. We expect our submission to be available early next week via our website.

Mapping Project

The Australian Newsroom Mapping Project logged another seven entries during June, with two expansions and five contractions.

The ANMP June Report logged a new hyperlocal quarterly masthead in Marrickville in Sydney, while the Cape York Weekly launched a new lift-out called Strait Talkin’, covering the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula, after the closure of the Cape & Torres News. The Cape and Torres News was created by the merger of Torres News and Cape York News.

Other backdated contractions added in June were a shift to online-only for Community Spirit, a small community newspaper published in Ravensthorpe, Western Australia, while the Halls Creek Herald appears to have ceased operations.Three existing entries were also adjusted this month, with the previously-closed Queanbeyan Age incorporating the Chronicle in NSW returning to digital, therefore changing its entry to end of print edition. The other two changes were Moorabool Online, now listed as having decreased in service, while QLD’s the Highlands Leader was closed.

Digital News Report

The University of Canberra released its Digital News Report in June, with commentary on the chapter entitled Paying For News And Funding Journalism provided by PIJI CEO Anna Draffin.

Draffin emphasised that there is no silver bullet in the quest to find support and viability for news production models, but that any public policy solutions must come with direct ties to public interest journalism outcomes.

“But importantly, public policy intervention should support a spectrum of industry players; large and small, retail and wholesale, metro and regional,” Draffin writes.

“Equally, it must produce a public benefit to ensure support is tied directly to quality news production and availability, something that has not always been the case in the Australian context.”

She also writes, “To ensure media diversity and plurality in Australia, a mix of substantive, fiscal measures is necessary to support, transition and stimulate existing news businesses and encourage new entrants.”

Recent Media Coverage

Australia

• Guardian Australia strikes deal with Facebook to licence news to the platform. The Guardian, July 2
• Country Press Australia signs Letter of Intent with Facebook. Mumbrella, July 2
• Facebook set to finance regional Australia newspaper fund. Reuters, July 2
• Seven to stop disclosing ad revenue figures to industry body. The Age, June 28
• Federal government spent $4m on Facebook ads in past 12 months. AFR, June 28

International

• USA
  Fears for future of American journalism as hedge funds flex power. The Guardian, June 21
• United Kingdom
  Goodbye, Source: Providing independent journalism in a turbulent year. Open Democracy, July 1
• New Zealand
  The Backstory: Why government money doesn’t corrupt our journalism. Stuff.co.nz, June 19

News

A monthly selection of new research from academic and industry groups, relevant to the future of public interest journalism.

• Asia-Pacific Press Freedom Tracker, Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom
• Upheaval: disrupted lives in journalism, Andrew Dodd, Matthew Ricketson; Book, NewSouth Publishing
• A new deal for journalism, Sameer Padania, Emma Goodman, Louise Angles-d’Auriac, Camille Grenier, Thibaut Bruttin, Iris de Villars, Forum on Information and Democracy
• The state of nonprofit news: rising to new challenges and public needs in a crisis year
  Emily Roseman, Michele McLellan, Jesse Holcomb, Institute for Nonprofit News
• Reimagining local journalism: a community-centered intervention
  Andrea D Wenzel, Letrell Crittenden, Journalism Studies