PIJI unveils tax incentive report
The Public Interest Journalism Initiative was pleased to release its Guidebook to implement and claim a public interest journalism tax rebate last week.
The research was first revealed by Max Mason in the AFR, including PIJI’s economic modelling that shows tax rebates for industry investment in public interest journalism could reap more than $700 million in benefits.
PIJI’s ongoing research into tax models follows the ACCC’s Digital Platforms Inquiry 2019 recommendation of taxation incentives to support public interest journalism, given its utility as a public good. PIJI is investigating three areas of taxation reform for public interest journalism:
- Industry tax rebates for public interest journalism producers
- Philanthropic tax incentives (such as deductible gift recipient status)
- Commercial investment tax incentives
To read the full report, please click here.
Mapping Project
The Australian Newsroom Mapping Project recorded eight new entries in September, seven new digital mastheads and one new newspaper, the SE Voice in South Australia.
News Corp launched seven digital hyperlocal titles: Albury-Wodonga, Mildura, Bass Coast, Dubbo, Mid-North Coast (NSW), Melbourne City, Goulburn Valley.
The Border Watch, which was listed as closed in August, was purchased by ‘a partnership of independent newspaper proprietors’ and reopened.
For more information, please click here.
Appointment
PIJI welcomes Associate Professor of Communication at Deakin University Australia Kristy Hess to its Expert Research Panel.
A/Prof Hess’ research largely focuses on the media practices and the sustainability of local news as well as the relationship between journalism, placemaking and social order in digital settings.
She is also a chief investigator on two Australian Research Council projects: lead CI on an ARC Linkage examining the future of local newspapers in Australia in partnership with Country Press Australia and CI on an ARC Discovery project examining media and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Recent Media Coverage
Australia
- Funding public interest journalism requires creative solutions. A tax rebate for news media could work, The Conversation, September 21 & Mumbrella, September 22
- Google to pay US$1b for news but Australia depends on ACCC code, AFR, October 1
- Payment negotiations with media companies unworkable, warns Google boss, SMH, September 29
- Year-end target for digital platforms code of conduct legislation, The Australian, September 29
- ABC and SBS may be included in ACCC code requiring Google and Facebook to pay for news, The Guardian, September 23
- ‘Public interest journalism is important’: Government gives AAP $5m, SMH, September 18
International
USA
- How the government can help save local news without endangering its editorial independence. Poynter, October 1
United Kingdom
- UK charity launched to support public interest journalism. The Guardian, September 23
New Zealand
- Over 3 million New Zealanders read newspapers and more than 1.9 million read magazines in 2020. Roy Morgan, September 29