In this month’s edition, a new board member joins PIJI’s board, and the latest data on public interest journalism in Australia.
Anita Jacoby AM to join PIJI board
The Public Interest Journalism Initiative is pleased to announce media sector stalwart Anita Jacoby AM will join its board in October. One of the most decorated TV producers in Australia, Ms Jacoby has over 35 years of experience in broadcasting, including many years in news and current affairs.
Read the full announcement here.
Further closures emerge in latest PIJI data report
There are 1210 print, digital, radio and television news outlets listed on the Australian News Index – as at 31 July 2023 – spanning community, local, metropolitan, state/territory or national coverage areas. This is down from 1212 in June 2023.
Two outlet closures were observed in July, and eight other changes were made to outlet records that occurred in previous months but were verified in July, including one opening, one reopening, five closures and one updated coverage area. One news entity record was added to the data.
Read the full report on our website.
Interview: Rebuilding US local news
Two newspapers each week shut down in the US, revealing the depth of the local news crisis. PIJI sat down with Steven Waldman, President of Rebuild Local News, a US nonprofit dedicated to saving local journalism. In our cross-border chat, he discusses potential solutions to the local news crisis and the importance of working together across borders to ensure public interest journalism is sustainable into the future.
PIJI submissions to government consultations
PIJI is currently engaged in the following industry consultations:
- the draft legislation on new ACMA powers to combat misinformation and disinformation
- the review of options to support the independence of the national broadcasters.
We will update our subscribers on the content of our submissions in due course.
Current opportunities
Here, PIJI rounds up the latest sponsorship, funding and other opportunities for the sector.
- The Walkley Foundation is seeking expressions of interest from those interested in becoming mentors in the Foundation’s programs.
- Applications are now open for the third round of the Meta Australian News Fund, with $5 million available to the Australian journalism industry with a particular focus on public interest journalism. Applications close close on Monday 25 September at 11:59pm.
Industry news
PIJI in the news:
Australia:
- End of an era as Ita Buttrose steps down from the ABC, and Stan Grant also exits. Meanwhile, David Anderson is reappointed for five years.
- Print readership of the AFR recovers.
- Lachlan Murdoch pays out over a million dollars to Crikey.
- The latest Twitter/X change to news on the site.
- A soft launch for Scire’s Capital Brief.
- The Australian Human Rights Commission’s thoughts on the misinformation bill.
- More pain for arts media.
- Potential media censorship at the local government level.
- What does journalistic transparency actually mean?
- Barrie Cassidy speaks out on the ABC’s reaction to criticism.
- Major TV networks break cover on a unified BVOD product.
- Big names withdraw from the Walkleys over fossil fuel sponsorship.
- Neil Mitchell announces he’s leaving 3AW.
- Sky News Australia reports audience growth.
- Calls to review RMIT FactLab’s Voice to Parliament factchecks.
- Research into AI and digital news.
- A new partnership between the ABC, First Languages Australia and First Nations Media Australia.
- A conflict of interest for Jim Chalmers as the News Media Bargaining Code approaches renewal.
- Stats reveal Facebook traffic to news publishers has dropped.
- Leigh Sales expresses concern about activism journalism.
International:
- With wildfires raging, Justin Trudeau slams Meta for its Canadian news ban and the government pledges to stop buying ads on Facebook and Instagram. But research finds the news ban doesn’t impact Facebook’s usage.
- Global news mapping efforts expand with Project Oasis.
- An international look at the future of local news.
- Making the case for philanthropic support of climate journalism.
- Expansion on the cards for the Manchester Mill.
- Thoughts on broadcasting the Trump trials.
- UK media leaders discuss threats and opportunities facing the industry.
- Swiss researchers discover how much news is really worth to Google.
- A call to give to nonprofit news.
- Malaysia considers making Google and Meta pay for news.
- The US sees a rise in philanthropic spending on news.
- Goodbye to the Facebook ‘News’ tab in Europe.
- 22 foundations band together to give $500 million to local news in the US.
- A new public interest health publication launches.