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PIJI welcomes rescue package, recommends additional policy options available to government

April 15, 2020

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The Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) welcomes the media rescue package announced this morning by Minister for Communications and the Arts the Hon Paul Fletcher MP.

PIJI is pleased with the uptake of several of our recommendations, especially the establishment of the new $50 million Public Interest News Gathering (PING) program, as well as spectrum tax relief and temporary easing of content obligations.

PIJI also recognises the JobKeeper payment and other stimulus measures accessible to some media organisations as a further form of support.

“This package helps provide short-term relief, but more needs to be done and we stand ready to work with government to implement our remaining policy recommendations,” says PIJI Chairman Professor Allan Fels AO.

“This industry was under intense stress before COVID-19 hit and the need for long-term solutions remains unchanged.”

Remaining PIJI recommendations for urgent short-term relief of the sector are:

•    Increasing public campaign advertising in local news media by $100 million
•    Make local news subscriptions tax deductible as a temporary supportive measure during the pandemic crisis
•    Earmark further funding to assist a national newswire to provide public interest reporting if this cannot be achieved by PING

The PING program comprises remaining funding from the Regional and Small Publishers Jobs and Innovation and a top-up of $13.4 million in new funds.

Advertising spend in Australia is believed to have declined by 25 to 30 per cent during April according to the Standard Media Index, but some smaller local and regional operations have reported advertising all but disappearing overnight with the onset of the pandemic.

In the past 24 hours Australian Community Media has suspended production on a number of titles until the end of June.

News Corp has stopped printing 60 local products, Taylor Group’s The Bunyip newspaper in South Australia has closed, a number of regional newspapers have suspended production indefinitely (including but not limited to Swan Hill Guardian, Gannawarra Times and Loddon Times.) Sunraysia Daily has reduced to print just once a week.

“This is an industry that was already in crisis. We welcome the government measures, which acknowledge the public interest nature of this industry and its vital role ensuring all Australians have access to a variety of credible news as part of a healthy democracy,” says Prof Allan Fels.

“With the impending closure of national newswire Australian Associated Press in June unless a buyer is found, we need to continue to map a path forward for public interest reporting.”

This week news ratings agency Nielsen reported traffic to Australia’s top ten news websites surged by an average of 57 per cent in March as Australians seek out news and information on the current health crisis being felt across the world.

“With the government needing to communicate with its citizens, we again encourage a commitment of $100 million in advertising spend across local, state and federal jurisdictions to support news organisations, following the leads set by Canada and Denmark,” explains Prof Fels.

The Canadian government has committed to spending $30 million on advertising, while Denmark announced it will cover 60 per cent of losses for publishers who could document a 30 to 50 per cent decline in ad revenues and 80 per cent for outlets reporting a decline of more than half.

PIJI will continue to map substantial industry changes and contractions through The Australian Newsroom Mapping Project, available to any member of the public to contact us with any updates.

Anyone – general public or industry – may submit information such as newsroom closures, suspension of print operations or job losses, by email to newsmap@piji.com.au.

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