In response to the government’s call for feedback, PIJI has made a submission to the News Media Assistance Program consultation.
In our submission, we note the challenges facing public interest journalism, including a fragile business model and the rise of generative AI. We also note the need for a two-speed approach to reform: structural changes are required to access sustainable revenue streams that can replace those that are no longer viable, buttressing the foundations of public interest journalism for generations to come. Those changes will take time, however, and news outlets need immediate support to safeguard public interest news in Australia while those necessary structural changes proceed.
Our recommendations, as per our submission, include:
- The framework defines ‘public interest journalism’ according to the definition of ‘core news’ already in use under Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code, to recognise the importance of community and local scale and ensure harmonization with existing legislation and recent policy interventions.
- The definition of ‘public interest journalism’ be adopted in a consistent manner for legislative and policy purposes to optimise measurement of public benefit.
- In the event a new definition of public interest journalism is adopted, that it incorporates the eight critical needs of local communities, including the importance of community reporting; require adherence to professional standards, including being subject to an external complaints body; and highlight its ‘reporting’ function.
- The Media Diversity objective explicitly includes consideration of content diversity as well media ownership diversity among other factors.
Our submission follows several rounds of PIJI-hosted industry consultations with stakeholders from across the Australian media landscape. We thank them for sharing their thoughts and look forward to further collaborations on the viability and sustainability of Australian public interest journalism.