The Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) welcomed the opportunity to make a submission to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee’s consideration of the Murdoch Media Inquiry Bill 2023.
Our submission suggested the following:
- To ensure media diversity and plurality in Australia, a mix of evidence and principles-based, fiscal measures is necessary to support industry transition, stimulate innovation and investment and encourage new entrants. Support should also be tied directly to returns on quality news production and availability, something that has not always been the case in the Australian policy context.
- Investment is needed in gathering quality, longitudinal data that will support the development and delivery of efficient and effective public policy outcomes in news media.
- The introduction of a public interest journalism tax rebate alongside revenue mechanisms, such as the News Media Bargaining Code (NMBC), could incentivise long term investment in public interest journalism and provide a simple policy solution to deliver transparent, public benefit.
- Serious attention should be given to the development of a not-for-profit news sector in Australia.
Read our full submission to the Murdoch Media Inquiry Bill 2023 here.