PIJI’s submission to the Regional Newspapers Inquiry was informed by data from our Australian News Data Project. It recommended a tax rebate for public interest journalism and for the funding and development of a project to gather and analyse core longitudinal data on regional newspapers. In March 2022 the inquiry adopted a number of PIJI’s recommendations into its final report.
Submission to the Inquiry into Australia’s Regional Newspapers – February 2022
In November 2021 the House Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts opened an inquiry into the state of Australia’s regional newspapers, with a particular focus on advertising revenues in the wake of COVID-19; the impact of News Corp and Australian Community Media to leave some regional markets and the extent to which there has been growth in these or other areas.
PIJI’s Submission to the Inquiry into Australia’s regional newspapers made two key recommendations:
- That the government make a long-term investment in core sector data to measure and monitor the health of public interest journalism (print, digital, radio, and television) across the nation.
- That the government considers a mix of policy responses tied directly to public interest journalism outcomes, including an R&D-style rebate as a complement to the News Media Bargaining Code.
Read PIJI’s full submission here.
Supplementary submission and questions taken on notice to the inquiry into Australia’s regional newspapers – March 2022
PIJI appeared before the inquiry committee on the 28 February 2022. You can read the transcript of PIJI’s appearance before the inquiry committee here.
PIJI’s supplementary submission responds to questions taken on notice at our February 2022 appearance before the inquiry committee. It provides data additions to the Australian Newsroom Mapping Project and details on initiatives for maintaining core industry data and increasing private investment in public interest journalism.
Read the supplementary submission here.