‘Hitting your head against a brick wall’: Why Open Politics is bringing MPs’ dodgy dealings to light
Sean Johnson does not identify as a journalist. Instead, he describes himself as a public transparency and accountability advocate who writes articles. But given those articles shed light on the private interests that could impact the decisions of Australia’s federal politicians, it would be fair to say his work is entrenched in the country’s public interest journalism […]
Hannah Ferguson on building Cheek Media and surviving an increasingly ‘toxic’ news cycle
Feeling “incredibly frustrated” at the lack of Australian outlets taking the political opinions of young people seriously, a then-22-year-old Hannah Ferguson co-founded Cheek Media in late 2020. Five years on, a steady flow of think-pieces, incisive analysis and memes – all skilfully targeted at digital audiences – has netted Cheek Media more than 200,000 Instagram […]
‘Dismantling’ of democracy chipping away at press freedom
Peter Greste was no stranger to threats of violence and deportation. After all, much of his career as a foreign correspondent was spent investigating everything from drug trafficking to government corruption allegations while working in some of the most hostile regions to public interest journalism. But his 2013 arrest in Egypt still took him by […]
‘Where is it?’: Progress urged for News MAP and News Bargaining Incentive
As the year nears its end, Australia still awaits movement on promised government measures intended to support a sustainable public interest journalism sector. With many news publishers struggling to keep up as tech giants speed towards an uncompromising, AI-driven future, politicians on opposite ends of the political spectrum are united in calling for urgent action. […]
Fact checkers under fire
The credibility of public interest journalism relies on factual reporting, yet media teams committed to uncovering the truth are struggling to endure. “The politicisation of facts has become a really big problem,” ABC News Verify lead Matt Martino tells PIJI. “We’ve seen that with the rise of far-right conservative politics in the US and Donald […]
6 News founder labels social media age ban ‘ineffective’
Much like any other Australian teen, 17-year-old Leo Puglisi is weighing options for the future as he comes towards the end of his final year of high school. But unlike many of his peers, he has already established himself as a respected journalist, having begun reporting at just 11 years old. Now bearing the hefty […]
Why Australia’s media literacy must improve
At a time when technology makes it easier than ever to trick and mislead, media literacy is vital. Yet too many Australians lack the necessary skillset to sort truth from false. Ninety-seven per cent of Australian adults have insufficient ability to verify information online, a joint report by the University of Canberra, Western Sydney University, […]
The call for help that paid off for the Guardian, and what’s next
It’s a familiar tale; new technologies take root, and existing trades must adapt or die. News media transformed several times over the centuries to keep up with newfangled inventions, from the printing press to the internet. But the tech giants who enjoyed meteoric growth over recent years have left less room for the news industry, […]
Stalling tactics and costly tantrums: Latest in international push for news-digital media deals
Months after the Australian government unveiled measures to incentivise tech giants to comply with the News Media Bargaining Code, no progress has been made. The News Bargaining Incentive, introduced after Meta’s 2024 decision to not renew or make new commercials deals for Australian news content, builds on the 2021 Code by including a charge and […]
Allan Fels: The future of the Media Bargaining Code in the new parliament
The 2025 Australian federal election delivered some unexpected results and rewrote the political and policy landscape. While the dust continues to settle, the one thing that is clear is the new parliament has delivered a strong mandate for the Labor government. Labor has increased its majority in the House of Representatives and made significant gains […]
Allan Fels: Public interest journalism must be able to thrive
Originally published in The Australian. I was heartened by the ongoing commitment to the media bargaining code expressed by major political parties and members of the crossbench during the election campaign. This bipartisan support, highlighted in a survey of major parties and independents conducted by the Public Interest Journalism Initiative, and in recent televised leaders’ […]
PIJI’s final monthly Australian News Data Report
Today marks the final release of the Public Interest Journalism Initiative’s Australian News Data Report. Launched in 2020, the report provided monthly insight into the state of the country’s news industry, shining a light on everything from market changes in news production to local character and quantity of public interest journalism. The December report breaks down the number […]
Public Interest Journalism Initiative announces new CEO
The Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Alex Cramb as its new Chief Executive Officer. Mr Cramb brings a wealth of experience in media and public policy to this crucial role. His appointment comes at a pivotal time for public interest journalism in Australia, as the sector continues to […]
“The story of us”: news on the Eyre Peninsula
The Eyre Peninsula’s local newspapers are looking towards the future with a new generation of talent onboard.
PINF joins news mapping family
A comprehensive new mapping project tracks news ownership and status in the UK.