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piji-au.bsky.social
Public Interest Journalism Initiative
@piji-au.bsky.social
22 followers 27 following 29 posts
Supporting a sustainable future for public interest journalism.

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piji-au.bsky.social
The launch of the first of two rounds of News MAP grants is a welcome sign of relief to come – but some industry players say it still falls short of the support needed for the pursuit of sustainability and media diversity.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/news-ma...

#NewsMAP #PIJI #journalism
News MAP launch welcomed, but room for improvement remains
The launch of News MAP is a welcome sign of relief to come – but industry players say it falls short of the support the industry needs.
piji.com.au
December 8, 2025 at 11:03 PM
piji-au.bsky.social
Nearing two years since Meta walked away from commercial deals with news publishers, the Australian government is attempting to draw the tech giant back in with a proposal to strengthen the News Media Bargaining Code.

piji.com.au/blog/news-ba...
First step towards News Bargaining Incentive
Nearing two years after Meta walked away from deals with news publishers, the government is attempting to strengthen the News Media Bargaining Code.
piji.com.au
December 1, 2025 at 10:35 PM
piji-au.bsky.social
Tech giants and Australian media companies have a month to give feedback on a revived effort to force the likes of Meta and Google to pay for news, almost a year after the News Bargaining Incentive was announced.

www.capitalbrief.com/briefing/lab...
Labor revives plans to force Meta, Google, TikTok to pay for news
The Albanese government will give the world’s largest tech firms and local media companies just one month to give their feedback to a revived regulatory effort to force Meta, Google and TikTok to pay ...
www.capitalbrief.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:35 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
When a century-old local paper printed its final edition, the South Gippsland community took action rather than stoically succumb to the steady decline of local news.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/prom-co...
How a community resuscitated local news in Victoria’s South Gippsland
When a century-old local paper printed its final edition, South Gippsland locals took action rather than stoically succumb to the steady decline of local news.
piji.com.au
November 9, 2025 at 2:32 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
To rewrite a popular adage, ‘build an audience, and advertisers will come’.

In the current digital era, that dream is hard to make reality for news startups, as Peter Holmes found out the hard way.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/orange-...

#PIJI #LocalNews #IndependentNews #Journalism
The Orange News Examiner battled the digital ad vacuum – and lost
‘Build an audience, and advertisers will come’; in the current digital era, that dream is hard to make reality for news startups, as Peter Holmes found out.
piji.com.au
November 7, 2025 at 11:16 PM
piji-au.bsky.social
The Federal Government’s News MAP funding package, announced in December 2024, remains untouched – not a single cent has been spent to support struggling independent media.
November 7, 2025 at 1:28 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
"The Australian government faces a defining moment in shaping the future of our media landscape," writes PIJI chair Allan Fels AO in The Australian.

www.theaustralian.com.au/business/med...
www.theaustralian.com.au
October 20, 2025 at 8:26 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
Feeling “incredibly frustrated” at the lack of Australian outlets taking young people's political opinions seriously, Hannah Ferguson co-founded Cheek Media in 2020, a venture that's since netted thousands of subscribers.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/hannah-...

#CheekMedia #IndependentMedia #PIJI
Building Cheek Media and surviving a ‘toxic’ news cycle
Five years of well-timed incisive analysis and refinement of digital offerings created a profitable venture with thousands of engaged subscribers.
piji.com.au
October 9, 2025 at 12:08 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
As authoritarian pressure on journalism mounts, former foreign correspondent Peter Greste opens up on being persecuted for his work and IFJ, Asia-Pacific regional director Jane Worthington talks the alliances needed to protect media freedom.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/democra...
‘Dismantling’ of democracy chipping away at press freedom
A decade since Peter Greste’s release from an Egyptian prison, the safety of journalists working to fulfil their role as guardians of truth has deteriorated.
piji.com.au
October 8, 2025 at 12:24 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
As the year nears its end, Australia still awaits movement on promised government measures intended to support a sustainable public interest journalism sector.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/progres...

#NewsMAP #NewsBargainingIncentive #PublicInterest #Journalism #PIJI #auspol
Progress urged for News MAP and News Bargaining Incentive
As the year nears its end, Australia still awaits movement on promised government measures to support a sustainable public interest journalism sector.
piji.com.au
October 7, 2025 at 4:06 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
An international investigation found Google and Meta’s public policy battles with governments and some major media outlets to stop or delay media bargaining bills have been vigorous, sustained, and in many countries, successful.

www.crikey.com.au/2025/09/17/b...
'Australia's example has spread': Inside big tech's global playbook to stop news media bargaining codes
Meta and Google ran public campaigns, made threats to stop serving news, struck private deals and mobilised prominent supporters to try to influence or stall laws in Brazil, Canada, Indonesia and Aust...
www.crikey.com.au
September 17, 2025 at 6:19 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
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.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/combatt...

#PIJI #medialiteracy #misinformation #disinformation
Why Australia's media literacy must improve
At a time when technology makes it easier than ever to mislead, media literacy is vital. Yet too many Australians lack the skillset to sort truth from false.
piji.com.au
September 10, 2025 at 2:32 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
@6newsau.bsky.social founder @leopuglisi6.bsky.social began reporting at just 11 years old.

He tells PIJI he understands the intention of Australia's upcoming social media ban for under-16s, but is confident it will not be effective.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/social-...
6 News founder labels social media age ban ‘ineffective’
Leo Puglisi began reporting at 11 years old. Now he is watching the government restrict young people’s access to the platforms on which he built his career.
piji.com.au
September 9, 2025 at 2:05 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
The credibility of public interest journalism relies on factual reporting, yet media teams committed to uncovering the truth are struggling to endure.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/fact-ch...

#PIJI #publicinterest #journalism #AAP #ABC #factcheck
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.
piji.com.au
September 8, 2025 at 2:08 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
Initially a four-week fiery burst of protest in the wake of the 2016 Brexit referendum, @thenewworldmag.bsky.social continues to grow nine years on – relying solely on reader revenue.

Founder and editor-in-chief Matt Kelly tells PIJI how: piji.com.au/blog/the-new...

#PIJI #TheNewWorld
From weeks to years: How The New World keeps spinning
Initially a four-week fiery burst of protest in the wake of the 2016 Brexit referendum, The New World is thriving nine years on – and is intent on going global.
piji.com.au
August 5, 2025 at 12:32 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
A last-minute lifeline thrown by the federal government to
@lina.org.au kept the doors from shutting on one of Australia’s most active supporters of small news publishers.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/lina-fu...

#PIJI #publicinterest #journalism #news #LINA #localnews #independentnews #NewsMAP
LINA back from the brink after News MAP delays
A last-minute lifeline thrown by the government kept the doors from shutting on one of Australia’s most active supporters of small news publishers.
piji.com.au
August 4, 2025 at 1:18 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
PIJI's August newsletter is out now!

This month's issue includes a look at why Canada’s decision to rescind its digital services tax does not signal doom for Australia’s efforts to get tech giants to the bargaining table.

piji.com.au/blog/news-me...
Support for News Media Bargaining Code remains strong – but swift action urged
Canada’s decision to rescind a digital services tax in response to US pressure does not spell doom for Australia’s efforts to get tech giants to the bargaining table.
piji.com.au
August 1, 2025 at 12:49 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
Interested in receiving updates and insight on the state of the news industry in Australia and around the world?

Sign up to PIJI’s free monthly newsletter today: piji.com.au#mailing-list

#PIJI #publicinterest #journalism #news #publicinterestjournalism #newsletter #signup
July 25, 2025 at 6:44 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
Facing a shaky future and seeing fellows fall, merge, or erect paywalls to survive, the Guardian turned to its large global readership for aid almost a decade ago and has not looked back.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/guardia...

#PIJI #publicinterestjournalism #journalism #guardian #guardianaus
The call for help that paid off for the Guardian, and what’s next
Facing a shaky future and seeing fellows fall, merge, or erect paywalls to survive, the Guardian turned to its large global readership for aid, and has not looked back.
piji.com.au
July 9, 2025 at 6:10 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
Over time, journalists’ access to policymakers has become increasingly restricted.

But there is a cost when the focus is on controlling the message and minimising authentic engagement, writes Croakey Health Media editor-in-chief Melissa Sweet.

Read more: piji.com.au/blog/protect...

#journalism
Melissa Sweet: Protecting public interest journalism to protect public health
Journalists’ access to policymakers has become more restricted. When the focus is on controlling the message and minimising authentic engagement, there is a cost.
piji.com.au
July 9, 2025 at 12:07 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
From major triumphs to muted efforts, PIJI examined some of the biggest international developments in news media bargaining agreements over the past 12 months across Canada, the US, Indonesia and South Africa.

piji.com.au/blog/latest-...

#PIJI #journalism #Meta #Google #OnlineNewsAct
Stalling tactics and costly tantrums: Latest in international push for news-digital media deals
From major triumphs to muted efforts, here are some of the biggest international developments in news media bargaining agreements over the past 12 months.
piji.com.au
June 6, 2025 at 2:21 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
It is incumbent on the government to stand firm in its commitment to reform the news landscape by holding tech platforms to account and providing greater support for smaller, independent and regional publishers, writes PIJI Chair Allan Fels.

piji.com.au/blog/allan-f...
Allan Fels: The future of the Media Bargaining Code in the new parliament
As the dust settles from the federal election, it is incumbent on the government to stand firm in its commitment to reform the news landscape.
piji.com.au
June 5, 2025 at 5:26 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
ACMA has published the final instalment of its 'News media in Australia' 2025 report, which draws on work from PIJI’s Australian News Data Project: www.acma.gov.au/news-media-a...
www.acma.gov.au
May 9, 2025 at 5:13 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
Applications closing soon!

Mid-career investigative journalists are invited to apply for the Masters & McKenzie
Fellowship by 12 May for the opportunity to attend a two-day Sydney workshop featuring in-depth sessions with Walkley-winning journalists. #investigativejournalism #journalism
walkleys.bsky.social The Walkley Foundation @walkleys.bsky.social · Apr 17
Announcing the Masters & McKenzie Fellowship for mid-career investigative journalists. Apply by 12 May for a chance to join a two-day Sydney workshop featuring award-winning journalists sharing how they broke major stories. www.walkleys.com/professional...
May 8, 2025 at 7:28 AM
piji-au.bsky.social
"Transparency and accountability are paramount ... It is essential any financial support for journalism is tied directly to public interest outcomes."

– PIJI Chair Professor Allan Fels AO on what it would take for public interest journalism to thrive.

www.theaustralian.com.au/business/med...
www.theaustralian.com.au
May 5, 2025 at 3:19 AM