Layoffs. Ads and clicks diverted to combative tech giants. Rising uptake of generative AI. Political backlash. Shrinking newsroom budgets. More layoffs.

Gina Rinehart has bankrolled the purchase of a near-10 per cent stake in Southern Cross Media. A spokesperson declined to comment on whether Rinehart plans to influence the editorial direction of the company.

As the US government continues to antagonise and restrict news publishers, some Australian politicians may be tempted to follow suit – but could find locals won’t give them as much slack. Read more: piji.com.au/blog/attacks...

‘Performative’ attacks on Aussie journalists unlikely to escalate

As the US government continues to attack news publishers, some Australian politicians may be tempted to follow suit – but could face a lot less slack.

piji.com.au

New Zealand is set to abolish its broadcast industry regulator, but experts are concerned the lack of an appropriate replacement means the move will do more harm than good.   Read more: piji.com.au/blog/new-zea...

Is NZ putting politics over function in axing broadcast regulator?

New Zealand is set to abolish its broadcast industry regulator, but experts are concerned the lack of an appropriate replacement means the move will do more harm than good.

piji.com.au

Public interest journalism informs citizens, scrutinises power and strengthens accountability. But Australia’s news ecosystem is under pressure. Read more from PIJI chair Professor Allan Fels AO: piji.com.au/blog/allan-f...

Allan Fels: Democracy dies in news deserts

Public interest journalism informs citizens, scrutinises power and strengthens accountability. But Australia’s news ecosystem is under pressure.

piji.com.au

Eliot Higgins started blogging partly to “win arguments on the internet”. Now he helps run an international team of journalists investigating everything from war crimes to wildlife trafficking. Read more: piji.com.au/blog/belling...

How Bellingcat champions open-source investigations

Eliot Higgins started blogging partly to “win arguments on the internet”. Now he helps run an international team of journalists investigating everything from war crimes to wildlife trafficking.

piji.com.au

When journalists can investigate, scrutinise and hold power to account, governments and institutions are more likely to act in the public interest. This makes safeguarding public interest journalism critical to protecting and renewing Australia’s democracy. (1/3)

The release of the News Bargaining Incentive is welcome, if overdue. But it is unfolding in a far less forgiving global environment than when these reforms were conceived. Read more from PIJI chair Professor Allan Fels AO: piji.com.au/blog/news-ba...

News Bargaining Incentive a necessary reform in a far less forgiving world

The release of the News Bargaining Incentive is welcome, if overdue. But it is unfolding in a far less forgiving global environment than when these reforms were conceived.

piji.com.au

PIJI chair Allan Fels AO in Guardian Australia, speaking about the release of the Australian government's News Bargaining Incentive draft legislation: (1/3)

The success of the National Indigenous Times is quietly defying industry trends. In addition to a digital presence, the small independent, 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned organisation produces multiple physical publications at a profit. Read more to find out how: piji.com.au/blog/nationa...

No paywall, no problem: How the National Indigenous Times stays free and profitable

More than two decades since launching, the National Indigenous Times' success is quietly defying industry trends.

piji.com.au

7News chief reporter Chris Reason and Sydney Morning Herald chief photographer Kate Geraghty give PIJI insight into how they navigate politics, ethics and physical danger to report from war zones – and why. piji.com.au/blog/journal... #PublicInterest #Journalism #War #7News #SydneyMorningHerald

Dodging bombs and propaganda: Journalism on the frontline

Journalists Chris Reason and Kate Geraghty give insight into how they navigate politics, ethics and physical danger to report from war zones – and why.

piji.com.au

Australia’s public broadcasters have been ordered not to destroy any records that may be needed to inform the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, raising concerns over the protection of confidential sources. Read more: piji.com.au/blog/disposa... #PIJI #ABC #SBS #RoyalCommission

‘Freeze’: ABC and SBS journalists put on notice for royal commission

Journalists were ordered not to destroy any records related to antisemitism and social cohesion, raising concerns over the protection of confidential sources.

piji.com.au

Sean Johnson left behind a career of policy advising and lobbying to launch Open Politics, a website shedding light on the private interests that could be impacting the decisions of Australia’s federal MPs. Read more: piji.com.au/blog/open-po... #PIJI #auspol #OpenPolitics

‘Hitting your head against a brick wall’: Why Open Politics is bringing MPs’ dodgy dealings to light

Sean Johnson left a career of policy advising and lobbying to shed light on the private interests that could impact the decisions of Australia’s federal MPs.

piji.com.au

When flames or floods close in, local broadcasters are a valued source of potentially life-saving updates for Australians.   Bill Murray, acting manager of Bendigo-based KLFM, says his team are “critically aware” of their “role in keeping people alive”. Read more: piji.com.au/blog/emergen...

‘People rely on us’: How emergency broadcasting helps save lives

When flames or floods close in, local broadcasters are a valued source of potentially life-saving updates for Australians.

piji.com.au

While many spent the recent end-of-year holiday period relaxing and celebrating, Camilla Westerlund was coming to terms with the end of a 21-year chapter of her life. In January, she announced Business News Australia had entered liquidation. piji.com.au/blog/busines...

Business News Australia the latest casualty in independent media’s fight for survival

While many spent the recent end-of-year holiday period relaxing and celebrating, Camilla Westerlund spent it coming to terms with the fact a 21-year chapter of her career was ending.

piji.com.au

The Bondi Beach terror attack brought Australia to a halt – and simultaneously pushed newsrooms into overdrive, rushing to report the latest updates on the country’s deadliest mass shooting since 1996. piji.com.au/blog/bondi-a... #BondiAttack #Bondi #PublicInterest #Journalism #News #PIJI

Journalists put to the test as Australia grappled with Bondi attack

Following the Bondi Beach terror attack, journalists navigated a deluge of grief, fear and outrage to report to a community desperate for answers.

piji.com.au

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

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

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 ...

capitalbrief.com

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

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

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.

"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...

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

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

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

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...

crikey.com.au

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

@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

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