The Federal Government has recently announced $15 million in urgent funding to bolster public interest journalism for regional and community news.
The News Media Relief Program (NMRP) will be opening in November to provide grants to eligible news publishers creating news content. The program forms part of the government’s broader objectives under the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) to safeguard the sustainability of Australia’s media diversity and promote public interest journalism – providing critical support in the face of changing readership habits, increasing costs and declining advertising revenue.
‘We want to see more local journalists and publishers reporting on the issues that matter to their communities,’ stated Minister for Communications, the Hon. Michelle Rowland MP. ‘This funding will provide the urgent assistance local news outlets need as we continue our work on News MAP – an ongoing program that will enable us to deliver effective support to the Australian news sector into the future.’
News publications eligible for NMRP funding will include publications in a regional or suburban location, and publications providing news to First Nations or Culturally & Linguistically Diverse audiences. With a focus on journalists producing news in the public interest of their communities, the program’s funding will contribute to eligible organisations’ salary costs for these journalists. The news content must be published online, but can also be distributed in other formats.
‘Local and community news outlets play a huge role in supporting a diverse and inclusive news media sector that is so vital to the healthy functioning of Australian society and democracy’ said Minister Rowland.
For more information about the NMRP, visit Grant Connect.