Mapping a new approach for media diversity in the digital era

Consultation is now open on the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) to promote a diverse and sustainable media sector, with the Albanese Government to deliver $10.5 million* to the ACMA Media Diversity Measurement Framework.

The News MAP will help guide and inform future Government intervention to support public interest journalism and media diversity in Australia, laying the foundations for a principled, targeted and evidence-based approach.

The consultation process seeks views on the draft News MAP initiative, which has three components:

Objectives: establishing clear policy objectives to guide effective policy development, implementation and evaluation to support the sector;
Measures: identifying potential measures to support the sector and factors to be considered in the effective application of measures;
Evidence: improving the evidence base needed to assess the state of public interest journalism and media diversity in Australia, identify areas of need and inform policy.

As part of establishing the evidence base for News MAP, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) undertook consultation in 2023 to develop a new framework for measuring media diversity in Australia that accounts for the impacts of the digital news environment.

The Government welcomes the release of the ACMA’s Media Diversity Measurement Framework, has accepted the associated recommendations, and is pleased to announce the regulator will receive $10.5 million over four years for implementation.

This will enable the ACMA to better measure the state of diversity across the Australian media landscape in accordance with its statutory functions, including deeper engagement and collaboration with industry, academia and subject-matter experts.

The ACMA will publish its first report under the new measurement framework by the end of next year, and will then produce a report every two years, monitoring changes to the baseline, as well as providing new insights and case studies on different aspects of the Australian news market.

In addition, the Government has set aside a further $800,000 for the Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) to continue its important work in tracking the news media landscape in Australia, and will also provide an additional $6 million to Australian Associated Press (AAP), given the fundamental role the newswire service plays in supporting public interest journalism and media diversity, including in regional communities.

Consultation on the News MAP will close on 22 February 2024. To make a written submission, visit www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say/news-media-assistance-program-news-map

More information on the ACMA Media Diversity Measurement Framework at www.acma.gov.au/media-diversity-measurement-framework

Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:

“The Albanese Government understands that media diversity and public interest journalism play an important role in the functioning of Australian society and democracy.

“That is why we are developing the News MAP as an ongoing program of work to help guide holistic decision-making to support the news media sector in the digital era, and move away from piecemeal and ad-hoc approaches of the past.

“The ACMA’s new Media Diversity Measurement Framework will provide a comprehensive evidence-base about the state of the news market, help identify gaps and examine developments in the era of digital media, generative AI and online intermediaries.

“I encourage all Australians to have their say on the draft News MAP, which will inform the Government’s approach to promote public interest journalism and media diversity into the future.”

_{*NOTE: A previous version of this media release included an incorrect funding figure. This has now been corrected.}