Anthony Albanese has announced that he will provide funding to support regional, local and community media to help them address the challenges and uncertainty they are facing.
An elected Albanese Labor Government will deliver a $29 million local news and community broadcasting transition package to help regional, local and community media providers from a decade of Liberal National mismanagement to a better future under Labor.
Labor will:
- Provide a $15 million fund for eligible regional and local newspaper publishers to help absorb newsprint price increases.
- Provide $2 million to fast-track an investment ready analysis for the replacement of the coal-fired boiler at Norske Skog’s Boyer Mill.
- Provide $12 million to maintain community broadcasting funding and give the sector the funding certainty it needs beyond the next year.
- Keep Community TV stations Channel 31 Melbourne and Channel 44 Adelaide on air until there is an alternative use for the radiofrequency spectrum they use.
- Develop a News Media Assistance Program to secure the evidence base needed to inform news media policy intervention in Australia and formulate measures to support public interest journalism and media diversity.
Labor has also vowed to support local news, community media and jobs while working to formulate a principles-based, evidence-informed and sustainable framework of measures to support public interest journalism and media diversity in Australia.
Regional and local newspaper publishers:
Labor will establish a $15 million fund to assist eligible newspaper publishers absorb newsprint price increases, comprising:
- $10 million for eligible regional newspaper publishers.
- $5 million for eligible local newspaper publishers, including independent suburban, First Nations and multicultural newspaper publishers.
Labor will consult to finalise the guidelines and ensure an incoming Albanese Labor Government is ready to activate a response early in the new financial year.
Community broadcasting:
Labor will provide $12 million from 2023-24 to the Community Broadcasting Program to give the sector the funding certainty it needs while working with the sector to identify a sustainable funding basis for the future.
Labor commitment will maintain community broadcasting funding so the sector can continue to support their communities with local news, emergency broadcasting and local content, including Australian music, as well as with post-COVID recovery and post-natural disaster initiatives.
Community television:
Labour recognises that community television is a vibrant part of Australia’s media and it adds to media diversity, local news and content, supports local businesses and community organisations and provides a much-needed training ground for the journalists, producers and the industry talent of the future.
Labor previously moved a successful motion in the Senate calling for Community TV to be kept on air and helped force the Government to extend the broadcast licences for three more years, which now expire in mid-2024. Labor will keep Community TV stations Channel 31 Melbourne and Channel 44 Adelaide on air until there is an alternative use for the radiofrequency spectrum they occupy, to ensure efficient use of this finite, scarce and valuable resource.
News Media Assistance Program:
Labor considers that government intervention to support public interest journalism should be done within a principles-based and evidence-informed framework, formulated and implemented with adherence to best practice.
Labor will develop a News Media Assistance Program to secure the evidence base needed to inform news media policy interventions and formulate measures to support public interest journalism and media diversity.
