Indigenous, local, and regional news will receive their share of $180 million in funding, the federal government has announced.
The launch of the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) on Monday will see $153.5 million invested over four years, with regional newspapers receiving a minimum of $3 million over two years for regional advertising.
Furthermore, $27 million will go to community broadcasting via the Community Broadcasting Program (CBP), which sees the Indigenous Broadcasting and Media Program (IBMP) receive $12 million to support First Nations broadcasting and media sector, with $15 million committed to support the community broadcasting sector.
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, said the $12 million for the IBMP recognises the work of Indigenous journalists, media, and broadcasters and "supports their important work".
"First Nations journalists, broadcasters and media are a vital part of Australia's media landscape," Minister McCarthy said.
"They help connect, represent and tell the stories of our communities across the country."
The News MAP funding has come about through public and industry consultation and contains a number of measures.
They include the release of the policy framework to help guide government intervention to support public interest journalism in Australia, offering clear objectives and evidence; and the establishment of a new expert advisory panel, designed to offer advice on the design and targeting of areas to help support sustainability and capacity building, including the attracting of philanthropy.
Federal Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland said News MAP builds on her government's support for a "strong, diverse and independent media sector with a new policy framework and range of new measures to support news and public interest journalism".
"Local news and community broadcasting is at the heart of local communities and makes a vital contribution to national identity and media diversity in Australia," Minster Rowland said.
Wire service Australian Associated Press (AAP) will receive $33 million over three years, with $116.7 million over four years from 2024-25 w committed to supporting and building the sustainability and capacity of news organisations to deliver public interest journalism to communities.
Another $3.8 million over three years from 2025-26 has been earmarked for the development of the country's first National Media Literacy Strategy, to be co-designed with the media literacy research and education sectors, as well as communities, to better equip people to engage critically with news and media.
The government said the funding is in addition to the $15 million in 2024–25 already announced for the News Media Relief Program, which will support eligible regional, independent suburban, multicultural and First Nations news publishers, and the $10.5 million already announced to allow the Australian Communications and Media Authority to implement the Media Diversity Measurement Framework.
"Community broadcasters provide millions of Australians with localised news, information and entertainment and the Government is providing additional funding as it works with the sector on the Community Broadcasting Sector Sustainability Review," Minister Rowland said.