Funding the Way Forward

The value of public interest news to democracy has long been recognised in government policies in Australia and globally. Most recently, in October 2025, Australia was among the signatories to the Paris Declaration on Multilateral Action for Information Integrity and Independent Media, which includes a commitment to ‘safeguard independent journalism through multilateral action, while fostering innovative and sustainable business models for the production and distribution of reliable information.’ 
 
Closer to home the Government has released substantial funding under the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) and is currently consulting on the News Bargaining Incentive (NBI), a levy measure designed to address shortcomings of the News Media Bargaining Code. The government is currently accepting responses to its NBI Consultation Paper. Due to its structure, the NBI may ultimately generate substantial funds to be distributed to news media outside bargaining agreements. 
 
With the rise in Generative AI putting further pressure on the news industry, it is likely that funding for news - whether by government or redistributed from other sectors under new support schemes - will continue to be an important part of Australian news sustainability policy in the longer term. 
 
Against this background, the CMT is publishing its report on the mechanisms for distributing funding for public interest news. Funding the Way Forward: A Review of Local and International News Funding Mechanisms looks at the ‘back-end’ of direct news funding interventions: structures for making funding decisions, transparency measures and what recipients have to do to confirm funds were spent as intended. It also examines how different schemes ensure that news content is free of influence from the funder. 
 
Starting with the seven Australian public interest news programs that have been implemented since 2018, the report finds that decision making has changed over time, moving from the regulator to the Minister and, in more recent programs, departmental officials. There has also been a move away from the expert advisory boards that were used in earlier schemes.  
 
Overseas jurisdictions have a long history of public interest funding, with a huge diversity of models. Public interest news schemes are common across Europe, often managed by a department or independent board. Canada has a complex matrix of news support, ranging from models where government funds are distributed through industry organisations, to independent mechanisms. In Canada, as well as in proposed US bills, there are hybrid models of news bargaining, which allow for collective all-of-industry agreements as an alternative to individual bargaining agreements. An Oregon bill proposes part of this payment should go to a new public interest news entity with a focus on underserved areas, low income and diverse communities. Many schemes are legislated rather than policy measures and some legislation, such as in Korea and Norway, include specific statements about editorial independence from funding. 
 
While not advocating for any particular solution, the CMT report brings together information that is often fragmented and sometimes not in English to identify key themes which run through or distinguish different interventions. All of these interventions have elements which could, if needed, be adapted for the Australian context. 
 
Current policy consultations offer an opportunity for the Australian government to think about how current funding distribution mechanisms will serve us in the future. The goal must be a funding system that is practical and supportive for all stakeholders, including government, the news industry and the digital platforms being asked to contribute. Most importantly, the system that emerges must serve the public and, in turn, our democracy. 

References:

1. https://www.elysee.fr/en/emmanuel-macron/2025/10/29/paris-declaration-on-multilateral-action-for-information-integrity-and-independent-media
2. https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/daniel-mulino-2025/media-releases/news-bargaining-incentive-consultation-paper-released