LINA has made the following submissions on behalf of members:
Community Broadcasting Sector Sustainability Review – LINA response 2024
LINA’s response to the Community Broadcasting Sector Sustainability Review provides contextual information including mechanisms for addressing the ongoing sustainability of community-based media. The response outlines ways in which collaboration between digital newsrooms and community radio stations can generate efficiencies, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, management and content, and describes some key projects planned to support the sustainability of local and independent newsrooms.
Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society – LINA response 2024
At the invitation of the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society, LINA has contributed contextual information on the relationship between social media and news publishing, with a focus on the News Media Bargaining Code and the role of journalism in addressing mis and disinformation. LINA’s submission outlines actions the government could take to mitigate the negative impacts social media platforms can have on individuals and society and enable local and independent news publishers to contribute to growing media literacy, strengthening democracy and providing essential trusted and relevant information services to communities.
Inquiry into local government sustainability – LINA response 2024
LINA’s submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport outlined the role of local and independent news in contributing towards local government sustainability. LINA recommended that local government should be obligated to share notices of public information in local digital publications, and governments at all levels should be legislated to allocate a percentage of their advertising budget to locally produced media services, including both campaign and non-campaign advertising.
ACCC Request for Information regarding Meta and the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code – LINA Response 2024
LINA contributed information towards the ACCC’s advice to the Assistant Treasurer relating to Meta’s Facebook and Instagram services in March 2024. LINA’s response to the questions outlined in ACCC’s March 2024 Interested Parties Information Request outlines the value of Facebook and Instagram services to local and independent digital publishers, and the likely impact should news content be removed from these platforms.
Commonwealth Government COVID-19 Response Inquiry – LINA Response 2024
LINA’s submission to the COVID-19 Response Inquiry explores mechanisms to better target future responses to the needs of particular populations in times of crisis. The response outlines the key role of local and independent media in the distribution of essential health information to communities.
News Media Assistance Program Consultation Paper – LINA Response 2024
LINA has responded to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts’ Consultation Paper, welcoming the development of the News Media Assistance Program. LINA provides feedback in response to consultation questions, outlines challenges to the media industry and the value of local independent news, and encourages the government to commit funding to the program in 2024-25 and beyond.
Productivity Commission’s Future Foundations for Givings Draft Report – LINA Response 2024
The Productivity Commission published its draft Philanthropy Inquiry report in November 2023, which includes recommendations to include public interest journalism in eligibility for deductible gift recipient status. LINA has responded supporting the expansion of DGR scope to public interest journalism, noting minimal tax implications and positive public benefit from establishing a DGR category for public interest journalism and the opportunity for the government to grow giving while enabling a non-profit news sector in Australia.
LINA Pre-Budget Submission 2024
LINA’s 2024 pre-budget submission to the treasury outlines funding requests, and includes details on LINA’s impact and objectives. The submission also summarises policy support requirements, and proposed industry-led actions including a media literacy program, emergent newsroom support, and workforce development program.
Murdoch Media Inquiry Bill – LINA Response 2023
The Standing Committee on Environment and Communications is considering an Inquiry into the impact of media concentration in Australia and related areas of regulation and policy. LINA’s submission supports the rationale for an Inquiry and, in particular, consideration of barriers faced by small, independent and community news outlets in Australia. LINA draws the Government’s attention to particular aspects of the proposed inquiry, while encouraging the Government to undertake this work concurrently to the NewsMAP and other components of policy work currently in development, which remains urgent and should not be delayed.
ACMA Powers Exposure Draft Bill Response 2023
The Government is considering an expansion of the ACMA’s powers to help address the spread of misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms. Given the definition of digital platform can include interactive media websites, LINA considered the potential impact the proposed powers could have on its members. News organisations are excluded in the legislation and, while LINA had some feedback on the definitions of ’news services’ used, we were satisfied that the proposed Bill should not restrict a free press.
LINA Pre-Budget Submission 2023
LINA has made a submission to the treasury that outlines requests for funding, both for LINA-coordinated activities and directly to support start-ups get established. It also steps out rationale for policy interventions including:
- access to DGR status for news publishers,
- legislated government spend ratios,
- updated local government acts to include digital news outlets in public notice obligations, and
- digital news publisher eligibility for all government support programs relevant to news media.
Treasury Laws Amendment DGR Registers Reform – LINA Response 2023
LINA sent a response to the Treasury’s draft DGR Registers Reform requesting the introduction of public interest journalism to the Charities Act with an aligned DGR category to support donations from individuals and philanthropists to local news services.
Australia’s Disaster Resilience – LINA Response 2023
LINA’s response to the Senate Select Committee on Australia’s Disaster Resilience highlighting the importance of relevant information distribution in emergency preparedness, timely and accurate information during a crisis complemented by local knowledge, and the contribution of local news services to rebuilding communities and supporting resilience after emergency events.
ACMA Measuring Media Diversity – LINA Response 2023
LINA’s submission provides information about community-focussed digital news services, an area of news delivery that has grown considerably since the ACMA began work on a media diversity measurement framework in 2020.
Productivity Commission’s Philanthropy Inquiry – LINA Response 2023
This submission to the Productivity Commission’s Philanthropy Inquiry explores the shared objectives of government and industry toward strengthening Australia’s democracy, provides examples of international success where policy supports significant charitable giving for news services, and points tools for measuring the effectiveness of policy interventions in the news media landscape.