LINA welcomes The Future of Regional Newspapers in a Digital World: Inquiry into Australia’s regional newspapers report published by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts this week. The report recognises the critical role that independent, hyperlocal publishers play in their communities. It recognises the value of LINA and calls for […]

The Judith Neilson Institute and the Local and Independent News Association (LINA) have created a flood impact fund to support local and independent news organisations that have been financially affected by the recent floods. Grants of up to $2,500 are available to organisations that have suffered financial losses, such as lost revenue from not being able to

The local independent news sector is at a critical juncture.  Journalists are being retrenched as newspaper outlets close across Australia. The ACCC documents 105 regional news closures in the decade from 2008 – 2018 and there are many more in the years since. Recently there has been a new trend, independent news outlets are popping

Regional media organisations eligible for grants through the cadetship stream of the Journalist Fund are now welcome to apply. A total of $8 million is available for hiring cadets, with applications closing on 20 April 2022. There is a total of $10 million available under the Journalist Fund, with $2 million soon to be available

In response to challenges faced by the hyperlocal news industry, the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas (JNI) has partnered with the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) to develop an industry-wide capacity-building organisation, the Local and Independent News Association (LINA). Research by JNI and CBAA found the most significant challenges identified by founders of hyperlocal

Emma Bones is Manager, Special Projects for the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas (JNI), one of the supporting organisations involved in establishing the Local and Independent News Association (LINA) – representing hyperlocal publishers. JNI’s mission is to support and celebrate quality journalism and storytelling in Australia and around the world. Their funding and

Having worked as Editorial Director at the ABC and now Executive Director of the Organization of News Ombudsman, Alan Sunderland understands the importance of ethically sourced news. He says that whilst major newspapers focus on state or territory and national stories, many parts of Australia are missing hyperlocal stories that impact the day to day

Peri Strathearn was the senior journalist for his commercial, local paper, The Murray Valley Standard, when the COVID pandemic hit and the paper shut down during lockdown in April 2020 – a time when news and community reassurance was needed most. It was then that Peri decided to start his own newsletter and website, Murray

In 2018 after 131 years in operation, Bourke’s local newspaper, The Western Herald, was threatened with closure due to declining advertising revenue.  Closure would have meant the end of local print media in Bourke, and the end of a newspaper that had been around the outback since 1887. Ian Cole is chairman of the WREB