Author: Bridget Backhaus, Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Media Studies, Griffith University

The Australian government has launched its News Media Assistance Program, throwing a lifeline to public interest journalism and local news. The latest push for a more diverse and sustainable news landscape also saw community broadcasters receive a modest but much-needed boost to their funding. The announcement, worth $180 million overall, is a welcome pre-Christmas gift for struggling media outlets. But it largely overlooks the importance of community broadcasting in providing accessible, community-engaged news. The program falls short of meaningfully helping the chronically underfunded part of the media landscape. Millions on the table On paper (or in government media releases at…