The news environment has changed significantly in recent years, with Australians now accessing a variety of sources of news online in addition to traditional commercial television, radio broadcasting and newspapers.
In 2019, the Australian Communications and Media Authority commenced a project to look at the impact of this contemporary multi-platform news environment on the delivery of news to Australians. This included research and analysis of current and potential new ways to effectively measure diversity and localism, which remain important public policy objectives.
The release of this research was temporarily delayed due to a shift in priorities resulting from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
ACMA has now released a paper, News in Australia: diversity and localism – News measurement framework, which outlines a potential framework for measuring and tracking diversity and localism over time and across the contemporary range of news sources being consumed by Australians.
The ACMA has also released three research reports on the topics of news diversity and localism:
- a review of literature and research
- qualitative research that explores consumer behaviour and attitudes
- an overview of international regulatory approaches to news diversity and localism.
The package provides insight into how Australia’s news environment has evolved, including changing consumer attitudes and consumption habits, to support and inform discussion on news diversity and localism.
Visit https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2020-12/report/news-australia-diversity-and-localism