Submission to the Select Committee on the Future of Public Interest Journalism

Abstract

New Beats is a project studying Australian journalists whose positions became redundant during or since 2012. The four-year project is funded by the Australian Research Council and is being conducted by a team of researchers at four universities. The project aims to create greater understanding about the process of redundancy in journalism and of the human effects and societal ramifications for an industry undergoing profound change. The project is also a means by which journalists who have been through the redundancy process can share information and gather data on jobs, demand for journalistic expertise, new career directions, re-training, and the impact of redundancy on professional identity, family life and well-being. This submission addresses themes that pertain to the current state of public interest journalism in Australia and around the world, including the role of government in ensuring a viable, independent and diverse range of media services. This inquiry is taking place at a time when the ranks of journalists employed by major news outlets have been in serious decline for a decade.