How will regional and suburban media survive in a post-coronavirus world?
ABCIf you could treat buying your local paper like a charitable donation, would you be more likely to spend money to keep it afloat? Key points: Coronavirus has exacerbated the collapse of hundreds of mastheads Media companies have accused Facebook and Google of sucking up advertising dollars The consumer watchdog is reviewing ideas for how media companies can survive in the digital age The ongoing financial woes many media organisations around the country are facing have been exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis, prompting a wide-ranging discussion about the future of journalism in Australia. Professor Fels said "news deserts" were growing in size across the country, and around one-third of local council areas had no local media coverage. Professor Fels argued the Federal Government should consider pulling broader tax levers to recognise the public good presented by journalism, rather than considering local media solely as a profit-making business. "I believe if Google and Facebook don't play ball, there's a real possibility — more than a possibility — that the Government will impose some sort of tax on their revenue," Professor Fels said.
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