News Media Relief Program

The News Media Relief Program is helping the sustainability of Australian news publishers by providing a proportion of salary costs for journalists producing core news content that is distributed digitally.
Open
Closes in 109 days

Closing date: Monday 31 March 2025 5:00pm AEDT Mon 31 Mar 2025 5:00pm AEDT

What do you get?

The grant amount is $13,000 per eligible journalist full time equivalent (FTE).

If the journalist is not employed full time with the applicant, the grant amount requested should be based on a pro-rata amount of the FTE.

Who is this for?

Australian news publishers producing core news content that is distributed digitally.

About the program

The News Media Relief Program (the program) will support the sustainability of Australian news publishers in the face of significant disruption to the media sector.

The objectives of the program are:

  • support the sustainability of Australian news publishers in the face of significant disruption to the media sector
  • support the creation of news content distributed online
  • encourage the continued employment of journalists who primarily produce news that is in the Australian public interest
  • building and maintaining social cohesion in Australia, including for Cultural and Linguistically Diverse CALD communities, First Nations communities and the wider Australian community.

The intended outcomes of the program are:

  • support and safeguard news coverage in Australia
  • mitigate the significant risk to the financial sustainability of news publications in regional and outer metropolitan areas of Australia, and publications providing news for CALD and First Nations communities.

Organisations with a primary purpose of producing core news content will be eligible for funding to support a proportion of the salary costs of journalists producing core news content that is distributed digitally.

The grant amount is $13,000 per eligible journalist full time equivalent (FTE).

If the journalist is not employed full time with the applicant, the grant amount requested should be based on a pro-rata amount of the FTE.

The program will run over 1 year from 2024-25.

Check if you can apply

You can apply if you meet the eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria are a set of rules that describe who we can consider for this grant. You can apply if you:

  • are an eligible entity
  • have an eligible project
  • have eligible expenditure.

The rules are in the grant opportunity guidelines.

You can apply if you:

  • have an Australian business number (ABN)
  • be registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
  • have an account with an Australian financial institution

And either:

  • be located in, and provide core news content to, an eligible geographic community, or
  • provide core news content targeted to an eligible audience.

You must also be one of the following entities:

  • an entity, incorporated in Australia
  • a company limited by guarantee
  • an incorporated association
  • a co-operative
  • a partnership
  • an incorporated not for profit organisation or registered charity
  • an individual.

Eligible geographical communities

Eligible geographic communities are:

  • a regional community - located in a regional area of Australia, i.e. one that is in a location that is not a major city of Australia. The geographic community may be centred on one or more specific towns or local government areas in a regional area with shared communal interests. The publication’s target audience is the regional community and does not target a state or national news audience.
  • a local suburban community - located in a major city of Australia and is centred on one or more specific suburbs or local government areas in a metropolitan area with shared communal interests. The publication’s target audience is the local suburban community and does not target a state or national news audience.

Under the Australian Bureau of Statistics Remoteness Structure, major cities of Australia include but are not limited to: Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide, and Melbourne. Hobart is not considered a major city of Australia. For this definition the Remoteness Structure takes into consideration access to social interaction, goods and services. You can check your location against the ABS Remoteness Structure at nationalmap.gov.au.

Eligible audiences

Eligible audiences are:

  • First Nations audiences - primarily made up of members of at least one Australian First Nations community
  • CALD audiences - primarily made up of members of at least one, specific community defined by their national, linguistic or cultural background.

Other eligibility requirements

We can only accept applications:

  • where you provide evidence your primary purpose is the creation and distribution of core news content
  • where you provide evidence that each journalist applied for under this program produces core news content
  • where you provide payroll details as evidence of the number of FTE journalists employed in the previous 12 months.

You can’t apply if you are:

  • an organisation, or your project partner is an organisation, included on the National Redress Scheme’s list of Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme
  • an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012)
  • insolvent
  • a foreign controlled Australian entity (section 820-780 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997)
  • a Commonwealth, state, territory or local government body (including government business enterprises)
  • affiliated with a foreign government, political party, union, financial institution, non-government organisation, or policy lobby group where that affiliation would influence or might be seen to influence, the content produced by the applicant.

The maximum project period is 6 months. You must maintain your project, the employment of journalists producing core news content, for a period of 6 months after entering into your grant agreement.

Eligible expenditure is journalist salary/ies.

How to apply

Check if you’re ready to apply for a grant

Finding a suitable grant opportunity is just the start of the process to get funding. The application process can take time and effort. Understanding the entire process will help you be grant ready and may improve your chances of getting funding.

Use our checklist to find out what it takes to apply for a grant.

When you're ready to apply

Apply using our online portal:

  1. Create or log into your portal account.
  2. Follow the instructions to complete your application.
  3. Submit your application before the close date.

The portal allows you to apply for and manage a grant or service in a secure online environment.

Your application will be considered through a demand driven grant process. Applications will be reviewed in order of receipt until available funding is exhausted.

We will review your application against the eligibility criteria. We may seek technical expert advice from Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts on the eligibility of the application.

If we identify unintentional errors in your application, we may contact you to correct or clarify the information.

The program delegate makes the final decision.

Apply now

Apply for the News Media Relief Program now.

Before you apply, make sure you:

  • read and understand the grant opportunity guidelines
  • have the necessary supporting documents.
Apply now

Sample applications

The best way to understand what information you need to provide is to start an application. We have also provided a version to download at the bottom of this page.

Technical help

See our customer portal's frequently asked questions to help with your queries. If you can't find your answer, contact us for assistance.

If you find you have made an error in your application after submitting it, you should email us immediately at NewsMediaReliefFund@industry.gov.au

We can’t consider the application you submit after the close date under any circumstances.

Contact

Need help?

Let us answer your question over the phone, email or live chat.

  • Phone:
  • Open Hours:
    Monday – Friday, 8am – 8pm across Australia
  • Website:

Key documents

Grant opportunity guidelines

pdf · 0.35 MB docx · 0.27 MB

Sample application form

pdf · 0.43 MB docx · 0.25 MB

Sample grant agreement approval letter

pdf · 0.18 MB docx · 0.11 MB

Sample grant agreement - Exchange of letters

pdf · 0.23 MB docx · 0.10 MB
Was this page helpful?