Valuing news
Aligning Individual, Institutional and Societal Perspectives
This project aims to identify the links between the preparedness of individuals to pay for news, the value of news brands and organisational cultures of news publishers, and the social value of news in promoting a democratic public sphere.
Its significance arises with the ongoing crisis of news media business models, which is raising new questions about the future of journalism, and the changing role of governments worldwide in financing news production. Its expected outcomes include advancing debates about how to support public interest journalism, and the value of news as both a commodity and a public good. It will be of benefit to industry, policymakers and the community in addressing the prospects for Australian journalism.
Project aims
The project has five aims:
- Address the question of the value of news through an interdisciplinary analysis that evaluates the drivers of news consumption decisions, including decisions to subscribe to news services, and their relationship to the social value of public interest journalism.
- Undertake an international comparative assessment of the policy implications of news subsidy schemes for commercial news publishers, and associated governance questions.
- Connect analysis of individual preferences (micro) to social goals (macro), through analysing the mediating role of institutions and organisational cultures (meso) of national, regional and local news publishers.
- Analyse trends in both news content and advertising revenue over time through digital methods and dynamic value chain analysis, to determine the relationship between value creation and content monetisation and a commitment to public interest journalism.
- Advance understanding for industry and policymakers of how public policy can promote and reconcile competing objectives of quality, diversity, public interest journalism, and sustainability of news publishing.
Project funding
Project team
Team support members
Recent publications
Review of the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code Consultation Paper, May 2022. UTS Centre for Media Transition. Professor Derek Wilding, Professor Monica Attard, Dr Sacha Molitorisz, Dr Michael Davis, Vidya Kathirgamalingam, University of Technology, Sydney
Remunerating News, – InterMEDIA 50(2), 2022. Professor Derek Wilding, University of Technology, Sydney
‘Too much’ and ‘too little’ content moderation: Internet governance as a case study in advanced liberal modes of government (PDF) – Presentation to Centre for the Study of Governance & Society, Public Lecture Series, Bush House, Kings College London, 6 April 2023. Professor Terry Flew, University of Sydney
Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code: A New Institutional Perspective – American Affairs, 2023. Professor Terry Flew, University of Sydney
Where to next with Australia’s News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code? – Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research, 2023. Associate Professor Tim Dwyer (University of Sydney), Professor Terry Flew (University of Sydney), and Professor Derek Wilding (University of Technology, Sydney)
Online News Act won’t break the web – The Toronto Star, July 15, 2023. Professor Derek Wilding, University of Technology, Sydney
The Value of News: Aligning Economic and Social Value From an Institutional Perspective – Media and Communications, vol 12, 2024. Professor Terry Flew and Dr Agata Stepnik, University of Sydney
Digital platforms and the future of news: Regulating publisher-platform relations in Australia and Canada – Information, Communication & Society, 2024 (in press). Professor Terry Flew (University of Sydney), Professor Petros Iosifidis (City, University of London), Associate Professor James Meese (RMIT), Dr Agata Stepnik (University of Sydney)
News Media Assistance Program Consultation Paper, December 2023. UTS Centre for Media Transition. Professor Monica Attard; Dr Michael Davis; Dr Timothy Koskie; Dr Sacha Molitorisz; Professor Derek Wilding, University of Technology, Sydney
Response to News Media Assistance Program Consultation Paper, February 2024. Professor Terry Flew (University of Sydney); Dr Agata Stepnik (University of Sydney); Dr Timothy Koskie (University of Technology, Sydney); Ms Wenjia Tang (University of Sydney)
Submission to the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society. Professor Terry Flew; Dr Justine Humphry; Dr. Joanne Gray; Dr Jonathon Hutchinson; Dr. Catherine Page Jeffery; Dr Mark Johnson; Professor Alan McKee; Dr. Rob Nicholls, University of Sydney
Multimedia
‘Too much’ and ‘too little’ content moderation: In Conversation with Terry Flew – Centre for the Study of Governance & Society, Public Lecture Series, Bush House, Kings College London, 6 April 2023. Professor Terry Flew, University of Sydney
Making—and Sustaining—the News: A Virtual Discussion – American Affairs Symposium, 1st May 2023. Professor Terry Flew, University of Sydney
The Daily Aus on the Future of News on Socials – Double Take : A CMT Podcast, 9th April 2024. Dr Tim Koskie, University of Technology, Sydney
In the News
Creative AI: The death of the author? – Sydney Business Insights, August 2023. Commentary by Professor Terry Flew
Facebook blasted as Canadians blocked from news as fires rage – News.com.au, 18th August 2023. Associate Professor Tim Dwyer was interviewed for expert commentary.
Is it OK to turn off the news? – ABC News Daily [podcast], 2nd November 2023. Associate Professor Caroline Fisher was interviewed for expert commentary.
News could soon disappear off your social media feed, experts warn – The Canberra Times, 6th March 2024. Professor Derek Wilding was interviewed for expert commentary.
