The Australian News Media has been a force to reckon with for quite some time.
With the increased focus on quality and accuracy, and the need to maintain strong editorial standards, editors and publishers of news sources have been under increasing pressure. At the same time, there is the need to increase readership and subscription numbers. As it stands, there are around 150 newspapers in Australia. Given this, the competition for advertising dollars is fierce among media companies, and consequently the emergence of online portals has also had its share of influence. This new breed of news sources is rapidly gaining popularity in both the print and online worlds.
As part of the aforementioned influence, Australian News Media, Newspapers Australia and the Australian Financial Review are all now looking to develop online platforms that can reach a much broader audience. As the Financial Review notes: “technology is changing our business models and the news media is having to evolve with it”. For example, the introduction of apps has been embraced by both print and online publishers. In addition to providing a better browsing experience, these programs enable readers to track news and information across a wide range of topics, in a convenient and comprehensive manner.
The establishment of iPad applications has also helped increase the prominence of news media companies like the ABC and its ability to access and distribute its own content across multiple platforms. This is especially useful to audiences who may not be living in the main Australian cities. For example, the popular weekend news program, 60 Minutes, is available in Australia on the Apple iPad. Although this application is free to download, it requires the use of a internet connection in order to access the news. Although not a standard feature of Australian News Media, it is a contributing factor to the growth of the iPad platform overall.
Video Content
As, well as news, the Australian news businesses have begun to embrace video content. The advent of medium based television has prompted a change in the way that Australian media businesses report. As a result, there are now many more opportunities for video content producers to find success in the country. Video production can now be achieved at a fraction of the cost that it once required, and this has caused major opportunities for talented video producers and videographers in Australia.
Despite the positive developments that can be observed from a global perspective, including in this article, the Australian news media businesses have not embraced new technological possibilities alone. They have also invested heavily in training and development. As detailed in the fourth paragraph of this article, this investment in knowledge is reflected in the mandatory code of conduct that all Australian news media businesses are required to abide by.
Code of Conduct
This code of conduct has been developed to ensure that Australian news organisations uphold high standards of professionalism. It also provides additional mechanisms that news organisations can utilise to respond quickly and effectively to any complaints or concerns that their audience might have. In addition to the development of the mandatory code of conduct, news organisations have also invested significantly in the implementation of robust internal systems and processes designed to ensure the protection of the intellectual property of their publishers. This includes the implementation of appropriate security and privacy policies and the enforcement of these policies through the employment of appropriate staff members.
As previously noted at the start of this article, there are a wide range of different news outlets that publish content on free-to-air television stations, print media, radio, and online platforms such as the internet, and this list continues to grow. As a result of this expansion, some editors and journalists believe that the ability of some Australian news outlets to sustain the reputation that they enjoy while operating in a highly competitive market is becoming increasingly difficult. The increasing number of media companies in Australia represents an unprecedented challenge for publishers to meet, and this is likely to continue to have a significant impact on the industry in the short and longer term.
Technology News Australia has been following and watching other ways news organisations conduct the publishing of media.
