The Press Council promotes freedom of speech and responsible journalism. It also sets standards and responds to complaints about material in Australian newspapers and magazines, as well as a growing number of online-only publications.
The Australian Press Council (APC) welcomes Local & Independent News Association (LINA), QNews and Indigenous Business News as new publisher members.
Local & Independent News Association (LINA) www.lina.org.au is an industry organisation supporting independent, hyperlocal digital news publishers. LINA supports digital and hybrid news publishers to increase the diversity and relevance of news services in communities across Australia. It was established as part of a partnership with the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) to develop industry-wide capacity.
QNews www.qnews.com.au is an LGBTIQA+ media organisation founded in 2000. It is a community platform covering topics from pop culture, politics, and news, through the lens of today’s LGBTIQA+ communities. QNews prints a monthly edition in Queensland and New South Wales. Qnews.com.au publishes news content daily for national readers.
Indigenous Business News (IBN) www.ibnews.com.au is a new independent and Indigenous-owned digital publication aiming to be a vital platform for sharing inspiring stories of Indigenous people, business entrepreneurs and cultural leaders, showcasing their contributions to the economy and providing insights into the unique challenges and opportunities they face. By featuring news, sport, in-depth opinion, interviews, and expert commentary, the publication seeks to foster greater understanding and collaboration within the broader community. IBN launched on July 22.
“The Australian Press Council is delighted to welcome LINA, QNews and IBN,” said Neville Stevens, AO, APC Chair. “Each of these organisations is committed to upholding high editorial standards in their reporting.”
The Australian Press Council is responsible for promoting high standards of media practice, community access to information of public interest, and freedom of expression through the media. It is also the principal body with responsibility for responding to complaints about Australian newspapers, magazines and associated digital outlets, and digital-only news sites.
For more information, please contact Dorothy Kennedy, the APC’s media advisor, at Dorothy.kennedy@presscouncil.org.au.
The Australian Press Council extends its deepest sympathies and condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of industry stalwart and trailblazer Bruce Ellen.
The former Country Press Australia (CPA) President and Victorian Country Press Association President dedicated more than four decades of his career to the newspaper industry. In recognition of such outstanding service, he was made a life member of both Country Press Australia and the Victorian Country Press Association in 2022.
Tributes for Bruce have been published widely.
The Australian Press Council (APC) is very pleased to announce the appointment of Helen Dalley as an Independent Journalist Council Member and Bruce Dover as an Industry Adjudication Panel Member.
Helen Dalley is an experienced broadcast journalist. She is currently the creator and host of the podcast Build It. They’ll Come, a Governor of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation, Patron of Healthy Bones Australia (formerly Osteoporosis Australia) and Non-Executive Director on the Board of not-for-profit Aurora Education Foundation.
Helen worked as a reporter at the Nine Network for nearly 20 years before spending 11 years at Sky News Australia as a host, anchor and interviewer. She co-anchored the coverage of four consecutive Federal election campaigns and hosted several national television programs for the Sky News Business channel, including Sunday Business, Business Agenda and News Now with Helen Dalley. She has won a Walkley Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism and recently consulted to The Walkley Foundation over a number of years, providing integrity and fact-checking advice to the judges of The Walkley Awards.
Independent Journalist Council Members have an important leadership and governance role in the operations of the APC.
Bruce Dover is the Managing Director of DCI Media Group, a media consultancy with partners in Sydney, Hong Kong, and London. Bruce is a senior executive with experience spanning 40 years in television, digital media and interactive content development. He was previously the CEO of Australia Network, the Australian Government’s international broadcasting service, operated by the ABC.
Over the course of his extensive career, Bruce has worked as Managing Editor for both CNN International in Hong Kong and News Interactive in Sydney. He was Vice President (China) for News Corporation/STAR TV in Beijing for four years. He has also been a foreign correspondent in Asia, winning the Graham Perkin Australian Journalist of the Year award (1986).
Industry Adjudication Panel Members are independent of publishers and have an important role in determining whether published material, which has been the subject of a complaint, has breached the APC’s Standards of Practice.
“The APC is delighted to welcome Helen and Bruce. Their experience and perspectives are vital to the balance, relevance and integrity of Council’s processes and decisions,” said APC Chair Neville Stevens AO.
The APC is responsible for promoting freedom of speech through responsible and independent journalism and adherence to high journalistic and editorial standards. Members include most of Australia’s major newspapers, magazines, and online publishers.
For more information, please contact Dorothy Kennedy, APC Media Advisor, at dorothy.kennedy@presscouncil.org.au.
Meta’s decision that it will no longer pay Australian media companies for the news content appearing on its platform once current agreements cease is a major blow to the sustainability of journalism, press freedom and democracy. See link
Hon Michelle Rowland MP and Hon Stephen Jones MP have issued releases in response. See link and link
The Australian Press Council welcomes the Government’s strong and resolute public response to Meta’s announcement and looks forward to the Treasury and ACCC’s advice to Government on next steps.
Complaint outcomes are called Adjudications. You can search published Adjudications here.