$5.5 million has been put aside by the government over four years for the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) to support the digitisation of historic audiovisual material.
 
Part of the money will create the National Centre for Excellence in Audiovisual Digitisation.
 
The NFSA has more three million items in its collection, including a significant number of film, tape and sound recordings in analogue formats, such as magnetic tape.
 

107 regional publishers and broadcasters who applied to the Public Interest News Gathering (PING) Program will receive a share of $50 million in funding committed to support regional news services in 2020-21. 
 
Of the 107 eligible applicants, there are 13 for radio, 92 publishers and five for television. Three applicants were successful across two streams.

Applications are now open for the $50 million Public Interest News Gathering (PING) program to support commercial radio, television and newspaper businesses in regional Australia during COVID-19.
 
Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, called on all eligible news outlets to apply, and says, “We know that public interest journalism keeps communities informed and connected, and it is especially important for people living in regional and remote areas.
 

The Morrison Government today announced a package of measures to help sustain Australian media businesses as they do their vital work of keeping the community informed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The measures include:
 

The commercial radio industry has urged the Federal Government to put in place a crisis relief package to support broadcasters struggling with falling ad revenues.
 
Commercial Radio Australia canvassed a range of financial and regulatory measures with Communications Minister Paul Fletcher some weeks ago to ease the pressure on radio operators resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
 

On the eve of World Radio Day, Commercial Radio Australia has just finished hosting an event at Parliament House Canberra to focus political attention on the industry’s agenda for 2020 and the vital role of local radio in the community.

Triple M breakfast presenter Lawrence Mooney and Federal Communications Minister Paul Fletcher (pictured right) addressed the event, which was attended by industry leaders, MPs and Senators.

The radio industry has welcomed the appointment of Paul Fletcher as the new Federal Minister for Communications, Cybersafety and the Arts in the Morrison Government.