Local news is a vital service for communities, telling the stories of the people in the places where they live. Research has shown it has a positive impact on individuals’ sense of wellbeing, their participation in community life and the quality of local governance. The news business is in transition though, and while news coverage is strong in some places, there are gaps emerging in others, and particularly in rural and regional areas.

The Public Interest Journalism Initiative is collecting information about print and digital local news producers from all around Australia. This map of local news producers is intended to help communities, researchers and policymakers see where local news is flourishing, and where it might be struggling.