The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has unveiled the first report in its Media Diversity Measurement Framework project, revealing Australia hosted a total of 2,864 professional news outlets spanning nine platforms in 2024. However, the number of individuals in Australia for whom journalism is their primary occupation has declined by 19% from 2011 to 2021.

The inaugural report, titled 'News media in Australia: 2025', marks the beginning of a biennial series. It is designed to establish a robust, long-term evidence base for assessing the diversity of Australia's contemporary news landscape. The report scrutinises the Australian news market using six indicators that measure the state of diversity across professional news outlets in the country.

The initiative is part of the Australian Government's News Media Assistance Program, which aims to bolster public interest journalism and media diversity across the nation.

According to the report, free-to-air television and news websites emerge as the most popular platforms for news consumption in Australia. In contrast, social media is the preferred medium among younger Australians aged 18 to 34. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) commands a greater share of audience attention among Australians aged 45 and over, while digital giants Google and Meta hold a more significant share among adults under 45.

The report also highlighted certain limitations in the currently available data, suggesting a need for expanded data sources and new research methodologies. "Media diversity and public interest journalism are integral to supporting pluralism and democracy. News plays a critical role in informing citizens, particularly in times of crisis or emergency, and promoting transparency and accountability of government and institutions," stated the ACMA.

The next phase of the Media Diversity Measurement Framework project will focus on reviewing and expanding data sources to address the gaps and priorities identified in the report. "While there is no consensus on the optimal or ‘correct’ amount of news media diversity, a comprehensive and regular assessment of levels of media diversity offers benefits to industry, government and the regulator," the ACMA stated.

The concept of 'share of attention' is also explored in the report, looking at "how much time a person spends accessing one news source relative to their other news sources," per the ACMA.