Key Focus On Industry Development For Penultimate Journalism Funding Round

A focus on supporting industry development in Aotearoa newsrooms has continued to be a key priority for NZ On Air’s latest round of Public Interest Journalism (PIJF) funding.

Six Industry Development funding initiatives have been successful in this fifth funding round, alongside nine applications for Project funding and a further nine applications for Roles-based funding. 

For this round, 24 projects have been funded to a total of $3,994,956.

The training projects to be supported within the Industry Development funding category include a cadetship programme for five Māori journalists in Taranaki, and cadetships focused across Chinese language, disability, and agri-journalism.

NZ On Air Head of Journalism, Raewyn Rasch (Kai Tahu), says that as the Public Interest Journalism Fund moves into the final rounds, projects that provide ongoing impact are important.

“We’ve already seen great success from training projects such as Te Rito, which is helping to build the capacity of Māori and diverse voice journalism, and the projects supported in this round will provide further support to media struggling to find enough journalists to fill roles.”

Rasch says Round 5 is also supporting a very wide range of small to medium-sized media entities throughout the country with both roles and projects.

Those projects include a combination of returning successful series such as The Hui: Summer Edition and the Haukāinga video news series on Te Reo Irirangi O Te Hiku O Te Ika platforms, plus new initiatives including a series of videos on The Big Idea that covers topical arts news from the viewpoints of diverse communities and BusinessDesk series The Business of Health looking at healthcare spending across the motu.

The Public Interest Journalism Fund has two more rounds before it finishes in June next year with Round 6 due to close next Thursday 29 September. The final round will open in January 2023.

FUNDING DETAILS 

Projects

Haukāinga 2022/23, Te Reo Irirangi O Te Hiku O Te Ika, up to $460,000.
To produce an additional 12-month season of the video news series, produced by and for Northlanders on Te Hiku platforms, with Whakaata Māori and Iwi radio as content partners.

Mata Media, Aotearoa Media Collective, up to $452,198.
A new and cutting-edge Māori current affairs project that will provide a suite of multimedia content designed for a digital-first audience, for TVNZ digital platforms and RNZ.

Video Kickstart, The Big Idea, up to $181,800.
A series of 26 videos covering topical arts news and investigations, prioritising the viewpoints of diverse, regional and underserved communities, including Māori, Pasifika, Pan-Asian, youth, LGBTQIA+ and disabled perspectives.

The Hui: Summer Edition Series 2, Great Southern Television Ltd, up to $187,114.
A second series of The Hui: Summer Edition which will produce six current affairs stories from a Māori perspective while providing mentorship and training to four young Māori journalists.

The Business of Health, BusinessDesk, up to $85,255.
This project will investigate the involvement and efficacy of the companies and agencies involved in healthcare spending across Aotearoa, through a series of 50-70 articles.

Who Owns Auckland? Metro Media Group Limited, up to $30,460.
An investigative series of long-form feature articles that examine multiple aspects of commercial property development in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Community Oriented Programmes, Indo Kiwi United Trust, up to $169,440.
A weekly series of 48 videos covering the topics of health, social issues, parenting and elder care, for Punjabi and Sikh audiences.

Te Reo Māori Project, Kiwi Kids News, up to $46,706.
A 12-month project which will produce two weekly news articles written in te reo Māori and accompanied by an English translation and an audio file of the reo text, for a tamariki audience aged 8-13.

Tova O'Brien Special, Mediaworks, up to $50,000.
A range of audio and video packages, including a one-on-one interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, that cover the ongoing impacts of the Ukraine war on Aotearoa and New Zealanders within Ukraine and at home.

Industry Development Funding

Te Ia Ka Oho, Te Korimako o Taranaki, up to $395,000.
A nine-month local journalism cadetship programme to nurture five Māori journalists with the aim of growing the Māori journalism sector more broadly, especially in the Taranaki region.

Disability: Our Voices, Attitude Pictures, up to $142,520.
To extend the training of one existing PIJF-funded intern who lives with a disability and provide coaching for a second intern also living with a disability.

Agri-Journalists Mentorship, Global HQ, up to $25,000.
A 12-month mentorship for two tertiary students to learn about agricultural journalism and produce youth-focused content about primary industries for Global HQ publications.

Chinese Journalism Cadetship Programme, Go Global Ltd, $137,280.
A 12-month training programme, with in-house and external modules, for two cadets from Chinese backgrounds to increase the quality and quantity of trusted news content for Chinese audiences.

Cadetships for Central students, Inland App Company, up to $7,800.
A 12-month programme to engage and encourage high school students in the Central Otago district to experience journalism as a career option and produce weekly content.

The Next Page – Editors, The Spinoff, up to $201,036.
A 10-month cross-platform initiative to support the development and upskilling of journalism editors across Aotearoa. Led by The Spinoff, partner publications include North & South, Metro, NZ Geographic, E-Tangata, The Pantograph Punch and Ensemble.

Content Roles

A contributing Editor/Presenter and a Video Journalist for two years, Hawke’s Bay App, up to $388,700.
To conduct interviews, write stories and offer editorial oversight, and to increase the quantity and quality of video news.

A Community Reporter for one year, Consumer NZ Incorporated, up to $85,600.
To cover consumer news with a focus on non-Pākehā and economically marginalised groups.

A Reporter for one year, Migrant News, up to $55,854.
To produce news content specifically for and about migrant communities and Filipino audiences.

A Digital Content Designer and a Digital Producer for one year, Radio Ngāti Porou Charitable Trust, up to $128,784.
To create audio-visual online content from Radio Ngāti Porou daily radio content and share it across various digital and social platforms.

A Local Democracy Reporter for two years, Inland App Company, up to $101,400.
To continue local democracy reporting across Central Otago, with increased hours.

A Pasifika Affairs Correspondent for two years, Warner Bros Discovery NZ, up to $248,240.
To report on Pasifika issues for Discovery NZ’s news organisations, including Newshub.

Targeted Roles

A Digital Graphic Designer and an Audience Engagement Expert for one year, Indian Newslink, up to $186,992.
To improve the design of the news site and add graphics to print and online stories, and to connect with new and younger audiences over social media channels.

A Chief of Staff and a Newsreader for one year, The National Pacific Radio Trust, up to $207,461.
To provide coordination, sub-editing and organisational leadership in the newsroom, and to provide specialist news reading services.

A part-time Sub-Editor for one year, Metro Media Group Ltd, up to $20,316.
To increase the magazine’s overall capacity to produce quality journalism.

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