Public broadcasting role in news ecosystem will grow

This report analyses the increasing importance of public broadcasting within the Australian news ecosystem. As commercial media organisations face declining advertising revenues and reduced news-gathering capacity, particularly in regional markets, the role of the ABC and SBS is set to expand. The brief argues that public broadcasting serves as a critical tool for national security and social cohesion, countering the rise of generative AI-driven disinformation and the erosion of local democracy caused by the closure of regional news outlets.