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About Journalism Australia
What is Journalism Australia?
Journalism Australia, or JA, will be a professional association for people who work in journalism. It will be open to reporters, editors, freelance journalists, journalistic content creators, new graduates and students who plan to enter the field.
The key unifying principle is a commitment to professional excellence in the service of readers and audiences.
JA will be an independent body. It will not be controlled by government, political parties, large companies, or unions. Its board will be democratically elected by its members, who will also guide its work.
Is Journalism Australia a licencing body?
No. Membership is entirely voluntary, and it would not license journalists or stop anyone from calling themselves a journalist. Rather, membership signals a commitment to high standards, helping the public identify quality content from digital noise.
In that way, JA will help strengthen trust in journalism and support a stronger culture of professional and ethical excellence amongst its members, without limiting anybody’s freedom of speech or rights to work.
Why do we need Journalism Australia
A strong news sector helps the public understand major issues. It keeps the government honest and accountable, supports good public debate and helps build social cohesion. You can’t have a successful democracy without free and effective journalism.
The 2026 Canberra University Digital News Report revealed almost half of all Australians (43%) are getting their news from social media. Yet only 1 in 5 of us (21%) trust social media. That is at least partly because online, it is hard to distinguish reliable journalism from digital noise and AI slop.
“While this fragmentation may offer a diverse range of perspectives to audiences, it also produces a wide variation in quality and a lack of consistent industry standards, which may further erode trust in the wider news environment.”
Canberra University Digital News Report, 2026
When trust in journalism falls, public debate suffers.
JA responds to this problem by offering a clear credibility signal. By indicating membership, a journalist shows they are accepted by their peers and have agreed to clear standards and open accountability. Members may display their JA status on their work, their profile, or their website.
This helps the public see that the content is underpinned by a commitment to professional excellence.
Why should journalists join?
Australians struggle to identify good journalism and tend to distrust it when they do. By joining a professional movement committed to upholding and celebrating excellence, journalists can signal their commitment and build trust amongst readers and audiences.
Members can use whatever method is appropriate to show they are a part of JA, whether through a kite mark, post-nominals (letters after their name) or a link in their bio.
This status belongs to the person, not the employer. If a member moves to a new job or works as a freelancer, the status can move with them.
JA will also offer practical support for members. This may include training, legal updates, skills building, mentoring, shared tools, and professional networks.
Social media companies, under pressure to do more to elevate public debate, could use JA membership as a marker of good journalism and boost that content up the rankings.
Finally, JA offers a sense of professional identity and pride currently missing across Australian media.
How will Journalism Australia be built?
JA will be developed in stages. A founding group will help create the first structure of the organisation. This work will include governance rules, board design, membership systems, and fair fees. Once the base is in place, JA will open membership more widely.
JA plans to use fee tiers. This means different groups may pay different rates. Students may pay less than those who work for large media firms. Freelancers and small local outlets may have rates that match their size and means.
Members will renew each year through an annual fee, similar to other professional associations.
Who is Journalism Australia owned by?
JA will be a fully independent professional association effectively owned and controlled by its members and board.
The organisation is being supported in its early phase by people who believe Australia needs a professional body for journalism. While outside groups may help launch JA, the body itself will be fully independent once formed.
Early members may also help shape key parts of the new body. They may help guide its culture, systems, and future direction.
Who will make the Code of Conduct for Journalism?
Codes of conduct are often seen as serving the interests of those who wrote them. Another code of conduct written by the industry for industry will not help rebuild public trust in journalism. To avoid this, JA plans to create its Code of Conduct through a citizens’ jury public process. In this way, code will reflect the values of the Australian public rather than the views of any particular interest group.
This process aims to build trust in both the Code and the members who agree to uphold it.
How will Journalism Australia build its community?
A will grow by offering clear value to members. It will engage with journalists in large newsrooms, small regional outlets, independent media, freelancers and content creators.
It will welcome students and early career journalists who want to build strong skills from the start.
It does not matter who members work for, the platform they use or the education and training they’ve had. The only criteria for membership is to show they understand JA’s professional standards and ethics, and apply them to their work.
How will Journalism Australia work with other journalism bodies?
It would work alongside existing organisations rather than replace them. This is no different to other professions such as lawyers, doctors, engineers, or accountants who may join professional associations, while also working under corporate regulations.
The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA)
MEAA is a union. It focuses on pay, workers’ rights, contracts, and support for members in industrial matters. JA is a professional association rather than a union, so it will focus on ethics, standards, professional identity, and public trust. Depending on the circumstances, the two groups could refer members to each other.
The Australian Press Council (APC)
The Australian Press Council handles complaints about publishers who are members, and it regulates corporate editorial standards. JA would focus on the conduct of individual members who choose to join.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
ACMA regulates traditional broadcasting in Australia. This includes terrestrial TV and radio stations. ACMA ensures they comply with broadcast licensing regulations, that include quality news. JA would not act as a corporate regulator. It would remain a voluntary professional body for individuals.
Media Mastheads
JA is designed to work with media mastheads, to support and amplify public trust in the work of their staff. Employers may keep their own internal codes while staff may also choose to join JA.
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