Media Super to create $20m innovation fund for publishers

Media Super – the Industry Superfund catering to Australia’s print, media, creative  and digital sectors – has announced a $20m industry innovation co-investment fund for “innovative projects that might not otherwise get funding”.

CEO Graeme Russell said there was a need to support quality publishing and invest in new business models which foster “new publishing skills, imagination and innovation”.

Media Super says it wants publishers to prosper and grow 

Speaking at the News Media Awards, of which Media Super was the headline sponsor, Russell said: “To support these companies through this change, I’m pleased to announce tonight that Media Super is establishing a $20m industry innovation co-investment fund to invest alongside our media companies in innovative projects that might not otherwise get funding to help them prosper and grow.”

In addition, Russell said there would be more projects to come.

“We’re also thinking through some ideas for co-investing in major investigative journalism projects and we’ll have more on that in the coming months,” he said.

The fund’s investment in paid internships, in collaboration with The Walkley Foundation, will also likely be expanded.

“Many of our finest journalists got their starts as cadets back in the 20th Century… We decided to support something similar, starting with a single paid Walkley Foundation internship… and we’re talking to The Walkley Foundation about funding quite a few more paid internships across our media sector.”

Mumbrella will seek more detail on the fund and how it will be funded, allocated and distributed.

Vivienne Kelly

Vivienne Kelly was previously the editor of Mumbrella from 2016 to August 2020.

topics Graeme Russell Media Super News Media Awards

Share Tweet Share

Comments: 5

Interested.... 17 Sep 18

Is there a link to this program? Thanks 🙂

User ID not verified.

Vivienne Kelly 17 Sep 18

Hi Interested,

I am chasing this and will let you know how I go/ update the story accordingly once more information comes to hand.

Thanks,
Vivienne – Mumbrella

Still interested :) 17 Sep 18

Thanks so much Vivienne 🙂

User ID not verified.

Vivienne Kelly 18 Sep 18

Hi there,

I have an update from Media Super:
“The proposed Industry Innovation Co-investment Fund is in early stages of development and market-testing. Further announcements will be made after this work, expected to take several months, is completed.”

I’ll make sure Mumbrella keeps the industry up-to-date with this.

Thanks,
Vivienne – Mumbrella

Interested 21 Sep 18

Thanks very much again for the updates.

User ID not verified.

---