A collective fundraising campaign for small Australian news publishers raised almost $100,000, mostly in small donations over a five-day campaign.

Individual donations to the 32 local news publishers taking part in the Local & Independent News Association’s Our News. Your Voice campaign resulted in more than $92,000 being raised from community members in 940 individual donations

“We’re particularly excited about the 196 recurring monthly payments to newsrooms and 57 annual contribution commitments established during the week-long campaign,” says LINA executive director Claire Stuchbery. “Participating newsrooms now have the tools in place to continue raising reader contribution revenue throughout the year.”

Stuchbery pointed to the University of Canberra’s new digital news report, highlighting “the gap between a thirst for local news from audiences and the industry's capacity to deliver it.

“This is where the rubber hits the road for LINA and its members as we strive to support existing and emerging newsrooms to respond to audience demand for news that is relevant to their community,” she says.

Stuchbery says efforts by news producers to engage with audiences has been “muffled” by Meta's de-prioritisation of news content from its platforms, while debate over whether the ACCC should use the News Media Bargaining Code to designate the corporation continues.

LINA is also participating in the government’s social media inquiry, highlighting the role of public interest journalism in addressing mis- and disinformation. The group has also highlighted the role of local and independent newsmakers in local decision-making through the inquiry into local government sustainability, and says it will participate in follow-up discussions with the department of communications on the federal government's COVID-19 response from a news media environment standpoint.

New LINA members include The Conversation, the Jewish Independent, the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association, community radio station Wangki Yupurnanupurru Radio, and the Unmade website and newsletter.

The group also reports the appointment of technical manager Adrian O'Hagan, now available to help members with troubleshooting and tech support.