In a thriving democracy, the media serves as a cornerstone of public accountability, civic engagement, and democratic debate. But in Australia, that foundation is showing signs of serious strain.
Australia has long had one of the highest levels of media ownership concentration in the democratic world, and little political will to implement meaningful reform. A handful of powerful corporations dominate much of the country’s news landscape, raising urgent questions about editorial independence, the diversity of voices in public discourse, political influence and public interest reporting — from coverage of COVID and climate change to election campaigns.
As traditional journalism faces digital disruption, political pressure, and growing public scepticism, the future of Australia’s media, and its role in a healthy democracy, is at a critical crossroads.
Is legacy media still fulfilling its role, giving the public access to independent information and holding power to account? Or has it become a threat to democracy itself?
Join us for a timely and provocative conversation with Dr Denis Muller - Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism - exploring whether Australia's legacy media is in terminal decline — and what that means for democracy, representation, and public trust.
This event is part of a collection of events and curated content on the theme ‘The Changing Nature of the Australian Landscape'. This theme explores the major issues impacting and transforming media and journalism in Australia and what this means for our democracy.
Our Conversation Leader
Dr Denis Muller is a highly respected media ethics expert with 27 years of journalism experience, including as Assistant Editor at the Sydney Morning Herald and Associate Editor at The Age.
He currently holds a position as a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Advancing journalism, University of Melbourne, conducting independent research on education, health, environment, and media.
He is a regular contributor to The Conversation, The Guardian, ABC News, The Canberra Times, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and co-hosts the Truth, Lies and Politics podcast with Nicole Chvastek.
Event Details
We will be serving drinks and nibbles from 6pm onwards, with the conversation starting at 6:30pm.
