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Showing posts with label Journalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Journalism. Show all posts

AUST | THCO | UPDATING | Awareness, Funds and Support for independent media and more | August 2026

[Edited extract from public address]

Our mission at The Conversation is simple, so simple it can be easy to miss the scale of our ambition. 

We exist to unlock the knowledge of academic experts and make that knowledge freely available to anyone who wants to access it. That’s what we do every day when we contact academics and ask them to write articles on issues in the news. That’s what our editors do when they take a technically sophisticated journal article and rewrite it into plain English.

Those are the simple tasks of our daily work, but the ambition behind them is huge. It is nothing less than to save the world from the disastrous fracturing of trust that comes with misinformation and disinformation disseminated on an industrial scale. 

In the age of AI, this could not be more important. As The New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger pointed out in a recent speech, AI companies are consolidating their control of our data and our attention. “At the same time they are failing to embrace a core responsibility that comes with this power – to ensure that the public has access to trustworthy news and information.”

The key word here is trust. Without trusted sources, news becomes a choose-your-own-adventure. Without trust, all the wisdom and knowledge that we have accumulated over centuries of science and civilisation comes to naught, drowned out by yesterday’s misleading meme or tweet or bleat.

That’s why we value hearing how our articles are trusted by you and many in our community. Our authors tell us how their published articles have led to conversations with schools, informed local governments and NGO’s. We see their work amplified through media interviews and republished in industry publications.
These may seem like small contributions, but at a time when trust is increasingly fragile, every informed conversation, every evidence-based decision is a step towards a more cohesive society and a healthier democracy. And that’s a grand ambition worth pursuing.

P.S Over the next few months editors of The Conversation will be attending events all over the country. If you can join us at one of these events, please come and say hello!
  
Preferred source on Google
 

 Upcoming Events 

ADELAIDE | TALKING | Democracy Innovation Week | Tuesday 18 August 2026 | 5-6pm

Walking the Talk on Democracy - Panel 1 How should we talk about Democracy
Misha Ketchell, Editor, The Conversation with Josh Lerner and Nsyra Khanna

BYRON BAY | TALKING | Bryon Writers Festival

Political Animals | Saturday 15 August 2026 | 9-10am
Misha Ketchell, Editor, The Conversation with Bob Carr, Amy Remeikis, Debbie Whitmont

Cultural Touchstones | Saturday 15 August 2026 | 3-4pm
Suzy Freeman-Greene, Books & Ideas Editor, The Conversation with Rafaeil Frumkin, Kári Gíslason, Julie Janson

BRISBANE | TALKING | Brisbane Writers Festival | Thursday 8 October 2026 | 4.30-5.30pm

Dr Norman Swan: The Brain Cliff

Liz Minchin, Executive Editor & Business Editor, The Conversation in conversation with Dr Norman Swan
 

AUST | TRANSITIONING | From Reader to Supporter

"After I first read and enjoyed The Conversation I realised the value of such informed and trustworthy communication. And, it was for free! I felt that if I donated a small amount it would not only help in some small way but signal the value of The Conversation to me and perhaps encourage you in the endeavour. " – Monthly donor, Martyn H

SHARING | Stories of Impact

The Conversation's mission is to amplify the work of academics so it can inform better decisions that affect our everyday lives. So it's encouraging to hear that more than 60% of our expert authors are contacted after publication - for interviews, policy advice, collaboration or public engagement. 
Please take a look at our latest Impact Report to discover some of the ways these conversations lead to real-world impact. 
 

ANNOUNCING | Some exciting news from us

The Mumbrella Publish Awards celebrate the best work in consumer, B2B and custom publishing across print and digital and we're delighted to be shortlisted in four categories!

Misha Ketchell has been shortlisted for Editor-in-chief and CEO Lisa Watts for Publish Leader of the Year.  And we're nominated twice for the Award for Innovation (Editorial):  for our unique model that pairs professional journalists with academics to produce evidence-based articles that help inform decision-making, and the other for our interactive story ‘How boys get sucked into the manosphere’.

Support from our donors gives us the capacity to invest in ambitious storytelling like this. Thank you for helping make this work possible.

Thank you to Friends of The Conversation.
 
With warm wishes,
Misha Ketchell, Editor
 

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AUST | THCO | UPDATING | Awareness, Funds and Support for independent media and more | June 2026

[Edited extract from public address]

“Resistance is useless.” In a nutshell that is what AI companies and their media boosters want you to believe. 

Only a luddite would refuse to use AI to write “content”. If you don’t get with the program, you’ll get left behind.

It’s specious reasoning, and it has a name: “the fallacy of inevitability”. The fallacy suggests that we don’t have a choice even though we do, as A. G. Sulzberger, publisher of The New York Times demonstrated last week in a stirring speech on “AI, Journalism, and the Uncertain Future of the Public Square.”

Resistance is possible, he argued, but it requires journalism “so good it has its own gravity”. “The heart of that is original reporting,” he said.  “The public has no other source for this work. Neither does AI.” 

When I read those words, I cheered.  

At The Conversation, we are all-in on people-powered journalism. We employ dozens of experienced journalists. We publish original articles that draw on deep expertise. 

We know we have a chance to contribute to a better-informed and human-led future, but to stay the course, we need your help. We’re halfway through our annual fundraising campaign. Please support us with a donation of any amount you can afford. 

If you give before the end of this week, two of our key supporters will double your donation. 
The Brian M Davis Charitable Foundation is generously supporting our efforts to provide quality journalism for more young people through video and social media. The Nelson Meers Foundation is kindly helping us to expand our arts coverage.

We are privileged to work with like-minded people who want to build a better future, one in which young people can be well-informed, the arts can flourish, and we can be part of a community rather than merely consumers. Please help us again, and read us, and never forget that the choice is yours.

Best wishes, 
Misha Ketchell, Editor
 

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AUST | GOV | GRANTING | News Innovation Fund | applications close 5pm AEST Thursday 4 June 2026

[Edited extract from public address]

Supporting Australian news producers to develop innovative business practices to increase their commercial sustainability and to improve the resilience of the sector in response to significant external pressures through innovative new projects. 

Grants from $10,000 to $9 million for Australian news organisations whose primary purpose is the creation and distribution of digital core news content and Australian enabling organisations that provide support to Australian news producers.

About the program
The News Innovation Fund Grant Program will run over 2 financial years from 2026-27 to 2027-28. This program is part of the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP), which aims to support public interest journalism and safeguard media diversity.

This program aims to support Australian news producers and enabling organisations to increase their commercial sustainability and improve the resilience of the sector through the funding of innovative new projects.

The program will have two streams. Eligible applicants can apply for funding for activities that align with the outcomes under one of the following streams:

Stream 1: Journalism Production
Activities that increase journalism production and distribution including increasing training and staffing.

Applicants may apply for new projects that meet one or more of the following:
  • improve or expand core news content produced and distributed digitally
  • activities that develop the capacity and capability of Australian organisations to produce or expand their digital core news content,
  • establish and support the emergence of new journalism in under-represented areas and/or underserved audiences in Australia (i.e. ‘news deserts’).

Stream 2: Organisational Support
Activities that support internal capacity building and commercial sustainability of Australian core news producers.

Applicants may apply for new projects that:
  • develop or engage resources to build organisational and business capacities,
  • diversify the avenues of support for the digital core news producers, through commercial means; and/or
  • realise innovative economies of scale across multiple organisations in the provision of digital core news content.
There is a total of up to $31.5 million available over 2 years for the program. Grants will be from $10,000 to $9 million.

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AUST | THCO | UPDATING | Awareness, Funds and Support for independent media and more | May 2026

[Edited extract from public address]

The spread of AI has accelerated the spread of misinformation – and thrown in hallucinations for good measure. 

Online, and in lots of news coverage, noisy attention-seekers continue to drown out considered voices. The result is rising populism, falling trust and democratic decay. 

But there is a better way. I’m writing to ask for support of The Conversation again, a trusted source of fact-based journalism. The need today is greater than ever. 

At The Conversation, we share expert knowledge to help readers make informed decisions. Our only aim is to serve the greater good.

Our team produces journalism that is sober, clear and useful. They are passionate and proud to work for an outlet that prioritises facts over clickbait.

Every day we report and explain the news and tackle big issues such as climate change, how to navigate the aged care system or the damage done by the manosphere. Working with experts, we cover the things that matter in our everyday lives, such as the latest medical advice on teeth-grinding or the impact of the social media ban on young people.

We do this work exclusively with academics to share their knowledge and research. We give our work away for free to anyone who needs it. Instead of building a paywall, we depend on the kindness of people like you who care about evidence-based journalism.  

You can help us by donating to our annual campaign. In past years, we’ve been overwhelmed by your generosity, and today I’m asking that you please help us again in 2026.

With your help, we are already increasing our coverage of the big issues in public policy, and there is so much more that we can do. If there was ever a time to support a project that strengthens our democracy, it is now. Every tax-deductible donation counts, so please give whatever you can afford. 
P.S. If you have already given today, thank you so much. Your gift means the world to us. 

Best wishes, 
Misha Ketchell, Editor

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AUST | THCO | WEBINAR | News Conference and more | Monday 18 May 2026 | 10am-11.15am AEST

[Edited extract from public address]

Join The Conversation's news conference online to go behind the scenes and see how donors' support powers our work.

Our news conference is at the heart of how The Conversation works — it's where editors pitch ideas and discuss the news agenda and latest research.

We hope you can join us to see our editorial team in action, and please stay online afterwards for a chat with me. 
Misha Ketchell, Editor

P.S For some insights into how our work is making a difference, please check out our latest Impact Report.

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AUST | THCO | UPDATING | Awareness, Funds and Support for independent media and more | March 2026

[Edited extract from public address]

Thankyou to supporters of The Conversation. As valued friends and contributors to our work this is a quick update on a few interesting projects we are working on behind the scenes.

First, thanks to some very generous support for our matched giving campaign at the end of last year, we are now in the process of hiring two video journalists to join our digital storytelling team. We’ve already made one very promising appointment (details soon) and the ultimate aim is to expand our video journalism and our social media reach.

In news that is a little bit related, I’m also about to drop my suit at the dry-cleaners ahead of the Melbourne Press Club Quill Awards. In recent years I’ve mostly been at these annual awards as a judge of the investigative journalism award, but this year The Conversation is a finalist in the “Innovation in Journalism” category for two interactives Scam Factories: the inside story of Southeast Asia’s brutal fraud compounds and The Instagram effect: dying for the perfect photo. (And I’ll definitely let you know if we win!)

Back in the Melbourne office, a couple of weeks ago we had a group of interns in our newsroom learning from our senior editors and pitching some great ideas. Our paid two-week internship program is part of our ambition to provide pathways to aspiring journalists. To be honest, though, sometimes it’s hard to tell who is teaching whom, and that was certainly the vibe with this bunch. Read a bit more about their take on things in this LinkedIn post. 

There’s lots more in the works, including plans to expand our coverage of education and parenting, and continued debates about whether we should invest more in podcasting or stick to our knitting (so to speak) with more print-based digital coverage.

Wherever we end up on that one, I’m reminded that we are only able to have these types of discussions because of the generous support of people like you.

It’s an honour to work at a media organisation that is single-minded about serving the public good, and one that has so much generous support. So thank you again, please don’t forget to check out our latest impact report and we’ll be in touch with more news (and hopefully a trophy) soon.

 

 Three ways to make the most of The Conversation 

Make The Conversation your go-to for news

Google recently launched a new feature that allows you to nominate which sources of information you trust the most, so they appear near the top of your search results.

By selecting The Conversation as one of your preferred sources, you'll spend less time wading through divisive online content and more time getting to the facts.

Follow this quick step-by-step guide to learn how to make your world a little more informed. 
 

Life after publication: the impact of a Conversation article.

The story doesn't end after an article is published on our website. More than 60% of our expert authors are contacted after publication - by journalists, policy-makers, industry leaders, other researchers and members of the public wanting to learn more or take the conversation further. And thanks to our free-to-republish model, the reach of their work can often double beyond its initial publication.

You can read a snapshot of what happens next in our latest Impact Report. You can also find past Impact Reports on our website.
 

Time to get your affairs in order?

Getting married, buying property, and welcoming grandchildren into the world are all important milestones in a person's life. Less exciting, but just as important, is making sure your affairs are in order with an up-to-date Will. A Will gives you the chance to clearly set out your wishes, provide for the people you care about, and ensure that the things that matter most to you are looked after in the future.

If the timing is right for you, online Will provider Safewill is offering its services for free for Conversation readers. The offer runs from 16–30 March and there's no pressure to include a gift to The Conversation (though we'd be very grateful if you chose to!).
Thank you to the Friends of The Conversation.

With warm wishes,
Misha Ketchell, Editor
 

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AUST | THCO | UPDATING | Awareness, Funds and Support for independent media and more | December 2025

[Edited extract from public address]

In September this year, the Nobel-prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa gave a powerful speech to the National Press Club about the ways in which authoritarians manipulate social media. 

She called for the Australian government to bolster the regulation of technology platforms and issued a stark warning.
“The greatest threat we face today isn’t any individual leader or one government. It’s the technology that’s amplifying authoritarian tactics worldwide, enabled by democratic governments that abdicated their responsibility to protect the public … Tech platforms have become weapons of mass destruction to democracy.”
Ressa is right. We all consume content served up by these platforms, and we are all at risk from misinformation and disinformation. But this is even truer for younger generations who have little experience of journalism before social media. They need access to trustworthy information on the platforms they use. 

That is why The Conversation wants to invest in producing content from academic experts on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and other social platforms. We want to commission fast, accessible, evidence-based explainers that meet people when they most need clarity. In a sea of misinformation and agenda-driven spin, we want to give the truth a fighting chance.

Two of our valued supporters, the Sue Beeton Fund and the Koshland Innovation Fund, understand the urgency of our mission. For the next two weeks, they will match every donation from our readers. This means that if you give again now, the impact will be doubled.


THANKING | Supporters of The Conversation

In normal times, this might be a “shorts and thongs” sort of day as we wind down for the Christmas break. Instead, we are shell-shocked. The Bondi attack shattered our sense of safety and forced us to confront difficult questions about how something like this can happen and how we can stop it from happening again.

Our team has been working hard to produce sober analysis and reporting, grounded in evidence and drawing on deep expertise.  Their commitment has been underpinned by the belief that journalism is a form of public service. Our aim, as always, is to be constructive, not divisive. We focus on solving problems rather than amplifying them.

I am proud of our work this week, and throughout 2025. It’s made possible by the selflessness of many people, and I want to thank them all. 

Thank you to our hundreds of thousands of thoughtful and generous readers who see the value of reliable information and who care enough to help us provide it.

Sincere thanks to every academic who found the time to write an article and share their expertise this year. 
Thanks to our university partners and philanthropic funders who work so hard to make a positive difference. 

Thanks also to the volunteer board members and my colleagues in editorial, administration and technology, who are so committed and principled and lovely to work with.

Special thanks to all the people who became monthly donors this December and to the thousands more who supported us with tax-deductible gifts throughout the year. (And if you haven’t donated yet to our end-of-year campaign, you still can.) 

Finally, from everyone in the team here, we wish you a joyous and peaceful Christmas. May 2026 be a better year, one in which we live together without violence and we care as much for those around us as we do for ourselves.

SUPPORTING | Our work

I hope you will consider helping us secure the resources we need to do this work. Your support will help make expert knowledge accessible and protect us from the shysters, charlatans and shills who distort public debate.

Best wishes,
Misha Ketchell, Editor

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AUST | THCO | UPDATING | Awareness, Funds and Support for independent media and more | November 2025

[Edited extract from public address]

These days, new technology is presented as inevitable and resistance is futile. Smartphones and social media for kids? 

It’s just how it is. 

Cynical about crypto? You must be a crackpot. Worried about AI slop? Get on board or get left behind. 

At The Conversation (THCO), we have always taken a sceptical approach to prevailing wisdom, and we’re determined to go about things our own way.

When many in the media were sacking specialist journalists in health, economics or science, we were hiring. When everyone was turning away from experts, we launched a media outlet that only works with academics. When others focused on personality in politics, we appointed an editor to help us do a better job of analysing public policy.

From day one, we have been different because we are guided by values, rather than trends or algorithms. And we will continue to stand out by putting people — real journalists, real editors, real experts — at the centre of what we do. 

At a time when others turn to automation, we’re doubling down on human insight. At a time when people are seeking profits in technological innovation, we’re a not-for-profit media organisation that exists to serve the public.

We take this approach because it’s in our DNA, and we know that you value it. Many of you write to us or respond to our surveys, and you tell us every year how much you appreciate our work, such as the eloquent reader who recently described The Conversation as a “lake of sanity amid mountains of clickbait.”

We’re proud of what we do, and with your support, we can continue to take the path less travelled. Please consider helping us by:
And thank you for reading us and supporting our efforts to create something different.

Kind regards, 
Misha Ketchell, Editor

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AUST | THCO | UPDATING | Awareness, Funds and Support for independent media and more | June 2025

[Edited extract from public address]

Thank you to those who have already supported our fundraising campaign. You are helping to keep trusted health information free for everyone. 

In the old days of Dr Google, if we wanted to know more about a new diagnosis or were concerned about symptoms, we'd type a question into the toolbar. Then we'd wade through the pages it suggested, trying to click on reputable sites and avoid those that were dubious. 

These days, if you type a health question into Google, you get a neat, AI-generated summary at the top. It's quick and easy. But where does the information actually come from? And how much of it can you trust?

This sort of lax quality control couldn't be further from our approach at The Conversation. We only ask genuine experts to answer complex health questions. Our team of experienced editors trawl through the evidence to find the best new research that you will want to know about.

And when we see things in the news that don't seem quite right, or need expert insights, such as the pros and cons of GPs diagnosing ADHD or how to support people’s mental health during police call-outs, we ask the researchers and academics who have dedicated their careers to finding answers. 

By the time this information gets to you, it's in language you understand, with examples you can relate to. We've linked to the sources of evidence and have fact-checked for accuracy. 

More and more, we hear of doctors, teachers and communities of health consumers sharing Conversation articles with patients, students, peers and family because they want to hear from real experts they can trust on topics that affect their lives. 

But this human-generated, evidence-based journalism takes time. As a not-for-profit news site, we rely on reader donations to keep us going. We are halfway through our annual fundraising campaign, and we need your help again. If you value what we do, please donate to The Conversation.
Thank you,
Fron Jackson-Webb, Deputy Editor and Senior Health Editor 
Misha Ketchell, Editor
 

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AUST | THCO | UPDATING | Awareness, Funds and Support for independent media and more | December 2024

[Edited extract from public address]

Thank you to generous supporters of The Conversation in 2024. We couldn't do this without you.

Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, and nothing we’ve achieved this year would have been possible without you, and thousands of people like you, who care about access to quality information and who go out of their way to make The Conversation a successful project and an incredible place to work.
Special thanks also go to every academic who gave up their valuable time to write an article and share their expertise this year. Thanks to our university partners and philanthropic funders who work so hard to make a positive difference. And thanks also to the volunteer board members and my colleagues in editorial, administration and technology, who are smart, passionate, humble and fun.

A warm welcome and thank you to the 800 people who became monthly donors this December and the thousands more who supported us with gifts throughout the year. (And if you haven’t donated yet to this campaign you still can). 

Finally, from everyone in the team here, we wish you a joyous and peaceful Christmas full of friends, family, reading (start with our Best Books of 2024 article for recommendations), reflection and affection. 

PS: For those interested in learning more about what we've achieved this year, I've included our 2024 Stakeholder Report and our most recent Impact Report. 
 
Thank you for being a Friend of the Conversation.  

Best wishes,
Misha Ketchell, Editor

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AUST | THCO | UPDATING | Democracy, Awareness, Funds and Support for independent media and more | December 2024

[Edited extract from public address]

Things are looking increasingly shaky for democracy globally. Our media world has been distorted by social media, with misinformation circulating freely and populist currents intensifying.

The recent US presidential race revealed a deeply divided nation where both sides of politics have their own partisan media spruikers and often their own facts. In Australia, trust in institutions is in decline, attitudes to immigration have hardened and social cohesion continues to track at its lowest level since the Scanlon Foundation began measuring it in 2007. In New Zealand, media outlets are closing and an emerging debate about the Treaty of Waitangi chimes perfectly with the populist playbook. 

Increased use of online and social media is driving these trends. A recent article in Politico highlighted the way people who get their information from legacy media like The New York Times form different political views to those who favour social media. 

SUPPORTING | Fact-based news

“Open societies thrive on press freedom, vigorous debate, and evidence-based policymaking.” - Chris Patten, former governor of Hong Kong
For the US reporters fact-checking claims that Haitian migrants are eating pets, this must seem like a dream from a more innocent age. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The Conversation provides clearly-sourced and reliable information online. We do this by teaming academics with journalists to deliver research-based news and analysis. Our stories are accurate, unbiased and free.

We cover everything from science to arts to business, climate change and politics, and we make our work available at no cost because we believe that for democracy to thrive, people must have access to trustworthy information. Providing this information helps us create a more constructive public conversation. 

Our team in Australia and New Zealand collaborates with nine editions worldwide to bring you the best information and the latest groundbreaking research on global issues. We know that what we’re doing is making a long-term difference because we measure the impact it has in the public square and on the policymakers who read us.

Each day we continue to build a body of evidence that can help underpin a healthy political discourse. But because we give away our work for free we need your help to secure our team into the future.

MAKING | A donation

That’s why I am asking you to consider giving. Donor support can help bring people together and improve the quality of our political discourse. An open society that thrives on vigorous debate and evidence-based policymaking is worth striving for – and with Donor help, we can make it a reality.

Kind regards, 
Misha Ketchell, Editor

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AUST | THCO | UPDATING | Insights from our reader survey, plus how to join us for a news conference | November 2024

[Edited extract from public address]

In October, I was lucky enough to spend three weeks in the United States, attending a meeting of The Conversation’s global network of editions in Providence, Rhode Island, and a conference at Columbia University in New York on the US election coverage and journalism’s uncertain future.

A few things stood out for me. The academics and heavy hitters at the Columbia University conference were all deeply worried about misinformation and all were supporters of Democrat candidate Kamala Harris. Everyone I talked to nervously predicted that she would win. 

The fact that they turned out to be so out of tune with the electorate speaks volumes about the fragmented media ecosystem in the US. Is it any wonder that readers of the New York Times and fans of Joe Rogan’s podcast or Fox News have divergent sets of facts and utterly different worldviews? The media is increasingly partisan, so much so that what you consume is a reliable predictor of what you believe.

The second thing that left an impression on me was a talk by the media academic Ethan Zuckerman. Not long before the January 6 insurrection he published a book in which he divided the political world into “insurrectionists” and “institutionalists”. 

The insurrectionists want to achieve change by tearing things down. Think “drain the swamp” Trump supporters and the Black Lives Matter movement. Institutionalists want to do the slow work of trying to achieve change from inside the system.

According to Zuckerman both approaches are valid, but the social media algorithms reward the howl of rage over the quiet diligence of the dedicated bureaucrat every time.

It got me thinking about The Conversation, and where our model of informing democracy with journalism by experts might fit in. The howl of rage has a place in the face of great injustice, but I think that deep down we are institutionalists, engaged in the slow and painstaking work of bringing people together and creating a non-partisan space for respectful discussion. 

And that is why support from civic-minded donors like you is so vital. Your contributions enable us to maintain our editorial independence, allowing us to make informed decisions about how best to share high-quality information with everyone. We are constantly trying to improve, which is why the findings from The Conversation’s Reader Survey make essential reading (read more).

It's terrific to see that so many of you are using The Conversation to make a positive difference in the world. Our mission has always been to provide the information that leads to better decisions, and it’s fantastic to see this ambition realised in the world.

Thank you again for reading, sharing and supporting our work. 
Best wishes,
Misha Ketchell, Editor

P.S If you’d like to learn more about how our team make their editorial decisions, please join us online for a Conversation news conference and see our team in action. This special event is exclusively for our supporters. Held 9am AEST on Monday 25 November 2024, it’s free to attend and you’ll get an inside look at how we plan our coverage, analyse the news, and tackle complex editorial decisions. Further info below.
 

Want to know how our work is informing decisions?

The Conversation collects feedback from our authors and uses analytics to track the post-publication impact of our work. From engagement with policy makers to supporting educators our articles are providing quality information that informs decisions. 
 

Thank you for including us in your legacy

Last month as part of the Australian Charities nationwide giving campaign ‘Include a Charity’, we asked our readers to consider including a gift to The Conversation in their Will. We were humbled that many of you were interested in learning more and several of you told us that you had included The Conversation in this significant stage of giving.

A heartfelt thank you to those of you have taken this step (including those who have chosen to do this anonymously). It will make the world of difference in safeguarding our future.
If you would like to know more please email our bequest manager Helen Johnstone or read more.
'I believe truth in journalism is the single most important thing if we want to keep democracy alive in the toxic times of “alternative facts” and radically divisive politics.'
Helmut Schwabe, Legacy Supporter

Thank you for being a Friend of The Conversation

 

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THCO | UPDATING | Something new from The Conversation

[Edited extract from public address]

A few days ago, we let readers know that we are launching a newsletter featuring our Books & Ideas coverage, and the response has been terrific.

5,000 people have already signed up for the new weekly email that will feature longer reads on literature, philosophy and many of the things we hold most dear. If you haven't already, please sign up and tell us what you think.  And in the meantime, you can hear from our Books & Ideas section editor, Suzy Freeman-Greene, as she shares her plans for the newsletter below.

Thank you to the donors whose support enabled us to create the Books & Ideas section late in 2021. Your support of Books & Ideas is just one example of how our community of donors helps The Conversation grow and create new things. At a time when populism fuelled by misinformation is on the rise, it’s vital that people can access reliable information that brings people together and is essential for a functioning democracy.

Also below, please check out our latest Impact Report and take a few minutes to let us know how The Conversation might play a part in your legacy. 

Thank you so much for supporting our work and helping us make a difference.

All the best,
Misha Ketchell, Editor
 

Behind the scenes at The Conversation 


 

Could we play a part in your Legacy?

Your commitment to quality journalism has played a crucial role in our mission to provide public interest news brought to you by experts. As we continue to meet the challenge of providing quality information that’s free to read and republish, we are exploring new ways to ensure the sustainability of our organisation.

Your thoughts on how The Conversation might play a part in your legacy would be appreciated.
Please share your thoughts in this short survey.

What happens after an article is published in The Conversation?


Thank you for being a Friend of The Conversation

 

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THCO | THANKING | you from The Conversation

[Edited extract from public address]

Making a difference this year

For 16 years the Scanlon Foundation has produced an index of social cohesion in Australia. The most recent figures came out last month and they were the worst ever recorded. Since then cohesion has continued to fray in the wake of October 7 and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

What’s going wrong? One factor is the ubiquitous technology that primes us for intolerance. Social media rewards strong positions and self-righteous anger. The smartphones in our pockets claim to increase our connections with “friends” but they are optimised for moral grandstanding. It’s making us lonely and miserable.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Real social cohesion comes from the slow and unglamorous work of listening to people carefully, paying them respect and giving them the benefit of the doubt. 

It comes from the sort of morally attentive conversation the philosopher Raimond Gaita so generously creates. It also comes from the work of mission-driven organisations like The Conversation. We see the role of the media as creating a better world, not just a more profitable one.

In our case, collaboration is both the means and the ends of everything we do. Our work is made possible by thousands of thoughtful and generous readers who see the value of reliable information, and who care enough to help us provide it.
"Your authors' presentation of scientific facts, in layman's language, helps me and my colleagues to challenge attitudes and the powers behind them." – Steve, Friend of The Conversation
My deepest thanks to every academic who gave up something else important to write an article for The Conversation. Sincere thanks also to our passionate and attentive readers, our university partners and philanthropic funders who work so hard to make a positive difference. 

Thanks also to the volunteer board members and my colleagues, a team of professionals in editorial, administration and technology, who are smart, passionate, humble and fun.

A very special thanks to the 800 people who became monthly donors in December and the thousands more who have supported us throughout the year. If you haven’t donated yet in 2023 and would like to, you still can. 

Finally, from everyone here at The Conversation, we wish you a socially cohesive Christmas full of friends, family, reading, reflection and affection. 

I’m looking forward to working with you again in 2024 to fight the worst impulses of social media and hopefully play a small part in getting those Scanlon Foundation social cohesion numbers moving in the right direction.

Best wishes,
Misha Ketchell. Editor

PS: For those interested in learning more about what we've achieved this year I've included our 2023 Stakeholder Report plus our most recent Impact Report. And if you are looking for a last-minute Christmas gift our book A Year of Consequence is available from your favourite bookshop. 
 

Have you left your gift- buying to the last minute?

We can help. To satisfy the intellectually curious, look no further than our annual yearbook for a Christmas gift.

A Year of Consequence is a collection of some of the best essays from a year of consequential decisions, not just for Australia and New Zealand, but the world. 
 

Thank you for being a Friend of the Conversation.  


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THCO | RAISING | Awareness, Support and Funds for helping make journalism more constructive

[Edited extract from public address]

Is Australia’s political system doing a good job of serving its citizens? If not, how can we help it work better?

These questions have become even more pressing in recent months. The war in Gaza has spilled over to Australia, bringing new animosity and a threat to our social cohesion. The defeat of the Voice referendum has shaken confidence in the capacity of our political system to meet the needs of Indigenous citizens for better lives and political recognition. Progress on climate change seems unacceptably slow. Meanwhile, fuelled by social media, a steady stream of populism is rushing our way.

In dealing with all of this, the role of the media is crucial. But is it really helping? Stan Grant quit the ABC this year when he came to fear that being part of the media made him part of the problem. In his new role at Monash University, he will be working on constructive journalism. Which makes you think: precisely when did we see the emergence of such a thing as unconstructive journalism? Why do we tolerate it? How much damage has it done? 

Since its creation in 2011, The Conversation has been dedicated to producing a style of journalism that swims against the tide of clickbait and hot takes. Our non-partisan articles draw on the expertise of academics to help inform public debate. We want to help our democracy work by making public deliberations more civil, more constructive and better informed.

In our own modest way, we are trying to contribute to a more cohesive society. It’s slow work, but it also feels like we are part of a movement of people who understand nothing is made better by a snarky social media post or an angry opinion article. 

Increasingly, colleagues in the media are republishing our thoughtful explanatory articles. Universities in Australia and New Zealand and across the world have embraced the idea of entering the public square to share research and help inform decisions. And our growing community of readers and donors is passionate and eager to help. 

That’s been the most encouraging thing in a tough year, the reminder that people do care and are willing to do something about it. Thank you to everyone who has helped The Conversation make a difference in 2023, from the selfless academic authors to the volunteers who serve on our boards, to the thousands of readers who respond to our surveys and call out and help us shape our editorial offering.

And finally an important request: we know you value what we do so please consider signing up to become a regular monthly donor. We are grateful for every donation, but monthly contributions are especially important because they sustain our independence and help us plan for the future. We need 600 more before the end of the year to reach our goal. 

Thank you for reading, and here’s to a more peaceful, kind and constructive 2024.
Misha Ketchell, Editor

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THCO | ADVISING | Where you can find us

[Edited extract from public address]

It may surprise you!

When we launched The Conversation in 2011, we wanted to inject the voice of experts into our country’s news coverage. Expertise was lacking and poorly informed opinions disguised as journalism were rife. 

Much to our relief our untested approach of pairing journalists with academics worked right from the start. Academics quickly proved they could add valuable insight to what was making the headlines. We made our evidence-based coverage free to read and republish and quickly found a large audience. With many quality publishers adopting paywalls this free access to quality journalism became a crucial feature of our work.

As our latest Impact Report shows, these days The Conversation’s outreach team works with print, online and broadcast media around the country to amplify the work of our experts. From community media to talkback radio, we help make sure that the voices of academics are heard.

Significant issues that affect our nation such as last year’s Federal election and the current Voice to Parliament campaign, are carefully covered and shared. Conversation content that tackles the issues that matter in regional and rural areas – articles on community resilience, health, education and much more - are also available for republishing and discussion.

Thank you to donors for supporting us. Donors' contribution helps our independent journalism reach more people. You can read more about our reach and the impact of our work in our latest Impact Report. And if you have time, please tell us how we are doing in our Reader and Author survey.

You can read why this is important to us, below.

All the best,
Misha Ketchell, Editor
 

Reader & Author Survey: 'Our only agenda is you'

You’ll see the above statement pop up across our website. What this means is that our work is published with you in mind. We want to provide you with high-quality information that is useful and interesting to you.

That’s why our Reader and Author Survey is a vital part of our editorial process. It helps inform the topics we cover and the authors we work with. It holds us accountable, and it ensures that we are providing you with a service of value.

We know that you care, your philanthropic support shows us that, but we also want to know what you think. And that’s why we are coming to you first.
 

Outcomes from the Voice Reader Survey

Thank you to those who participated in our Voice Reader survey last year. To see how your input has informed our coverage, please visit our curated Voice section of the website, and you can hear more from our First Nations and Public Policy Editor, Carissa Lee.
 

An invitation to our Online News Conference | Monday 16 October 2023 | 9 am AEST

Join us online for a peek at how The Conversation is made and a Q&A with our editors. Free and online.

Are we part of your legacy?

Monday 4 September 2023 marked the start of the national campaign Include a Charity Week. This social change campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of having a Will and (after looking after your friends and family) encourages people to leave a gift in their Will to a charity (or charities) of their choice. If you would like to share a legacy of knowledge by leaving a gift in your Will to The Conversation, you may like to work with online Will partners Safewill. 

Have you been with us since the beginning?

We’ve been going for 12 years. Readers have been supporting us with donations since we began. If you think that you have been supporting us since our early days (2013/2014) we’d love to know! You’re a special lot, and we’d like to be able to thank you. 

Thank you for being a Friend of The Conversation
 

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THCO | RAISING | Awareness, Support and Funds for empowering future generations with a gift today

[Edited extract from public address]

Good journalism is vital for democracy but it does more than help us decide how to vote. 

It also helps us decide what to eat to stay healthy, or how to keep our children safe online, or how to protect ourselves against a highly contagious virus. Reliable information makes market economies more efficient and it helps us understand our environment, our culture, and our history. It underpins the health and well-being of society.

Unfortunately, the media has become increasingly compromised and disfigured by social media. Algorithms serve up outrage and opinion with no regard to accuracy. Quality information is harder to find.

For 12-years now, the Conversation has been a bulwark against this trend. We provide evidence-based coverage written by academics to give readers the information they need to make better decisions. We are independent and unbiased. We work hard to take the heat out of issues and focus on solutions to make the world a better place. It's vital work which will only become more essential in the future.

We have been able to do this due to the support of donors like you. Donors who understand that a world where quality information is freely available, helps everyone. If you would like to extend your impact, please consider supporting the Conversation with a gift in your Will. You can learn more about what’s involved here and if you are ready to leave a legacy gift, you can do so here.
We want to make a lasting difference in the world around us. We hope you will join us in leaving a legacy that can make our society stronger, fairer, more informed and more empowered.

Best wishes,
Misha Ketchell, Editor


Write your Will with partners Safewill

You can create your Will online with our partners at Safewill. Safewill is Australia’s leading online Will writing platform providing a safe, easy and affordable way to create your Will and leave a lasting legacy to the causes you care about. Currently, they are offering a discount of 50% to Conversation readers. Alternatively, you can wait until the 'Include a Charity' promotion running from 4-10 September to submit your Will for free with Safewill.

The process allows you to include any number of charities, and you don’t even have to include us (but we’d be grateful if you did).

Hear from a Legacy Supporter

"Having made the decision to include several gifts in my will, it then wasn’t too difficult for me to decide on the benefactors. I wanted my bequests to support issues which I care deeply about and which I believe will have a lasting benefit on the future of our community and our country…The Conversation ticked all the boxes for me." – Pamela McLure, Friend of The Conversation and Legacy Supporter

Have questions?

Queries, concerns and ideas, all are welcome! Feel free to email our bequests manager Helen Johnstone - she’s free for a chat over the phone, Zoom or by email (and geography permitting, she does like a chat over a cuppa too!)

Let us thank you

We think that there are a few kind souls who have remembered us in their Will but have not let us know. Understanding who has included us is really important as we plan our next chapter, and it ensures that your wishes are carried out according to your intentions.

Telling us of your generosity is much appreciated, and of course, we are happy to keep your gift anonymous if you prefer.

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THCO | RAISING | Awareness, Support and Funds for fighting misinformation in the age of AI

[Edited extract from public address]

Halfway through our donations campaign and we've been humbled by the response. 

So far more than 10,000 generous people have made a contribution to help us keep quality information free. But we still need 5,000 more donors before the end of June to help support our work in the year ahead.

The arrival of artificial intelligence has highlighted the urgent need for freely available, trustworthy information of the sort provided by The Conversation. 
Google has announced that soon, when you search a question on its site, the first result displayed will be an AI-generated answer drawn from the open web. But many of the most trustworthy sources of information –academic journals, high-quality newspapers – are locked behind a paywall. ​​There is a real chance​​​​​ the AI-powered search engines that will shape our lives will be biased toward misinformation or even falsehoods. In such a world, open sources of quality information like The Conversation are vital.

Our journalists and academics do the hard work of researching, fact-checking and evaluating sources. Because of the generosity of our donors, our work is free to read and free to republish. This makes us one of the few trusted sources of high quality information on the open web. Please help us keep expert knowledge free by donating today.
 

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THCO | RAISING | Awareness, Support and Funds for Empowering people with solutions-focused journalism

[Edited extract from public address]

Everyone needs access to the best and most up-to-date information to make important decisions in their lives, whether it be who to vote for, or what to do about an unusual cough, or how to plan for climate change. 

At The Conversation we produce independent journalism that aims to be constructive and offer solutions to you. That’s why we only work with bona fide experts and give away our journalism for free.

Too often the media falls short, distracted by social media, commercial pressures and the daily struggle to survive. In recent weeks Vice and Buzzfeed, two ambitious digital news outlets trying to produce quality journalism, have been shuttered or sold.

We want to help fix the failing media ecosystem so we are asking you to help fund our newsroom. No one should miss out on reliable and unbiased information because they can’t afford to pay, so we ask those who can afford it to give what they can to support our work.

We are two weeks into our donations campaign and thousands of generous people have made a contribution so far but we need more support. Please make a donation today, every little bit helps.
 

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THCO | RAISING | Awareness, Support and Funds for making media more constructive

[Edited extract from public address]

Everyone needs access to the best and most up-to-date information to make important decisions in their lives, whether it be who to vote for, or what to do about an unusual cough, or how to plan for climate change.

At The Conversation we produce independent journalism that aims to be constructive and offer solutions to you. That’s why we only work with bona fide experts and give away our journalism for free.

Keep us free

Too often the media falls short, distracted by social media, commercial pressures and the daily struggle to survive. In recent weeks Vice and Buzzfeed, two ambitious digital news outlets trying to produce quality journalism, have been shuttered or sold.

We want to help fix the failing media ecosystem so we are asking you to help fund our newsroom. No one should miss out on reliable and unbiased information because they can’t afford to pay, so we ask those who can afford it to give what they can to support our work.

We are two weeks into our donations campaign and thousands of generous people have made a contribution so far but we need more support. 

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