Support Grows for Investing in Local Media

A push to prioritise Australian media in corporate marketing strategies aims to protect local journalism and creative industries, but challenges the dominance of tech giants like Meta and Alphabet in digital advertising spend.

Australia’s $25.2 billion media industry is undergoing a massive shift. While it continues to grow steadily, digital advertising now makes up 72% of the total spend. That means around $18 billion is driven largely towards global platforms, with companies like Alphabet and Meta taking the lion’s share. Free-to-air TV has seen its slice of the pie halved in the past decade, highlighting a deeper change in how audiences engage with content and where businesses choose to spend their advertising dollars.

The trend isn’t just about platform preference. More marketing money funneled offshore results in major economic value leaking out of the country. Global tech giants often route their profits through lower-tax locations, reducing their local tax contributions even as they earn billions here. Meanwhile, corporate media buying decisions are often left to external agencies, further distancing executives from the wider social and economic effects of their choices. What started as a minor shift toward digital has quickly become the norm, with more than 70% of some budgets spent on overseas-owned digital platforms.

There’s also growing concern about inconsistent brand standards. Australian media outlets are under constant scrutiny for the content they associate with. A single controversial ad placement can lead to backlash. But tech platforms with histories of brand safety issues and weak content moderation often avoid the same level of accountability. Even when platforms relax moderation policies, advertising revenue continues to flow in or even increase.

Amid these challenges, the Boomtown initiative shows what targeted advocacy can achieve. Formed in 2018, this coalition of regional broadcasters and publishers has made a compelling case for bringing advertisers back to regional markets. By highlighting the value of the 36% of Australians who live outside metro areas, they’ve driven meaningful reinvestment in local media. What’s missing, however, is a similar advocacy movement for media across the entire country.

A broader “buy Australian media first” effort could redirect even a small percentage of digital ad spend back into local platforms. If just 5% of current digital budgets shifted to Australian publishers, it would inject $1.1 billion into the domestic market—money that could support journalism, production, and cultural expression. It’s not about abandoning global platforms, but about restoring balance and raising awareness of where advertising dollars actually end up.

Australian media is part of the nation’s identity and economy, and business leaders can shape its future. With just a few informed shifts in strategy, corporate Australia could help secure a stronger, more resilient media landscape at home.

Source: The Australian, Sprout Social, IAB.