Giving Compass' Take:

• Writing on Medium, Walkley Foundation's chief executive Louisa Graham discusses her organization's efforts to support strong journalism in Australia, and how they are planning investments for the new era.

• Scaling philanthropic initiatives in the media field comes with many challenges, but Graham makes a compelling argument about the urgency to build a sustainable model. What can other organizations with parallel aspirations in the U.S. learn from the Walkley Foundation's example?

• Here are some ways that philanthropy can make an impact on journalism, here and abroad.

Here in Australia, it is clear that false news and other online misinformation are a growing concern, as are other challenges of the digital era. In the last year we have seen a Senate Select Committee Inquiry into the Future of Public Interest Journalism as well as an ACCC Inquiry into Digital Platforms, and the Walkley Foundation has made submissions to both.

As the industry faces unprecedented challenges, which are all the more urgent in a global environment of great political change, my team and I are stepping up to invest in protecting, strengthening and promoting great Australian journalism.

The Walkley Foundation is a custodian of excellence in reporting, and we work independently with all media to encourage work that maintains that high standard. In addition to administering the Walkley Awards, we have a role to play in raising public awareness about the value of quality reporting, and respect for the Australian media.

Further, we’re now leveraging our reputation and position at the heart of the industry to build a broad funding base and scale up our programs that contribute directly to building a sustainable, thriving, trusted media. Our new strategic direction will broaden the work of the Walkley Foundation to ensure that Australians continue to benefit from the groundbreaking public interest journalism so important to our communities.

Read the full article about fighting fake news in Australia by Louisa Graham, chief executive at Walkley Foundation, at medium.com.