Some A$5 million of Meta cash is being handed out to 54 Australian news organisations and independent journalists as part of its Australian News Fund commitment to the Walkley Foundation.

Meta have committed $15 million to the programme over three years, with priority given to digital publications in regional areas and those who cater more directly for indigenous communities, women and other underserved audiences.

Half of this year’s shareout goes via its ‘public interest journalism fund’ and half for the ‘newsroom sustainability fund’.

Newsroom sustainability projects can receive up to $250,000 for projects such as subscription products, digital technology and broadcast studio equipment.

Shona Martyn (pictured) Walkley Foundation chief executive and Sydney Morning Herald arts supplement editor says the funding follows a rigorous arms-length assessment of 169 applications.

“By offering partial funding to some projects, we ended up funding more applicants than originally envisaged,” she said. “The diversity of the successful applicants and the spread of awards across Australia is both encouraging and inspiring.”