Projects designed to support and sustain Wales' journalism sector have been awarded funding.

The Welsh Government has announced over £210,000 of investment, through Creative Wales, to support the journalism industry in Wales.

The investment has seen sector support provided through an open fund to eight innovative projects designed to sustain Wales’s journalism sector,

The open fund, launched in June, invited proposals for projects that benefited the sector broadly and addressed key challenges identified by the 2023 report Of and For Wales: Towards a Sustainable Future for Public Interest Journalism, which looked at building a sustainable future for public interest journalism.

The successful projects will tackle critical issues including news gaps, diversity and inclusion, and workforce development. They range from creating Wales' first searchable database of magistrate's court cases to establishing journalism academies and mentoring programmes for aspiring reporters from under-represented communities.

Jack Sargeant, Welsh Government’s Minister for Culture, said: "A vibrant, sustainable journalism sector is essential for Welsh democracy and our communities.

"By investing in initiatives that benefit the entire sector, we're supporting systemic change that will strengthen public interest journalism for years to come. Whether it's creating new training pathways, developing vital infrastructure like the Court List database, or ensuring communities across Wales can access quality, locally-relevant journalism, these projects will make a real difference."

The Wales Public Interest Journalism Working Group was established in late 2022 to facilitate discussion between industry stakeholders and the Welsh Government. Its 2023 recommendation report outlined the actions required for a more sustainable, inclusive journalism sector in Wales.