I'm Rukshan Fernando, and for years I've been a passionate advocate for independent and citizen journalism in Australia. During the COVID-19 era, my own experience as a citizen journalist shaped who I am today, it showed me firsthand how ordinary people can hold power to account when legacy media falls short. That's why I'm building The Context, a new web app and news aggregator dedicated to bringing the latest news from Australia and around the world, with a heavy emphasis on independent voices, citizen journalists, and underrepresented stories.

What makes The Context different?

Unlike traditional news sites that rely on mainstream outlets, we'll prioritise independent and citizen journalism from Australia and globally.

We'll surface stories that legacy media often misses or underplays, especially in politics, social issues, and accountability journalism.

The goal is simple but ambitious: help shift the balance so independent media becomes the dominant source of trustworthy news in Australia.

We live in a time when legacy media is declining, and emerging technologies are democratising information. Real conversations and breaking stories now happen first on platforms like X, instant analysis from political commentators, influencers, and everyday people holds institutions accountable far more effectively than traditional pundits. But not everyone gets their news from these sources. Many everyday Australians, the ones whose votes shape elections and outcomes still turn to more conventional and misleading mainstream sources.

The Context aims to bridge that gap: a clean, easy-to-use aggregator that pulls in trending stories, related sources, and public APIs from across social media and independent outlets, all curated with a focus on diverse, non-mainstream perspectives.

I'm building this myself using my limited development experience and AI-powered coding tools like Claude, so it's early days. The site will be developed in real time over the next few weeks, and our X account (@thecontextaus) and Facebook page are brand new (currently at 0 followers – follow us to join the journey from day one!).

Launching something like this independently involves trial and error: refining the design, integrating reliable sources, testing features, and growing an audience organically, so I will be documenting the building of The Context on the pages.

To make The Context a reality and accelerate its launch while keeping it independent and grassroots, I’m turning to this community for support. Funds will go toward:

If you've ever valued independent voices, felt frustrated by one-sided coverage, or believe in empowering citizen journalists to get important stories out, this is your chance to help build the next wave of media in Australia.

Even a small donation makes a huge difference, and every bit helps push independent media forward. If you're not in a position to donate, please follow @theContext on X (and our Facebook page), share this campaign, and help spread the word.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in a more open, accountable, and independent media landscape. Together, we can give context to the stories that matter.

With gratitude,

Rukshan Fernando