‘Hey Mate, Exclusive For You”…Full. Digital. Takeover.

On 25/11/2025 The Department of Premier & Cabinet released files that TDMG requested under the Right To Information Act 2009. However the government did not make any attempts to notify TDMG of document releases.

The documents appear to outline interactions between Pulse Tasmania and the Tasmanian Government, including communications about meetings and advertising discussions. Email correspondence shows staff in the Premier’s Office (including Senior Media Adviser James Whiteley) discussing potential advertising placements valued in the tens of thousands of dollars with Pulse.

Pulse Tasmania publicly describes itself as an independent media organisation, as “fiercely independent” (see page 9 of the deck). The documents indicate that it has engaged in discussions regarding government-funded advertising, including 24-hour and week-long digital “takeover” placements and branded content packages.

“Exclusive” pre-release access in exchange for promotion

One email (page 3) offers Pulse Tasmania an “exclusive” health-funding story to run from midnight on Budget night i.e, embargoed material given only because they are a paid advertising partner.

This is effectively paying for favourable or timed coverage. It gives the government the ability to control which outlet gets the first run on positive Budget stories.

Full-site takeovers and 100 % share-of-voice

The advertising deck explicitly offers the Tasmanian Government the ability to buy 100 % share-of-voice across Pulse’s website and app for entire days (pages 12–13), complete with leaderboards, billboards, MRECs, and skin wraps branded “Tasmanian Budget 2025-26 Promotion”.

On those days, every single reader of what claims to be an independent news site is served wall-to-wall government advertising. That blurs (or erases) the line between independent reporting and government propaganda.

Social “advertorials” that are designed to look like organic posts, with subtle differences.

Page 13 shows examples of Instagram/Facebook posts in Pulse’s “normal “advertorial” editorial style (“WHAT THE STATE BUDGET MEANS FOR YOUNG TASMANIANS”).

These are labelled as sponsored only in very small text. Pulse differentiates it’s advertorials often with blue highlight and collaboration icons/indicator text compared to the usual red highlight on social media news posts.

Branded content and native advertising presented as news

The packages include offers of “branded content” and audio segments that can be made to look like regular Pulse news items. When a government is the paying client, this risks turning the news outlet into a de facto government communications channel.

Conflict of interest in day-to-day reporting

Journalists and editors at Pulse Tasmania may know that a potential large proportion of their revenue comes from the government that they are reporting on, however until Pulse releases said figures we cannot confirm their total revenue, or how much of it is government advertising.

This does however creates both perceived and actual pressure to go easy on the Rockliff Liberal Government, delay or soften critical stories, or give the government the “last word” in controversies.

Undermines public trust in the “only remaining locally owned daily news outlet” in Tasmania

Pulse repeatedly emphasizes in its own pitch deck that it is the “only locally owned daily news outlet in the state” and “#1 free news website in Tasmania”.

If the public discovers that the outlet is simultaneously taking large government advertising contracts that involve full-site takeovers and exclusives, the claim of being “fiercely independent” collapses, and trust in local journalism is further eroded.

Major Development: GOVERNMENT IS ENGAGING IN COORDINATED PURCHASE OF EDITORIAL ADVANTAGE ON TASMANIA’S LEADING NEWS PLATFORM.

In light of all this the Rockliff Liberal Government has deliberately spent taxpayer money to buy complete advertising control of Tasmania’s most-read independent news website for entire days, it ensures that zero counter-advertising from opponents can appear which is a form of anti competitive behaviour. It secures exclusive positive coverage of policy and government announcements. Through evidence from the Tasmanian Inquirer and our own experience the Liberal party has also engaged in behavior (such as outlet blacklisting) which creates barriers of entry for competitors in the media market such as our outlet.

DPAC/Premier’s Office have explicitly asked for and negotiating a “100 % share-of-voice” advertising takeover, They time it for the single most important political moment of the year, They are combining the takeover with exclusive embargoed stories. In essence the government is paying an outlet to cover stories through advertorials, and paying the outlet to distribute their message unchallenged and with absolutely no competition on Pulse’s platform.

Spending public money to dominate and completely control “independent” media with unchecked Liberal narratives (while blocking counters) can mislead and captures voters. In Tasmania’s minority parliament (post-2025 election: 14 Liberals, 10 Labor, crossbench balance), this tilts debates on issues like the $1B+ stadium or health funding.