More social cash is heading this way with Facebook announcing a $5 million Australian programme with similarities to that already announced by Google.

Both will partner the Walkley Foundation.

Facebook ANZ head of news partnerships Andrew Hunter says the social media giant will brings its Journalism Project News Accelerator to Australia in the second half of this year. Walkley will organise training, mentoring and funding for newsroom technology projects, and also have some of its events - including awards and a school media literacy project - sponsored by Facebook. The announcement has been welcomed by Walkley Foundation chief executive Louisa Graham.

Facebook will also partner with Peter Greste and Chris Flynn's regional Alliance for Journalists' Freedom to support its work to promote media freedom in the Asia-Pacific region and the right of journalists to report news safely.

Hunter says Facebook will also be supporting its news partners with seed funding to experiment with video. "We believe society is best served by a robust, diverse and sustainable media industry. As a committed partner in the Australian ecosystem, we will continue to support journalists and news organisations in their important work," he said.