Global News: Canadian publishers call for collective bargaining with Google, Facebook. “News Media Canada — which represents newspaper publishers including the Globe and Mail, National Post publisher Postmedia, Toronto Star publisher Torstar, La Presse and Quebecor — says the two web giants have established an effective duopoly in the digital ads market that’s starving Canada’s media industry of revenue.”
Google News
Australia’s media code will set a dangerous precedent: Google (Business Insider India)
Business Insider India: Australia’s media code will set a dangerous precedent: Google. “Google on Sunday slammed Australia’s draft News Media Bargaining Code again, saying it is unworkable and the company has raised concerns about its unfair payment conditions and unclear definitions and obligations.”
Reuters: Google poised to strike deal to pay French publishers for their news
Reuters: Google poised to strike deal to pay French publishers for their news. “Alphabet’s Google is set to reach a deal to pay French publishers for their news, the U.S. tech giant said on Wednesday, the latest move to placate media groups and head off regulators siding with publishers seeking a level playing field.”
CNN: Google agrees to pay news publishers more than $1 billion
CNN: Google agrees to pay news publishers more than $1 billion. “Google will pay publishers more than $1 billion over the next three years through a new program for licensing news. The tech giant has signed licensing deals with about 200 publications in select countries with plans to add more and expand geographically.” I’m worried that the only outlets with the muscle to grab some pie will be large, corporate-owned places, and locally-owned small publishers are going to get shafted.
CBC: Ottawa prepares to squeeze big U.S. tech firms over loss of revenue for Canadian news outlets
CBC: Ottawa prepares to squeeze big U.S. tech firms over loss of revenue for Canadian news outlets. “Advocates for Canada’s news media sector have welcomed the federal government’s clearest pledge yet to squeeze web giants for compensation. But there’s evidence it will be a long, difficult process. Major U.S.-based tech firms such as Facebook and Google have long been accused of funnelling advertising revenues away from Canada’s struggling news organizations while not paying the outlets for their copyrighted content.”
News 18 World: Australia To Amend Law Making Facebook, Google Pay For News
News 18 World: Australia To Amend Law Making Facebook, Google Pay For News. “The author of proposed Australian laws to make Facebook and Google pay for journalism said Thursday his draft legislation will be altered to allay some of the digital giants concerns, but remain fundamentally unchanged. Australias fair trade regulator Rod Sims, chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, said he would give his final draft of the laws to make Facebook and Google pay Australian media companies for the news content they use by early October.”
The Guardian: Greens may back forcing Facebook and Google to pay for news if ABC is included
The Guardian: Greens may back forcing Facebook and Google to pay for news if ABC is included. “The Greens have signalled they could support a code to force Google and Facebook to pay for the value they receive from the distribution of Australian journalism if it is extended to cover the ABC, and if the Coalition comes up with a rescue package for the news wire service [Australian Associated Press].” ABC in this case is the Australian Broadcasting Association.
Don’t blame us for classified ad decline in newspapers: Google (CanIndia News)
CanIndia News: Don’t blame us for classified ad decline in newspapers: Google. “Google reiterated on Monday that it is passing on the vast majority of money advertisers pay the Search engine giant directly to Australian publishers and it should not be blamed for classified ads decline in newspapers. The company said it does not object to the idea of an Australian Code called ‘News Media Bargaining Code’ to oversee relationships between news businesses and digital platforms.”
Welland Tribune: Australia is in a fight with Facebook and Google. Canada could be next
Welland Tribune: Australia is in a fight with Facebook and Google. Canada could be next. “It’s language typically reserved for armed conflicts or natural disasters. This week, Canada’s heritage minister used it for a regulatory spat in Australia. ‘The Canadian government stands with our Australian partners and denounces any form of threats,’ Steven Guilbeault said in an emailed statement to the Star’s Susan Delacourt. The ‘threats’ Guilbeault referred to involved some of the world’s richest and most influential corporations, Facebook and Google, which have separately warned Canada’s friends down under that they will suspend services in Australia or block media organizations from using their platforms if Canberra follows through with a law they don’t like.”
AdNews: Google rules out closing Google News
AdNews: Google rules out closing Google News. “Google has again hit out against the proposed news media bargaining code, but says it would be too difficult to simply shut Google News in Australia, as it has elsewhere, to avoid the code.”
Sydney Morning Herald: Google boss says regulatory concerns ‘not only about the money’
Sydney Morning Herald: Google boss says regulatory concerns ‘not only about the money’. “The global tech giant took aim at the Morrison government and the competition regulator this week in a series of public warnings about the new code, including an open letter on its website that claimed the changes could jeopardise the free nature of its services in Australia. On Friday it also told YouTube stars the code would have a ‘negative impact on the creator ecosystem in Australia’.”
’It’s time to respect us’: Google accused of bullying in new open letter about news code (News .com .au)
News .com .au: ’It’s time to respect us’: Google accused of bullying in new open letter about news code. “The Australian Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology has taken aim at Google today, labelling yellow warning signs on its website and its recent open letter against the plan as a form of bullying. Google has activated the alerts in response to a draft code that would require Google and Facebook to pay media companies for their journalism.”
Bangkok Post: Google slams Australia law forcing tech giants to pay for news
Bangkok Post: Google slams Australia law forcing tech giants to pay for news. “US technology giant Google went on the offensive Monday against an Australian plan forcing digital giants to pay for news content, telling users their personal data would be ‘at risk’. Australia announced last month that firms like Google and Facebook would have to pay news media for content, after 18 months of negotiations ended without agreement.”
Sydney Morning Herald: Google, Facebook seek publisher deals ahead of ACCC ruling
Sydney Morning Herald: Google, Facebook seek publisher deals ahead of ACCC ruling. “Google and Facebook are pushing ahead with plans to strike licensing deals with local publishers as Australia’s competition regulator prepares to unveil a compulsory code that will force the tech giants to pay for use of news content.”
Reuters: Google to pay some publishers for content; others dubious
Reuters: Google to pay some publishers for content; others dubious. “Alphabet’s Google on Thursday took a step towards resolving its spat with publishers, saying it would pay some media groups in Australia, Brazil and Germany for high-quality content and expects to do more deals, but others were sceptical.” Shocked. Really.