The battle between media companies and foreign governments over who controls the news dates back some 150 years, to when European and US wire services dictated the world’s headlines.
From screenshots, to rival social platforms, to the old-school method of visiting a newspaper’s homepage, there are plenty of ways to get your news fix without clicking on Facebook.
Facebook’s decision to ban media organisations from posting links to news articles on the social media giant’s platform comes under a week before Australia’s COVID vaccine rollout begins.
It may have seemed the platforms were taking a confident stance by appealing to Australian users directly. But really, it was a delayed and panic-based reaction.
If the government wants to save the social benefit of public-interest journalism, it must look beyond the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code.
The code could require Google and Facebook to pay up for simply including links to news articles from other sites. This has never been a requirement on the web.
The ABC and SBS have been included in the code. That’s good news, but will compensation received be factored into future government funding decisions for the public broadcasters?
Research shows Google News results often prioritise mainstream media over smaller news businesses. It’s a double-edged sword. While local outlets suffer, it’s actually better for readers.
The Public Interest Journalism Initiative is proposing a new scheme that would allow news media organisations to claim tax refunds for producing ‘core news’ content. This is how it would work.
Facebook is worried publishers may charge as much as they want for their content. But we believe parameters can be set based on the value Australians put on public interest journalism.