Sydney: Facebook Inc. has told Australian publishers it has stopped negotiating licensing deals, an email to the industry seen by Reuters showed, a move that is in line with a law designed to make tech giants pay for news content. It came six months after the passage.
While Facebook has announced deals with most of the country’s biggest news outlets, some companies, including TV broadcaster SBS and smaller publishers, have been left out in the cold, raising questions about the scope and effectiveness of the ground-breaking law.
Australia is the only country with a law where the government can set a fee if negotiations between tech giants and news providers fail, but rejected companies have little recourse and the government to review the law in 2022. is waiting for. According to plan
Facebook’s regional head of news partnerships, Andrew Hunter, said in an August email to publishers that it had “now terminated” deals where it would pay Australian companies for content on its recently launched “Facebook News” channel.
Nick Shelton, founder of Broadsheet Media, a website that publishes entertainment news, reviews and listings and was reprimanded by Facebook, said the decision to close the new deals was “clearly on Facebook’s part in exposure to independent publishers.” It was an effort.”
NS special broadcast service, or SBS, one of Australia’s five national free-to-air broadcasters and the country’s main source of foreign language news, said Facebook refused to enter the conversation despite months of efforts and was surprised and disappointed. Was. It noted that it has successfully concluded a deal with Google.
“This result is contrary to the government’s intention to support public interest journalism, and in particular to include public service broadcasters in the code framework with respect to remuneration,” an SBS spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.
Hunter said in an email to publishers, which has not been made public, that disapproved publishers will continue to benefit from directed clicks from Facebook and recommended that they use a new series of industry grants.
In a separate statement to Reuters, Hunter said the content deals were “one of the ways that Facebook provides support to publishers, and we are in continuing discussions with publishers about the types of news content that can be used by publishers.” and Facebook for them”.
Facebook did not directly respond to questions about statements from Broadsheet Media and SBS.
The American social media giant has struck deals with major Australian major media companies including News Corp and Australian Broadcasting Corp, and collective bargaining arrangements with rural publishers. But only a handful of independent and small publishers have been able to reach deals.
Other disapproved publishers include The Conversation, which publishes public affairs commentary by academics, Reuters has previously reported. This drew a rebuke from the regulator who drafted the law. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission declined to comment on Wednesday.
Under the law, which prompted Facebook to block third-party content on newsfeeds in the country sometime in February, Facebook and Google must negotiate with news outlets for content that drives traffic to their websites. or faces potential government interference.
But before any government intervention can take place, the federal treasurer must determine whether either Facebook or Google failed to negotiate in good faith, a move known as “designation.” a representative for Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was not immediately available for comment.
Facebook’s rejection of SBS and The Conversation flies in the face of the law’s original proposal that it “should be required to compensate public interest journalism”, said Peter Lewis, director of the Center for Responsible Technology, a think tank.
“The treasurer has no choice but to nominate Facebook to ensure that it lives up to its commitments to public interest journalism in Australia.”
While Facebook has announced deals with most of the country’s biggest news outlets, some companies, including TV broadcaster SBS and smaller publishers, have been left out in the cold, raising questions about the scope and effectiveness of the ground-breaking law.
Australia is the only country with a law where the government can set a fee if negotiations between tech giants and news providers fail, but rejected companies have little recourse and the government to review the law in 2022. is waiting for. According to plan
Facebook’s regional head of news partnerships, Andrew Hunter, said in an August email to publishers that it had “now terminated” deals where it would pay Australian companies for content on its recently launched “Facebook News” channel.
Nick Shelton, founder of Broadsheet Media, a website that publishes entertainment news, reviews and listings and was reprimanded by Facebook, said the decision to close the new deals was “clearly on Facebook’s part in exposure to independent publishers.” It was an effort.”
NS special broadcast service, or SBS, one of Australia’s five national free-to-air broadcasters and the country’s main source of foreign language news, said Facebook refused to enter the conversation despite months of efforts and was surprised and disappointed. Was. It noted that it has successfully concluded a deal with Google.
“This result is contrary to the government’s intention to support public interest journalism, and in particular to include public service broadcasters in the code framework with respect to remuneration,” an SBS spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.
Hunter said in an email to publishers, which has not been made public, that disapproved publishers will continue to benefit from directed clicks from Facebook and recommended that they use a new series of industry grants.
In a separate statement to Reuters, Hunter said the content deals were “one of the ways that Facebook provides support to publishers, and we are in continuing discussions with publishers about the types of news content that can be used by publishers.” and Facebook for them”.
Facebook did not directly respond to questions about statements from Broadsheet Media and SBS.
The American social media giant has struck deals with major Australian major media companies including News Corp and Australian Broadcasting Corp, and collective bargaining arrangements with rural publishers. But only a handful of independent and small publishers have been able to reach deals.
Other disapproved publishers include The Conversation, which publishes public affairs commentary by academics, Reuters has previously reported. This drew a rebuke from the regulator who drafted the law. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission declined to comment on Wednesday.
Under the law, which prompted Facebook to block third-party content on newsfeeds in the country sometime in February, Facebook and Google must negotiate with news outlets for content that drives traffic to their websites. or faces potential government interference.
But before any government intervention can take place, the federal treasurer must determine whether either Facebook or Google failed to negotiate in good faith, a move known as “designation.” a representative for Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was not immediately available for comment.
Facebook’s rejection of SBS and The Conversation flies in the face of the law’s original proposal that it “should be required to compensate public interest journalism”, said Peter Lewis, director of the Center for Responsible Technology, a think tank.
“The treasurer has no choice but to nominate Facebook to ensure that it lives up to its commitments to public interest journalism in Australia.”
.