Australia Proves that Small Publishers Benefit from Collective Negotiation with Big Tech

Canada should follow suit

TORONTO, ON —/COMMUNITYWIRE/— News Media Canada, representing hundreds of print and digital titles in every province and territory, believes that Canada should introduce legislation in the next Parliament that would allow Canadian publishers to negotiate collectively with Google and Facebook, and those negotiations should be backed up by baseball-style, final offer arbitration.

“The Australians haven gotten it right, and the results have been a shining success for publishers—both large and small,” said Paul Deegan, president and CEO of News Media Canada. “Last week, Google reached an agreement with Country Press Australia, which represents 180 independently owned regional and local newspapers and online platforms across Australia, because they came under pressure from a competition authority with teeth.”

“This agreement shows that smaller titles win from collective negotiation,” said Jamie Irving, chair of News Media Canada. “Local news is the backbone of communities from coast to coast to coast, and a level playing field is the only way to ensure its long-term viability.”

Deegan added, “With all major Canadian political parties knowing what the problem is and agreeing on an Australian-style solution, we need legislation to be introduced when Parliament convenes this fall and passed without delay.”

About News Media Canada

News Media Canada is the voice of the print and digital news media industry in Canada and represents hundreds of trusted titles in every province and territory. News Media Canada is an advocate in public policy for daily and community media outlets and contributes to the ongoing evolution of the news media industry by raising awareness and promoting the benefits of news media across all platforms. For more information, visit our website at www.newsmediacanada.ca or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information, please contact:

Paul Deegan
President and CEO
News Media Canada
pdeegan@newsmediacanada.ca