Facebook has agreed with two media companies in Australia, it will pay for their news
Facebook has agreements with two of Australia's largest media companies, News Corp and Nine Entertainment. The American firm will pay for the content of these media, writes the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.
According to the newspaper, the agreements were concluded after months of difficult negotiations. News Corp, which includes the newspapers The Australian , The Daily Telegraph and The Herald Sun , has officially announced the multi-million dollar deal. Facebook is expected to pay News Corp to use its content on its news platform and Facebook Watch.
Sources note that another Australian media company Nine Entertainment (which owns the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers ) has come to an agreement with Facebook. According to a spokesperson for Nine Entertainment, the parties are continuing “constructive discussions.”
We will remind, earlier the Australian Parliament adopted a code regulating the relationship between news companies and digital platforms. The document aims to ensure fair pay for journalists for their content.
The Australian Senate has approved the code, as amended by the authorities, requiring tech giants to negotiate content payments with local publishers and broadcasters. Facebook has reached an agreement with the Australian authorities to amend the new legislation. After the amendments were approved, the American company reversed its decision to restrict the distribution of news content on the Green Continent.
The code notes that in the absence of an agreement between the media and social networks, the price will be determined by a special arbitrator who will be appointed by the state. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was unable to convince the Australian authorities of the need to abandon these plans.
