J57 Internet Publishing and Broadcasting

Big Tech to pay annual charge

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 4 : 17-Feb-21

The federal government has agreed to make a number of ‘technical’ changes to its media bargaining code. Amongst other things, digital platforms such as Google and Facebook will now pay news publishers an annual lump sum, rather than per click or snippet, while the requirements for them to give notice of changes to their algorithms will be simplified. Meanwhile, JPMorgan estimates that Seven West Media could gain up to $69.2m a year from its newly-struck content deal with Google. Other news publishers are also believed to be in talks with Google.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED, GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Over 2.8 million New Zealanders watch Subscription TV -largest growth for Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 17-Feb-21

New data from Roy Morgan shows that over 2.8 million New Zealanders aged 14+ now watch Subscription TV in an average four weeks – encompassing over two-thirds (68%) of all New Zealanders. Total viewership of Subscription TV in New Zealand has increased 4.9% from a year earlier to 2,823,000, an increase of 131,000. Netflix is by far the most popular service, now watched by 2,141,000 people in an average four weeks, an increase of 92,000 (+4.5%) from a year ago. In clear second place is Sky with 1,248,000 viewers. Sky also includes the Sky Sport Now sports streaming service, which now has over 140,000 viewers. In its first year of operation Disney+ has attracted an audience of 700,000 viewers, equal to one-in-six New Zealanders, and is already the third most popular Subscription TV service. Also growing quickly over the past year is Amazon Prime Video, which now has 323,000 viewers, an increase of 141,000 (+77.5%) on the December quarter 2019. This new pay television data has been obtained from the Roy Morgan Single Source survey, derived from in-depth interviews with over six thousand New Zealanders each year.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, SKY NETWORK TELEVISION LIMITED – ASX SKT, DISNEY+, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO

Google threat lifts support for new code

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Original article by John Davidson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 9-Feb-21

Consumer research company Pureprofile asked over 1,000 Australians their views on the federal government’s proposed media bargaining code and the operation of online platforms. The code would force Facebook and Google into binding arbitration if they cannot come to an agreement with media companies over payment for the use of their news content. On the question of whether Google’s threat to shut down its search engine in Australia if the code goes ahead made them more or less likely to support the code, 34 per cent of respondents stated it would make them more likely. Pureprofile CEO Martin Filz claims that Google has "underestimated the backlash against Big Tech".

CORPORATES
FACEBOOK INCORPORATED,GOOGLE INCORPORATED,PUREPROFILE LIMITED – ASX PPL

Big Tech urged to challenge virus lies

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Original article by David Swan
The Australian – Page: 19 : 25-Jan-21

A coalition that includes the Immunisation Foundation of Australia and Doherty Institute is calling on the big technology companies to do more to prevent the sharing of misinformation about COVID-19 online. The coalition is concerned this misinformation is causing a growing mistrust about potential COVID-19 vaccines and vaccines in general, along with causing a growing number of people to ignore public health directives about social distancing and lockdown measures because they see COVID-19 as being a government-led hoax.

CORPORATES
IMMUNISATION FOUNDATION OF AUSTRALIA, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. PETER DOHERTY INSTITUTE FOR INFECTION AND IMMUNITY

‘We don’t respond to threats’: PM responds to Google’s ultimatum

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 23-Jan-21

Google has threatened to withdraw its search product from Australia if the federal government’s legislation for a mandatory news bargaining code proceeds in its present form. The code would see Google and Facebook required to strike deals with media publishers to pay for the journalistic content they use on their platforms. However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Google the federal government does not respond to threats, while Liberal senator Andrew Bragg has accused Google of attempting to "blackmail" Australian policymakers by threatening to withdraw from Australia.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FACEBOOK AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Calls for big tech to unmask anonymous online abusers

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Original article by Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 22-Jan-21

Changes to the Online Safety Act could see the eSafety Commissioner given new powers to seek identification behind anonymous accounts on digital platforms. Individuals could be fined up to $110,000 for abusive behaviour, while content hosts could be hit with fines up to $550,000. ESafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has urged the big technology platforms to do more to address the problems caused by anonymous accounts, with such accounts used by backers of the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon being prominently cited by members of the mob that recently attacked the US Capitol.

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Facebook, Google code ‘won’t breach trade pact’

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Original article by John Kehoe, Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 22-Jan-21

There have been claims that proposed laws that would see Google and Facebook pay publishers for their journalism would breach the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement. However, federal government ministers are confident that this is not the case, having received legal and international trade advice on the matter, while Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks stated recently that there is "clearly no breach of the free trade agreement". Executives from news publishers, the big digital platforms and the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission will appear before a Senate hearing on 22 January to be questioned about the proposed news media and digital platforms mandatory bargaining code.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, FACEBOOK AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Google, Facebook fight code in Senate

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Original article by David Swan, Patrick Commins
The Weekend Australian – Page: 3 : 16-Jan-21

A Senate committee is holding an inquiry into the proposed mandatory media bargaining code between technology companies and traditional publishers, and is due to report on 12 February. Google and Facebook are set to voice their opposition to the code at a public committee hearing on 22 January; Google has threatened to quit Australia if the code is made law, while Facebook has stated it will ban the sharing of news on its Australian platform. The code will compel Google and Facebook to mediate with publishers over the value of their news, with fines of up to $10 million possible if they fail to comply.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FACEBOOK AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Frydenberg joins protest against media blocking

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Original article by Miranda Ward
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 15-Jan-21

Google’s revelation that it has ‘experimented’ with changes to its search and news algorithm has attracted scrutiny from the federal government. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says digital platforms should be paying for news content rather than removing stories from Australian news publishers from its search results. Communications Minister Paul Fletcher says this issue demonstrates the power imbalance between Google and traditional news publishers.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Facebook, Twittter, YouTube block US President Donald Trump amid Washington violence

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Original article by David Swan
The Australian – Page: Online : 8-Jan-21

Social media companies Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have all taken action against President Donald Trump in the wake of the violence that hit Washington on 7 January. Twitter removed three of Trump’s tweets and suspended his account for 12 hours, saying it will remain locked until he removes them. Facebook blocked Trump from posting for 24 hours, and also blocked him from posting to Instagram. Both YouTube and Facebook sought to block the dissemination of a pre-recorded video from Trump, with the video receiving over 179,000 ‘likes’ on Trump’s Facebook page before it was removed.

CORPORATES
FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, TWITTER INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED