J57 Internet Publishing and Broadcasting

Google MD caught off-guard by moving media goalposts

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Original article by Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 & 22 : 28-Apr-20

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission will implement a mandatory revenue-sharing code of conduct for digital companies by July, after the federal government scrapped plans for a voluntary code. Google’s Australian MD Melanie Silva has rejected claims that it was "dragging its feet" in negotiations for a voluntary code, and that it will co-operate fully with the ACCC in developing the mandatory code. It has been suggested that news publishers could receive hundreds of millions of dollars in extra revenue under the code.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

Cambridge Analytica scandal: Watchdog given green light to pursue Facebook

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: Online : 24-Apr-20

The Federal Court has given the Australian Information & Privacy Commissioner the go-ahead to serve legal documents on Facebook Incorporated and Facebook Ireland. The Information Commissioner is targeting Facebook over claims that the personal data of more than 300,000 Australians was breached as part of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Facebook is facing possible fines of over $1 billion under Australian privacy laws; it has already been fined $5 billion by US regulators.

CORPORATES
FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK IRELAND, CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA LLC, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN INFORMATION COMMISSIONER

US keeps eye on Australia’s big tech rules

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 23-Apr-20

The US media industry has welcomed the Australian government’s move to require technology companies to pay news publishers for their content. Digital Content Next CEO Jason Kint says the mandatory code of conduct shows that the government recognises the significance of the problem and its impact on traditional media companies. News Media Alliance CEO David Chavern adds that there is growing concern across the political spectrum regarding the impact of digital platforms. The US Congress is also monitoring efforts in Australia and elsewhere to reign in the digital giants.

CORPORATES
DIGITAL CONTENT NEXT, NEWS MEDIA ALLIANCE, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

ABC in the frame for tech giant payments

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Original article by Paul Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 22-Apr-20

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims says that all media companies should be included in the revenue-sharing deal with Google and Facebook. This could potentially include the taxpayer-funded ABC, and Sims notes that the media sector will be in a weaker bargaining position if the public broadcaster is not involved. Meanwhile, the Victorian government will support regional journalism by spending $4.7m on advertising with non-metropolitan news outlets over the next six months.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

No dirty tactics, ACCC tells tech giants

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 21-Apr-20

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims has warned that technology companies will face significant financial penalties if they fail to comply with the mandatory code of conduct. He adds that 8-14 per cent of Google’s search results include news stories, so the company is unlikely to block such content in response to the federal government’s decision to make digital platforms pay news publishers for their content. The ACCC has been given responsibility for developing the payment model.

CORPORATES
GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Big tech must pay media: Fletcher

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Original article by David Swan, Dennis Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 19 : 13-Apr-20

Federal Communications Minister Paul Fletcher has welcomed the recent ruling that Google must negotiate a deal with French news publishers to pay for their content. He adds that the government’s expectation is that digital companies will also agree to pay Australian news publishers for their content. Seven West Media director Ryan Stokes says there must be "proper and fair renumeration" for local news content; he notes that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has increased the importance of such a deal.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Tech titans told: strike news deal now

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 19 : 6-Apr-20

News Corp Australasia’s executive chairman Michael Miller says technology companies are the big winners from increased demand for the content of news publishers. Miller believes that the federal government will need to bring forward its November deadline for the digital giants to secure a revenue-sharing deal with traditional media companies. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission is due to release a progress report on the issue in May, and chairman Rod Sims has warned that it may intervene if the report shows that sufficient progress has not been made.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

News cuts paywalls to free up virus reporting

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 19 : 30-Mar-20

News Corp Australia will offer 28 days’ free access to the online editions of its metropolitan newspapers for people who take out a new subscription during the next fortnight. They will also be offered a 50 per cent discount for the following month. News Corp Australasia’s executive chairman Mich­ael Miller says this will allow people to stay connected and informed during the coronavirus pandemic. He adds that the federal government has deemed the news media to be an essential service during the crisis. However, Miller has conceded that the print editions of some community newspapers may need to be suspended.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

AFL, NRL members can get discounted Kayo

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 20-Mar-20

Foxtel and its Kayo Sports streaming service are the only option for AFL and NRL fans who want to watch every match while the coronavirus-induced lockout of stadiums continues. A basic Kayo subscription usually costs $25 a month, but members of AFL and NRL clubs will be offered a discounted rate of $2.50 a month for two months. Kayo boasted 402,000 paid subscribers in early November, but this had fallen to around 370,000 by early February; this was expected to increase when the AFL and NRL seasons began.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, KAYO SPORTS, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Guardian journalist unpaid for five weeks

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Original article by David Ross
The Australian – Page: 3 : 12-Mar-20

The Australian arm of news publisher The Guardian has provided extensive coverage of the wage underpayments scandal in recent months. However, freelance journalist Russell Jackson has claimed that The Guardian itself has not paid him for five articles that he wrote in January. The Guardian’s Australian editor, Lenore Taylor, has described this as "unacceptable" and said she will ensure that the matter is resolved. Jackson has previously been the news publisher’s deputy sports editor.

CORPORATES
THE GUARDIAN AUSTRALIA