March
Concerns grow as Facebook’s news exit nears
Australians who use Facebook as their main source for news will have to look elsewhere for stories as Meta shuts down its news tab in early April.
- Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson
Disarm Meta’s nuclear option for news, indie publishers say
Should Facebook and Instagram be legally required to host news on their sites? A group of small and diverse news outlets believes so.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
- Exclusive
- Social media
‘Only one opinion matters’: Play hardball with Facebook, insider says
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen says the health of Australian newsrooms and its democracy are on the line in the media versus Meta fight.
- Gus McCubbing
The ACCC is asking news outlets if they can live without Facebook
The competition regulator, in letters to major media groups, has sought details about how they make money from and deal with Meta, the platform’s operator.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
Meta claims it gives news publishers $115m in free traffic every year
The company behind Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram said that it did not steal content from publishers but provided them with free clicks – valued at 5¢ each.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
- Opinion
- Opinion
Richard Holden doesn’t understand economics of media bargaining code
The logic is simple: it’s only fair for Meta to have to pay for the content of media businesses used to gain attention, data and monetised by selling advertising.
- Rod Sims
- Opinion
- Opinion
Subsidise journalism, don’t shake down big tech
Meta and Google may be where the money is, but that doesn’t mean we should steal it from them. Even if it’s used for a good cause.
- Richard Holden
- Opinion
The time has come for parliament to fire its cannon – at Meta
The owner of Facebook is an unavoidable partner for many businesses. Our response to their refusal to pay for news will be watched closely around the world.
- Michael Miller
Labor moves to force Meta news payments
The Facebook owner’s decision to stop paying Australian publishers would cost about $70 million a year and end dozens of jobs once existing contracts expire this year.
- Ronald Mizen
It’s war - Meta pulls out of news deal
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blasted Facebook owner Meta’s announcement it would stop paying news publishers, saying it was “not the Australian way”.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones and John Kehoe
February
Australian media’s $70m lifeline ends in months. Meta isn’t picking up
Australian newsrooms face a $70 million-a-year hole in operations if Meta walks away from news bargaining code deals that start to expire in three months.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
September 2023
How much is news content worth to Google? Swiss researchers found out
As Canada introduces a law to force Meta and Google to pay 4 per cent of local revenue for news, new research puts a dollar figure on news for Google.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
March 2023
Nine warns tech giants reluctant to re-sign media publishing deals
In comments made to a government review, the publisher suggested Facebook parent Meta was “significantly devaluing” its news content ahead of negotiations.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
February 2023
‘Didn’t work in Australia, and it won’t here:’ Google blocks Canadian news
Google is borrowing a play from Facebook’s Australian playbook and blocking access to news for some Canadians, as it seeks to avoid paying publishers for journalism.
December 2022
Australia’s crackdown on Google, Facebook ‘worked’
A review into Australia’s news bargaining code found the legislation has corrected the ‘imbalance’ between publishers and tech platforms.
- Mark Di Stefano and Edmund Tadros
May 2022
Facebook risking forced negotiation with news publishers, says Sims
Former competition watchdog tells Treasurer to include Facebook under the media bargaining code if it refuses to do deals with SBS and The Conversation.
- Miranda Ward
Pressure on Frydenberg to force Facebook to negotiate with publishers
In its submission to a review of the one-year-old media bargaining code, Nine Entertainment seeks to apply pressure on Facebook to negotiate fairly with media companies.
- Miranda Ward
Push for consequences as Facebook caught ‘extorting’ Aussie government
Ex-ACCC boss Rod Sims says revelations Facebook deliberately shut down pages of charities and health organisations to strong-arm Josh Frydenberg are “amazing.”
- Paul Smith and John Davidson
April 2022
Media code review won’t examine if Facebook should be designated
Treasury has outlined what the media bargaining code review will examine, and whether Facebook should be included.
- Miranda Ward
March 2022
- Opinion
- Media & marketing
Why we are stopping publication of our content for 24 hours
On Tuesday about 30 independent publishers around Australia will stop publishing content for 24 hours.
- Nick Shelton
