General News
24 December, 2024
Feds push local media packages
COUNTRY Press Australia has welcomed Federal government plans to establish the News Bargaining Incentive to ensure large digital platforms contribute to the sustainability of news media in Australia. The News Bargaining Incentive is designed to...
COUNTRY Press Australia has welcomed Federal government plans to establish the News Bargaining Incentive to ensure large digital platforms contribute to the sustainability of news media in Australia.
The News Bargaining Incentive is designed to encourage digital platforms to enter into or renew commercial deals with news publishers and follows an announcement by Meta in March that it would not renew agreements with publishers, including Country Press Australia member mastheads, of which the Loddon Herald is a member.
Under the incentive, search and social media companies that failed to reach agreements with publishers would be forced to pay a charge instead, with 100 per cent of those funds collected then distributed to eligible publishers. The value of any agreements reached would be offset against the tax payable by the companies.
Country Press Australia president Andrew Schreyer said the News Bargaining Incentive would help deliver important financial support and recognition to our member publishers for the valuable work they do across the regional, rural and outer-suburban landscape.
“In the overwhelming majority of communities in regional, rural and outer-suburban Australia where our members operate, they are the only provider of hyper-local place based public interest journalism to those communities.
“And as such, the local paper’s role as an important piece of democratic infrastructure cannot be overstated.”
He said last week’s announcement of the News Bargaining Incentive was good news for publishers who otherwise faced ongoing challenges in the wake of Meta’s previous decision to not renew agreements.
“Local papers command an overwhelming share of voice across the broader regional, rural and outer-suburban landscape and it’s pleasing to see the increased recognition from government of the role our papers play in the communities they serve.”
The Government says the incentive will apply to large digital platforms operating significant social media or search services irrespective of whether or not they carry news.
Mr Schreyer thanked the government, especially ministers Rowland and Jones, for this latest intervention and show of support for regional, rural and local publishers and said Country Press Australia looked forward to playing a role in the important consultation process that is to come.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to our members and to the communities they serve.”
The Government will consult stakeholders on the final design of the scheme. A public consultation paper is expected to be released in early 2025, and the incentive will take effect from January 1.
Meanwhile, Country Press Australia has welcomed the Federal Government’s subsequent announcement of a package to better sustain and support public interest journalism in the years ahead as part of the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP).
Mr Schreyer said the Government’s announcement comes at a vital time for the industry. Regional and local newspapers play a vital role in their communities which cannot be replicated through other forms of media and this significant announcement, following various enquiries and a stringent government process is a welcome relief.
“This is another important plank in the Federal Government’s efforts to support public interest journalism and follows the unveiling of the $15 million News Media Relief Program, last
week’s announcement of the News Bargaining Incentive, as well as $10.5 million for ACMA’s Media Diversity Measurement Framework.”
The package includes $116.7 million to support news production and journalism through sustainability funding to news media outlets over three years from July 1, 2025, as well as grants for capacity building and transformational projects to help make news media outlets more sustainable in the future.
Mr Schreyer said Country Press Australia was keen to learn more about how the funding would be provided, so that publishers could make informed decisions about their businesses with the most up-to-date information.
“We are pleased to see other stakeholders such as the Australian Associated Press and the community and First Nations broadcasting sectors gain much-needed funding,” he said.
“We understand the Government might not be able to provide every detail of this important funding package as quickly as would like, but we need greater clarity, and sooner, for our publishers.
“Whilst we greatly appreciate the overall announcement, we are disappointed that the package includes just $3 million of advertising.
“We believe advertising is the single best way to provide support to the newspaper industry and the $3 million falls well short of doing that. This merely maintains the status quo and reflects a situation that contributes to the ongoing crisis in the news industry.”
Mr Schreyer said this latest announcement capped a period of significant and much appreciated investment by the Federal Government into fostering public interest journalism that would lay for the foundations for further transformation of the industry. “The Federal Government has recognised local media as critical to the health of our democracy, to social cohesion and to informing regional and rural communities, and we greatly appreciate their support.”