On October 21, Facebook reached an agreement with a group of French publishers to pay for news on its platform in France. While Google and Facebook continue trying to reach deals on their own terms, the results are far from favorable for news publishers. In September, the Alliance joined a letter along with 18 trade associations that represent over 40,000 news publishers and represent multiple countries including Canada, Mexico, Honduras, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and more. The letter points out that Google and Facebook’s individual deals may be valuable, “these programs do not constitute a proper and comprehensive response. The industry needs to be compensated for the disproportions and restore some balance to the ecosystem.” The Press Gazette also pointed out how the deals provide restrictive terms and little pay. While Google and Facebook continue to perpetually get the better end of the bargain, legislators must act to protect news publishers and quality journalism. Read more here.
Members of the News/Media Alliance staff have contributed to this post.
