Canada wants Big Tech to share its riches with news publishers

The Canadian government this week introduced a law bill that would force the likes of Google and Facebook to pay Canadian news publishers for using their articles online. The Online News Act was created to address what Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez described as a crisis in the country's media sector that has …

[sanmigueelbeer]

The Canadian government this week introduced a law bill that would force the likes of Google and Facebook to pay Canadian news publishers Murdoch for using their articles online

TFTFY

[Flocke Kroes]

The other way for Gooface to fight this:

Set up their own news services that create original content instead of paraphrasing other peoples'. It will cost money but they can afford it and they get to pay themselves instead of others for news. The model has worked elsewhere: Pixar decided creating their own films was a more reliable business than hoping to be hired by others. The streaming video services worked out that creating their own content was a better option than relying licenses from existing rights holders. As a bonus Gooface would get to decide what is and isn't news and from what angle to present the news they select. They seriously need to hire some competent staff in their "Let's be even more evil" departments.

[Shuki26]

Re: The other way for Gooface to fight this:

That is indeed the logical and natural response from big tech. Create news orgs (which pay It salaries to big news talents) to further cause more legacy media to close up shop before anyone notices or lawmakers can react and by then less competition to worry about.

[Pascal Monett]

"Reactions to the bill from the tech companies concerned"

. . have been carefully tailored to make sure the company looks good to the public while planning on pulling the teeth out of this bill right down to the bone.

But surreptiously.

[Anonymous Coward]

Who gets to choose which newspapers?

I always wondered - how do they choose who deserves the money?

There are a lot of orgs that could be described as news sources. What's stopping the Government favouring particular outlets?

[The Oncoming Scorn]

Re: Who gets to choose which newspapers?

Those would be the ones Sockboy gave huge "investments" to report his desired version of the news.

[Steve Button]

Re: Who gets to choose which newspapers?

It's a good point. Does even a blog like this one get a slice of the money?

[schultzter]

Re: Who gets to choose which newspapers?

I believe they had some pencilled in some basic criteria, like minimum staff size and regular publication and minimum scope (i.e.: a company's press releases did not qualify as news but two guys blogging about community events could qualify).

[schultzter]

Which lesson were learned from the past?

The Australian law was great for the politicians, it let them claim a David v. Goliath victory over US mega-corps, regardless of the actual results.

So did the Canadian politicians learn that they can win a few votes by appearing to wrangle some foreign tech companies into submission?

Or did they learn that the law needs to ensure Facebook doesn't become the gatekeeper of what news is shared; and Google has to support actual journalism and journalists - not just shareholders; and the definition of news outlet needs to be objective and subject to oversight?