Big Win for News Biz

News Flash: Australia passes law requiring Facebook and other online platforms to pay news organizations for their news.

“We are very happy with the passage of the [Australian] Bargaining Code and think it is a real turning point in building a sustainable future for digital journalism.

“The platforms are required to negotiate with publishers about value, and the system is ultimately backed by arbitration. Anyone who doesn’t view that as a big win for the news business isn’t paying attention. We are now going to bring the fight back to the U.S.”

—David Chavern, the president of the News Media Alliance, which represents U.S. newspaper publishers, CNN Reliable Sources newsletter, Feb. 24, 2021.

 

• Editorial Comment: No more free lunch, Zuck.

 

PeezPIX

 

Starry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

FREE! Get TODAY'S WORD ON JOURNALISM in your email This free “service” is sent to 2,000,000 or so subscribers around the planet more or less every weekday morning during WORD season. If you have recovered from whatever illness led you to subscribe and don’t want it anymore, send “unsubscribe” to ted.pease@gmail.com. Or if you want to afflict someone else, send me the email address and watch the fun begin. (Disclaimer: I just quote ’em, I don’t necessarily endorse ’em. Don’t shoot the messenger.) 

Ted Pease, Professor of Interesting Stuff, Trinidad, California. (Be)Friend The WORD

 

“I don’t think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.” —Tom Stoppard