‘Big Tech firms need to support equal distribution of funds for journalism’

The second edition of e4m-DNPA Dialogues brought together global leaders to discuss the platform-publisher relationship at a time when digital media is growing at a rapid pace. Taylor Owen, Beaverbrook Chair of Media, Ethics and Communication, Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University, highlighted the various ecosystems of journalism in different countries and discussed the need for better communication between digital news publishers and major tech companies.

Owen was speaking at the second virtual round table organised by Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) held on Friday where he spoke about the various aspects of platform-publisher relationship, the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead and more.  

Owen highlighted how India's policymakers and other stakeholders could learn from Canada's upcoming news media bargaining code. “Big Tech companies need to support broad, equally distributed journalism funds, or they can abide by these legislative efforts that are forcing them into more accountable deals with a broader range of publishers,” Owen said.

Owen spoke about the digital media landscape in Canada and how it was different from the Australian model. “Every journalism ecosystem has similarities and differences and a couple of things are important to know how the Canadian media ecosystem has reacted to the tabling of the Canadian Bill, ‘Online News Act’,” he said. Owens also spoke about the liberal government’s attempt to rectify the negotiation imbalance between platforms and publishers.

In his address, Owen said Google and Facebook have been aggressively opposing the Canadian Bill in the backdrop of similar legislations being introduced worldwide, like in South Africa, Germany, the UK and Brazil, which would gain momentum if the Canadian Bill passes. “Google has used a strategy that sought to divide publishers in response to the (Canadian) Bill, engaging in supporting some independent network of publishers. So, there’s an acrimonious debate between some publishers, which is unfortunate,” Owen said.

Owen lauded Canada’s Bill and said that one of the big improvements in this is that it will be overseen by a broadcast regulator (telecom commission) rather than through the lens of a competition bureau.

Concluding his address, Owen said there needs to be a mechanism for money transfers from these large platforms to publishers. He also mentioned that this process needs be accountable and democratic. “Our attention should focus on ensuring that these bills have accountability, transparency, and some degree of democratic legitimacy built into them so that the public has some sense of where the money is flowing, how it is flowing and under what conditions,” he added.

The speakers at the conference addressed Big Tech's antitrust practices and how news publishers could safeguard themselves. They also discussed issues involved in creating an ideal relationship between news publishers and Big Tech platforms in rebuilding the business of journalism.