Pay deal between Google and Seven West Media...Get more updates
Monday, 15th February 2021
A major Australian media company Seven West Media has become the country’s largest news media business to have struck a deal with Google to pay for journalism. The two companies announced the partnership on Monday as the Australian Parliament goes ahead with a law that will force the digital giant to pay media houses for news.
The company that is a publicly listed broadcast, television print, and online publishing firm along with the internet giant Google announced that they have reached a “long-term partnership” agreement. This came after ministers of the Australian government’s discussions with media executives, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Alphabet Inc and its subsidiary Google.
Chairman of Seven West Media, which is also the owner of 21 publications, Kerry Stokes expressed their gratitude for the government as well as the Australian competition regulator for their proposal.
Stokes said in a statement, “Their outstanding leadership on the implementation of the proposed news media bargaining code has resulted in us being able to conclude negotiations that result in fair payment and ensure our digital future.” He also added, “The negotiations with Google recognize the value of quality and original journalism throughout the country and, in particular, in regional areas.”
Google’s own model, under which this deal was struck, News Showcase was launched in October, and ever since they have got into pay deals with over 450 publications across the world. In Australia itself, Google has begun paying seven much smaller local websites under News Showcase, as per their announcement a couple of weeks ago.
Mel Silva, the regional director of Google said, “We are proud to support original, trusted, and quality journalism and are excited to welcome Seven West Media today as a major Australian publishing partner to join Google News Showcase.”
Neither company mentioned how much the deal was worth although rival media company Nine Entertainment reported that it was more than 30 million Australian dollars ($23 million) a year.
The News Talkie Bureau
Source:
Gadgets NDTV