Labor continues to mull ACCC advice on Meta media deals
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The news: The federal government is still considering advice from the competition regulator on the news media bargaining code as it nears a decision on how it will respond to Meta’s decision to abandon deals with news publishers.
The context: At a press conference on Wednesday, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland would not be drawn on when the government can be expected to announce how it will respond to Meta's decision to abandon deals with news publishers.
Rowland said the government was still working through advice from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the News Media Bargaining Code.
Meta announced in March that it would spike commercial deals struck with 13 publishers in 2021 worth in excess of $70 million a year to media companies across the sector, including News Corp, Nine Entertainment and Seven West Media.
The government is chiefly working to determine whether or not it will “designate” Meta under the code, a move that would force the social media behemoth into arbitration with publishers or face steep fines.
The government has also sought advice from Treasury on other options, and has privately canvassed support for measures including a digital platforms levy among media executives.
Labor has continued to hold discussions with media executives in recent weeks, according to two people with knowledge of the talks, as it formulates its response to Meta’s announcement, which was made more than six months ago.
What they said: “Well, firstly, I make the point that the government believes that news media publishers should be properly recompensed for the use of their content by the digital platforms, and the decision by Meta to cease paying for news is one that is a dereliction of their obligations,” Rowland told reporters on Wednesday.
“The government has received advice from the ACCC, which has been closely considered at the moment, including by the Assistant Treasurer, who has carriage for this.
"We will have more to say in due course, but I can assure you that we will be guided by the overarching principle that news publishers must be properly recompensed for the use of their content by the digital platforms.”
The sources: Government press conference, Capital Brief sources
