National Post (National Edition)
Facebook to pay 14 Canadian media outlets for content
Major publishers not included
Facebook has announced a deal that would see the California-based tech company pay 14 Canadian news outlets if the social media giant links to their stories — assuming they haven't already been posted on Facebook — from pages on the social network.
But, it leaves behind the largest newspaper publishers in the country, including Postmedia Network Inc., which publishes the National Post and the Financial Post, plus dozens of daily and weekly newspapers around the country.
Facebook has called the program the “news innovation test,” which will, per a press release, be “a new initiative to help promote a healthy news ecosystem, elevate authoritative journalism, and deliver a valuable experience for people on Facebook who are interested in news.”
It will allow Facebook to “experiment with ways to enhance the experience for people on the platform who are looking for trusted Canadian news about important topics,” and payment could be for links from, the company says, Facebook's COVID-19 information centre or climate science information centre.
This voluntary move comes as the Liberal government is set to overhaul the way Big Tech operates in Canada. Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault has threatened legislation that would change the way social media companies are taxed, and how traditional media companies are supported by taxpayers.
“We recognize that Facebook has a role to play in supporting journalism, and this test will allow us to partner even more closely with publishers to help them build sustainable business models,” said Kevin Chan, global director and head of public policy for Facebook Canada, in a statement. “Only through communication and collaboration can we make progress, and we look forward to continuing our work to promote a healthy news industry in Canada.”
Major publishers in Canada, including Postmedia Network Inc., Torstar, which publishes the Toronto Star, and FP Newspapers, which publishes the Winnipeg Free Press, have called for changes to the way newsgathering and publishing are financed.
Neither Postmedia nor Torstar is included in the Facebook deal. The Globe and Mail, owned by The Woodbridge Company, the Thomson family's investment organization, is also not included.
The Post was unable to reach representatives from the Globe or Postmedia by press time, and Torstar referred the Post's inquiry to News Media Canada, an industry group, which did not respond by press time.
While no financial details have been disclosed regarding the Facebook announcement, the deals are with a variety of online content websites, startup news websites and established mainstream news organizations, both in English and French.
Among them are the National Observer and The Narwhal, both climate-change-focused publications. The Tyee, which covers mainly British Columbia and The Sprawl, which covers Alberta, are also included. Francophone media is also in on the deal: Le Devoir, the publisher La coopérative nationale de l'information indépendente, which publishes Le Soleil and Le Droit, are both members.
It also includes the SaltWire Network, which publishes newspapers in Atlantic Canada and The Coast, a weekly newspaper in Halifax. Also involved are Ontario's Village Media and Discourse Media, a community news company based in Vancouver. FP Newspapers, which in addition to the Winnipeg Free Press publishes the Brandon Sun, is included as well as is blogTO, the Daily Hive and Narcity Media.
“Journalism is a crucial public service that requires an all-hands-on-deck approach to sustain and protect. We're pleased that Facebook recognizes the value of real journalism to their platform and is engaging with publishers in this test,” said Jeanette Ageson, publisher of The Tyee, in a statement.