Publishers call on CRTC to set rules for Online News Act collective

A consortium of news publishers is calling on the CRTC to make regulations that apply to the collective responsible for administering funds under the Online News Act, saying it will benefit many who fall under its purview. The member groups are the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association, BC & Yukon Community News Media Association, Hebdos Québec, Manitoba Community Newspapers Association, National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada, News Media Canada, Ontario Community Newspapers Association, and Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association. They are in line to receive portions of the $100 million pledged by Alphabet Inc.’s Google division to cover the cost of online news. The Canadian Journalism Collective won the right to administer the multimillion dollar fund, beating out a group which included members from News Media Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and others. “With $100 million annually at stake, news publishers want to ensure that maximum amount flows to newsrooms to maintain and grow journalism jobs in local communities across Canada,” said Maria Saras-Voutsinas, Executive Director at National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada in a statement. “The CRTC needs to make sure that the rules are clear to everyone, and the rules are followed by everyone.” The publishers want any new regime to ensure consistency and fairness, maximize newsroom investment, enhance transparency and minimize misrepresentation. To ensure consistency and fairness across news organizations, the defined term “full time equivalent” should be based on a standard work week and apply to those who worked a minimum of 40 consecutive weeks in an eligible role. There should be a maximum cap of 0.5 per cent, or $500,000, on administrative fees. Interest on the $100 million should go to the news companies, not the administrator, the groups urged. They further call on the Google funds to be deposited with a CDIC-supported institution. There must be strict conflict of interest guidelines for members of the News Collective which will oversee the dispersing of money. Any news agency which misrepresents how many workers it has should be subject to fines imposed by the commission, the consortium proposes.

Publishers call on CRTC to set rules for Online News Act collective

People | June 13, 2024

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Publishers call on CRTC to set rules for Online News Act collective

People | June 13, 2024

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