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The Commerce Commission has formed a preliminary view NPA should be able to bargain with Google, Meta on behalf of its news publisher members.
The Commerce Commission has in a preliminary decision found the News Publishers Association of New Zealand (NPA) should be able https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300483712/commerce-commission-outlines-issues-for-media-bid-to-negotiate-collectively-with-facebook-google”>to collectively bargain with Google and Meta.
The decision would allow the collective to negotiate with Google and Meta on the terms and conditions of displaying their work and content on the various internet platforms operated by the digital giants. The proposed arrangement would be for a period of 10 years.
The NPA represents publishers of all New Zealand daily and Sunday newspapers, their websites and their mobile platforms, including Stuff. It supports co-ordination of publisher interests in many areas, including government affairs, media freedom and advertising standards.
The preliminary view of the Commerce Commission was reached because the potential benefits of collective bargaining were likely to outweigh any possible harms, a statement said.
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Allowing news media companies to pool their resources and reduce transaction costs of negotiations was one of those benefits, they said. Also, collective bargaining would give the chance for smaller media companies to be in a better position to negotiate, than they would be if they were to go in by themselves.
Provisional authorisation to https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/128337705/news-publishers-move-closer-to-collective-negotiations-with-google-and-meta”>start collective bargaining was given back on April 11 – which allowed the companies to start their talks with Meta and Google while the Commission worked its way towards making a decision.
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NZ media were told in April they could start negotiations while the Commerce Commission worked on a final decision.
NPA general manager Brook Cameron https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/128337705/news-publishers-move-closer-to-collective-negotiations-with-google-and-meta”>previously said that the collective bargaining would seek fair payment for New Zealand journalism used on Google and Meta platforms.
“This is about supporting our independent New Zealand news publishers to keep investing in great journalism, so we can protect and grow a vibrant, thriving Kiwi media sector because that is critical to a healthy democracy,” Cameron said.
The decision reached by the commission is a preliminary one and submissions http://https://comcom.govt.nz/case-register”>can still be made up until the end of August.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300657112/news-publishers-close-in-on-collective-bargaining-green-light-with-google-meta.html”>