Oz Radio Gets Thumbs Up To Bargain With Google, Facebook

Aussie radio stations will be allowed to collectively bargain with Google and Facebook for use of their content on the platforms, the ACCC says.

The competition watchdog has issued a draft authorisation for Commercial Radio Australia (CRA), which represents 261 member stations, to negotiate with the tech giants on behalf of all its members except those run by Nine for a period of ten years.

This will allow CRA to seek payment from Google and Facebook for members’ content, as well as letting members discuss the negotiations among themselves, says ACCC Chair Rod Sims.

Rod Sims, ACCC.

“The passage of the news media bargaining code in early 2021 provided an incentive for the major digital platforms to pay media organisations for the news content displayed on their platforms.

“The ACCC will continue to consider authorisation requests from groups of Australian news media businesses that produce public interest journalism to ensure more efficient and effective negotiations with the digital platforms,” he said.

According to the ACCC, bargaining with Google and Facebook without authorisation would risk breaching competition law, as the news bargaining code has not yet “designated” any digital platforms, which would automatically allow collective bargaining.

The news follows Country Press Australia’s authorisation last month.