She said that while Australia’s decision could lay the groundwork for other governments to “go after the tech giants,” its success would depend on the details of how the digital platforms were required to pay media outlets.
“Governments around the world have actually been struggling with this issue for many, many years,” Professor Attard said. “I’m not sure this decision gets us to a final point,” she added, “but it’s something.”
Others said the measures fell far short of the overhauls that might be needed to rescue Australian journalism, which has experienced significant funding cuts and raids that have threatened press freedom.
“I don’t think it will be enough to challenge the many issues that exist in the media landscape in Australia,” said Alix Foster Vander Elst, a campaign director at GetUp!, an activist group that calls for a more participatory democracy and press freedom.
She said it was crucial to increase government funding to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which delivered vital notices during Australia’s unprecedented bush fires in recent months, and now during a pandemic.
Ms. Foster Vander Elst said it was disappointing that it had taken the closing of dozens of papers owned by Rupert Murdoch, the conservative media magnate, to have Australia’s government step in over the collapse of the country’s local media.
It’s “a welcome first step,” she said, “but there’s so much more that needs to be done.”
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/20/business/media/australia-facebook-google.html
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