The News/Media Alliance commends the Canadian government for passing the Online News Act (C-18) today. The Online News Act would help Canada’s free press prevail by requiring dominant online platforms to provide fair compensation to news publishers for the use of their content. The bill follows international efforts to create a more balanced digital ecosystem that rewards original journalism and protects communities’ access to high-quality local news, and builds momentum for the California Journalism Preservation Act (CJPA – AB 886) and the federal Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) (S.1094)
The Online News Act follows the Australian approach and establishes an arbitration mechanism.
“We are pleased to see Canada stand up to Big Tech and recognize that a free functioning democracy depends on independent and trustworthy news publishers, said Alliance President and CEO, Danielle Coffey. We hope to see this trend continue in the United States and abroad.”
Members of the News/Media Alliance staff have contributed to this post.
