Big tech company Meta, which owns Facebook, has over the years changed course in its relationship with news more times than we can count, pushing news publishers away one moment and pulling them back the next to serve their interests, with little regard for the detrimental impact to publishers, journalism, and readers. This timeline illustrates how Meta has literally flipped from one side to the complete opposite, sometimes in the span of days, and how they have stated their intent to prioritize news, only to cast it off later as old news.

2015

Facebook helps drive traffic to news with Instant Articles, but then takes it away when legislation requiring them to pay publishers starts moving through Congress.

LIKE: In May 2015, Facebook began testing “instant articles” on its platform by directly hosting articles rather than linking off to the news publisher’s site, paying publishers ad revenue. Read more.

DISLIKE: In October 2022 it was announced that Facebook would be ending support of instant articles, scaling back on investments for news. Read more.

2016

Facebook shows off news Curation team, then cuts it when they come under fire for the practice.

DISLIKE: In May 2016, it was revealed that Facebook was using staff to manage the news that appeared in the “trending” section, sifting through terms that the algorithm produced giving them a value based on whether they were reported by major news outlets. Read more.

LIKE: In August 2016, Facebook cut the “curation team” after criticism of bias and took steps to ensure the section would show popular content using algorithms. Read more.

2017

Facebook contracted with news publishers to create live video for them, then abandoned it.

LIKE: In 2016, Facebook signed contracts with nearly 140 media companies and celebrities to pay them to create live video for its Facebook Live service. Read more.

DISLIKE: Less than a year later, in January 2017, it was reported that Facebook was de-emphasizing live video, instead moving toward long-form video content. Read more.

2018

Facebook deprioritizes news in its “Feed,” then says trusted news content will be prioritized.

DISLIKE: In January 2018, Facebook announced that a user’s News Feed would feature more content from family and friends at the top, rather than news content, to maximize content with “meaningful interaction.” Read more.

LIKE: Facebook announces another change just one week later, saying after research showed 56% of users said they wanted to see more local news on Facebook, that news shown on a user’s Feed would be prioritized based on if it is considered high-quality, “trusted news content.”

2019

Facebook launched a special News tab in the U.S. to feature news publisher content, then took it away when legislation around the world requiring tech platforms to pay for news gained momentum.

LIKE: In October 2019, Facebook decides once again to befriend news publishers, launching a dedicated News tab – paying publishers to feature their content – to encourage users to consume news on its platform. Read more.

DISLIKE: In July 2022, Facebook announced it would not renew existing agreements with news publishers to feature their content on Facebook News, signaling that it intended to turn away from news yet again. Read more.

2021

In response to Australia’s intent to pass a law requiring Big Tech to pay news publishers, Meta removed news from Facebook. When the move backfired with the public, it restored news and began negotiations with publishers under the new law.

DISLIKE: On February 17, 2021, Meta removed news from Facebook in Australia in response to the country’s News Media Bargaining Code, which would require them to pay small, local publishers for use of their content. Read more.

LIKE: Again, just one week later, following public backlash for blocking important news and information from the platform, Meta reported that it had reached a deal with the Australian government and would restore news to Facebook in the country, as well as negotiate with publishers under the Code. Read more.

2022

Meta says it will remove news from Facebook in the U.S. if the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) becomes law.

DISLIKE: On December 5, 2022, Meta threatens to repeat its unsuccessful behavior from Australia, saying it would consider removing news in the U.S. if the JCPA (which at the time was included in the defense package set to pass at the end of the year), became law. The JCPA ultimately was not included in the defense bill. Read more.

2023

Meta threatens to remove news from Facebook in California if the California Journalism Preservation Act (CJPA), a bill that would require dominant tech platforms to fairly compensate news publishers for use of their content, passes.

DISLIKE: On May 31, 2023, as the CJPA was headed to a Senate vote and was poised to become law, Meta, up to its usual tricks, threatened to pull news from Facebook if the bill passed, using its dominance to manipulate public policy to the detriment of journalism and Americans. Read more.

Now, Meta is removing news from Facebook in Canada in retaliation against the Online News Act (C-18), which would require them to negotiate with news publishers for payment for use of their valuable journalism.

We’ve seen this before. Facebook’s push and pull is harmful to publishers. Meta should not be allowed to get away with using our content for free.

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According to an analysis, The News Media Bargaining Code in Australia has resulted deals being reached between Meta and Google and publishers large and small that have allowed publishers to hire journalists, leading to what Australian journalists are saying is the best time to be a journalist. For example, The Guardian increased its newsroom employment from 70 to roughly 150 journalists, in large part due to revenue received under the Code, and the Australian Broadcasting Company announced in December 2021 that it was creating more than 50 journalist positions in regional locations as a result of the Code.

Without compensation from the Big Tech platforms for use of their content, and the tech platforms’ continued dominance over the majority of digital advertising revenue, U.S. publishers are left with scraps to invest in continuing to provide quality journalism. The Journalism Competition Preservation Act (JCPA), like the Australia Code, would create journalism jobs in the U.S., requiring the Big Tech platforms to compensate news publishers for use of their content, funneling needed revenue to publishers that can be used to hire reporters.

Local news reporters are members of the community and they work hard to deliver important news and information that their fellow community members want and need, as well as hold government officials and others in positions of power accountable. When you support journalism, you support your neighbor and your community by supporting job creation.

If Congress doesn’t pass the JCPA now, communities across America will continue to lose quality local, fact-based news coverage. When you support the JCPA, you support journalism and the creation of journalism jobs.

Contact your member of Congress today to support the JCPA and help sustain your local journalists and news publishers: 202.224.3121

Learn more about the JCPA

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Legislation around the world to require Big Tech platforms to pay news publishers for use of their content is working.

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Legislation around the world requiring Big Tech platforms such as Google and Meta to pay news publishers fairly for use of their valuable content is working. In Australia, the News Media Bargaining Code (NMBC) is balancing the playing field between publishers and online platforms, allowing for a more sustainable foundation for the preservation of high-quality journalism.

Right now in the U.S., Google and Facebook capture the vast majority (70%) of all digital advertising dollars, leaving publishers with insufficient resources to reinvest in providing the journalism Americans need and rely on to stay informed and engaged. Ad revenue for Facebook and Google is four times larger than for all U.S. news publishers combined. In addition, research has found that two-thirds of searches on Google don’t end in a click to a third-party site because they use large segments of publishers’ content to keep users from leaving their platform.

Small publishers on their own have no negotiating power to challenge the basic terms offered by the dominant tech platforms. Bipartisan legislation currently under consideration in the U.S., the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA), like the NMBC, would allow local news companies to negotiate with Big Tech to receive fair compensation for the use of their content.

If Congress doesn’t pass the JCPA now, communities across America will continue to lose quality local, fact-based news coverage. When you support the JCPA, you support journalism and help to ensure news and quality journalism live to report another day.

Contact your member of Congress today to support the JCPA and help sustain your local journalists and news publishers: 202.224.3121

Learn more about the JCPA

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One-fifth of the population lives in a news desert or in a community at risk of becoming one.

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We sometimes take for granted that our local newspaper will always be there when we need it. But the stark reality is that one-quarter (2,500) of the country’s newspapers have shuttered since 2005, and another third are expected to close by 2025 if we don’t do something to reverse this startling trend. Lower-income communities are disproportionately impacted by the closure of local newspapers, which serve as a check on the local, state and federal governments.

When residents lose their local news source, they lose their community watchdog and their way to stay connected, informed and engaged about what’s happening in their community. Supporting quality journalism is the only way to stop the growth of news deserts.

The Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) is a bipartisan bill that would allow local news companies to negotiate with Big Tech to ensure they are treated fairly and compensated justly, helping to sustain this critical function in our society. If Congress doesn’t pass the JCPA now, communities across America will continue to lose quality local, fact-based news coverage.

When you support the JCPA, you support journalism and help to ensure news publishers can continue to invest in providing the important news and investigative journalism you want and need to help stay informed and engaged.

Contact your member of Congress today to support the JCPA and help sustain your local journalists and news publishers: 202.224.3121

Learn more about the JCPA

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Without quality journalism, we’d be cut off from the outside world.

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Have you ever thought about how many times you look at your phone in a given day, and how much your need to be connected with your community and the world through staying informed about the latest news and information from local news publishers drives that behavior?

From the latest weather affecting your neighborhood, to community events offering enrichment and connection, to local government corruption that harms residents, local news reporting strengthens our community. But local papers across the country are under threat. Big Tech doesn’t produce original journalism – they take advantage of the news and information created by local publishers, reaping the financial benefits without paying for it.

The Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) is a bipartisan bill that would allow local news companies to negotiate with Big Tech to ensure they are treated fairly and compensated justly. If Congress doesn’t pass the JCPA now, communities across America will continue to lose quality local, fact-based news coverage.

When you support the JCPA, you support journalism and help to ensure news publishers can continue to invest in providing the important news and investigative journalism you want and need to help stay informed and engaged.

Contact your member of Congress today to support the JCPA and help sustain your local journalists and news publishers: 202.224.3121

Learn more about the JCPA

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The post Support Journalism. Support the JCPA. appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Today is the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, a day to recognize and appreciate the journalists and reporters who strive to keep us informed and connected to the world. To show gratitude, let’s make sure to support our local news industry and the reporters who risk their lives to report the truth.

Learn more about the day, including this year’s theme, “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights” on the UNESCO site.

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn and join the conversation – #WorldPressFreedomDay  #supportlocalnews

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