Facebook urged to make SBS deal

Former ACCC chair Rod Sims has called for SBS to be included in the Media Bargaining Code with Facebook,  following its revenue arrangements with ABC, Nine, Seven, 10, News Corp and more.

SBS currently has an agreement with Google but was left out of deals involving Facebook.

“Facebook, now Meta, did deals with many media companies involving large sums of money. Having outlaid this it is
puzzling that they stopped negotiating without completing deals with, for example, SBS and The Conversation, who clearly produce significant ‘core’ news,” he said in a report released by the Judith Neilson Institute.

“SBS, or the Special Broadcasting Service, is a hybrid-funded public broadcaster, with around two thirds of its funding coming from the Australian Government. It has 5 TV channels, 7 radio stations and SBS online. Its role is to be a multicultural and multilingual broadcaster.”

If designated, Facebook would be forced to negotiate with SBS or risk fines of up to 10% of their Australian revenue.

Free TV has also made a number of recommendations for improvements to the code framework, including:

• a statement of expectations on digital platforms that establishes an intention to designate if commercial arrangements are not entered and maintained with all relevant news media companies;
• any designation intention including social video platforms like YouTube;
• removing the ‘significant contribution’ test in the designation criteria to reinforce that all eligible news media businesses are able to seek agreements under the Code if the treasurer determines to designate a digital platform service; and
• committing to two-yearly reviews of the operation of the framework.

Terms of the Media Bargaining Code are part of an ongoing Treasury review.

Source: Guardian