Episode 13: Australia's News Media Bargaining Code

Pretty Good Podcast: Discussions on Digital Rights

In early 2021, the Australian government enacted the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code, which requires Facebook and Google to pay Australian media for their news content. On the one hand, the law can be seen as a triumph for journalism, an industry that for so long has bemoaned the loss of content and advertising revenue to Big Tech platforms. But on the other hand, critics have expressed concern over its implementation, and whether smaller news organisations and the public will really benefit in the long run.

To better understand the Code, EngageMedia and Reset Australia Executive Director Chris Cooper have a nuanced discussion on how the Code affects different sectors of society – and what precedents it will set in the Asia-Pacific region, where governments are increasingly passing more authoritarian laws that regulate content on online platforms.