New Zealand conservative coalition government will continue to push ahead with a bill that would make digital technology platforms pay news media for content, it said on Tuesday.
This comes as New Zealand media houses are being outcompeted for advertising dollars by tech companies, prompting them to innovate in the way they deliver news content.
Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says that the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill introduced last year by the previous Labour government will be presented to Parliament with “amendments which support our local media companies earn revenue for news they produce”.
Goldsmith said these proposed changes sought to bring it closer to Australia’s digital bargaining law.
It was designed so that should parties fail to agree on payments, the Australian government could compel internet companies like Meta Platforms which owns Facebook and Alphabet Inc’s Google into making arrangements regarding content supply negotiations with media outlets. The law took effect in Australia in March 2021.
No comments were immediately available from Meta and Google concerning New Zealand proposed legislation.
After Canada implemented a similar law in 2023, Meta removed all news from Facebook pages. They have also announced plans to cease paying Australian media organizations for their stories while their government is still deciding whether or not they should step in.
According to Goldsmith, this change would enable the Communications Minister determine which digital platforms would fall under this legislation. According to him, an independent regulator will be appointed as the bill’s authority.
Goldsmith mentioned that one of the governing coalition partners – ACT New Zealand party –would oppose the bill. It therefore needs support from other parties in order for it pass.
The opposition Labour party said it would check the amendments but back its overall principle.
