Digital Platforms Google and Facebook earn revenues by displaying news content while incurring zero cost for news gathering. Australian code expects them to share the revenues with the local news producers.

The Australian code envisages a time-bound process of bargaining and /or negotiation between the digital platforms and news producers. There could be mediation and arbitration. The arbitrator must assess the direct revenues and indirect benefits such as customer acquistion, loyalty accruing to the digital platforms by displaying local news, the costs of which are borne by news producers. The award should not place undue burden on digital platforms’ commercial interests.

Australia seems to have belled the cat. Other governments do not regulate US tech companies for fear of displeasing the US government.