By Byron Kaye SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian television and newspaper firm Seven West Media Ltd signed multi-year content deals with Facebook Inc and Google as tough new media laws enabled the industry to secure new revenue sources and adapt to the internet age. The top-rating free-to-air broadcaster and publisher of Perth city s main metro daily said on Monday it would supply content for the Alphabet Inc unit s News Showcase platform for five years and to a similar Facebook product for three. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. The arrangements mean the U.S. Big Tech platforms are now committed to paying two of Australia s three largest traditional news outlets for content, marking an about turn just two months after they had vowed to quit the country over laws forcing them to pay for the links that drive traffic to their websites.
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Australia slams Facebook as it imposes news blackout over media law
AFP/Brisbane
Reuters file
Australians are unable to post links to news articles or view the Facebook pages of local and international news outlets
Australia on Thursday slammed Facebook as heavy-handed and wrong to impose a news blackout over a law that would force it to pay for content, warning the ban showed the immense power of internet giants.
Facebook and other tech firms have pushed back hard against Australia s world-first legislation, fearing it could create a global precedent and hit their business model.
From early Thursday, Australians were unable to post links to news articles or view the Facebook pages of local and international news outlets, while users logged in overseas could not view Australian news pages.
Both Alphabet Inc s Google and Facebook have called the laws unworkable and said last month they would withdraw key services from Australia if the regulations went ahead