SYDNEY: Three Australian publishers of lifestyle content say Facebook Inc. used their articles on its just-launched news service after refusing to negotiate licensing deals, and that the country’s tough new Internet law has failed to protect them.
Australia this year passed a law that pressured Facebook and Alphabet Inc’s Google to sign deals with some of the country’s biggest news companies by threatening government intervention.
The dispute highlights possible shortcomings in the controversial law. While most of Australia’s main media firms have signed deals, some smaller outlets say the law has not stopped their content generating clicks and advertising revenue for Facebook without compensation.
Broadsheet Media, Urban List and Concrete Playground, websites which publish entertainment news, reviews and listings, say that after the law was passed in February they approached the social media giant about payment for their content.
Facebook knocked them back, calling their content unsuitable for its Facebook News platform and recommending they apply for grants it was offering from a A$15 million ($11 million) fund for Australian regional and digital newsrooms, the three companies told Reuters in a joint call.
“They told me that, ‘oh well, you’re not going to be included in News tab and that’s what we’re paying for’,” said Nick Shelton, founder of Broadsheet Media.
“To our surprise, we woke one morning last week and all of our content was there.”
Facebook News went live in Australia on Aug. 4.
Facebook declined to comment directly on the three companies but said it created value for publishers by sending viewers to their sites.
Under the law, Facebook and Google must negotiate payment deals with outlets or a government-appointed arbitrator will do it for them, but a publisher must first prove its primary purpose is producing news and that it has been unfairly disqualified.
The three publishers said they want Facebook to come to the table to talk but if it declined they may seek government intervention.
“If at the end of the day we don’t get included in a commercial agreement, then absolutely they need a stick,” said Shelton. “We are three prime examples of publishers and media businesses which should be included as part of this framework.”
To be covered by the law, publishers must register as a news provider with the Australian Communications and Media Authority “based on criteria including the levels of ‘core news’ (essentially public interest journalism) that they produce,” the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which drafted the law, said in an email.
Urban List has registered on the list. Broadsheet and Concrete Playground have yet to register, saying they want to hold out for a private deal.
Tama Leaver, a professor of Internet studies at Australia’s Curtin University, said that while Facebook had not broken the law as the matter was not yet before arbitration, its apparent treatment of the three publishers was “extremely poor practice, disingenuous and further disadvantages the smaller players in the news business arena.”
In a separate dispute, the ACCC has said it would look into a claim by The Conversation, which publishes current affairs commentary by academics, that Facebook has refused to negotiate a licensing deal. The Conversation has secured a deal with Google.
Three Australian publishers accuse Facebook of unfairly taking their content
https://arab.news/wammv
Three Australian publishers accuse Facebook of unfairly taking their content
- Facebook used the articles of three Australian publishers on the platform's news service despite failing to reach an agreement on licensing deals
- Australia passed a law that pressured Facebook and Google to sign deals with some of the country’s biggest news companies by threatening government intervention
Taliban shut down Radio Zhman over alleged music broadcast
- Officials closed the radio station after warnings about broadcasting background music during programs
- Afghanistan Journalists Center says closure is a ‘significant infringement on the fundamental rights of free media’
LONDON: Taliban authorities have shut down Radio Zhman TV in Afghanistan’s southeastern Khost province, accusing the station of using background music in its broadcasts, a violation of the Taliban’s media policies since their takeover of the country in August 2021.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center condemned the closure on Wednesday, calling it a “significant infringement on the fundamental rights of free media” and warned of potential repercussions if restrictions on local media continue to escalate.
According to AFJC, Afghanistan’s media law stipulates that journalists and media organizations should be able to conduct their professional duties without undue restrictions, and that authorities have a responsibility to support media freedoms.
US-based Amu TV reported that the decision was made during a commission meeting at Khost’s Directorate of Information and Culture, which included representatives from the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, local intelligence, police, and information officials.
The commission determined that the station’s use of light background music in a social issues program was a breach of the Taliban’s strict media policies.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Vice and Virtue, which enforces its interpretation of Islamic law, had previously issued warnings to broadcasters about playing music, which the group deems inappropriate.
Radio Zhman, established in 2017, broadcasts a mix of political, social, cultural and educational programming from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., reaching listeners in Khost and parts of neighboring Paktia province.
It is the second local media outlet to be shut down in Khost recently. Gharghasht Radio was closed on Oct. 31 but allowed to resume operations three days later on the condition that it refrains from broadcasting any music.
Dubai ‘most reputable city’ as Middle East shows strong progress in Brand Finance Global City Index
- Emirati city moves up 4 places to 5th in overall global rankings, based on all measured attributes, behind London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo
- Riyadh and Jeddah climb 4 and 6 places respectively to rank 75th and 79th on the overall global list
LONDON: Dubai claimed the title of most reputable city in the world in the 2024 Brand Finance Global City Index, which revealed notable improvements across the region.
The brand valuation and strategy consultancy firm’s second annual global survey on city perceptions, the results of which were released on Thursday, placed Dubai fifth in the overall global rankings, which are based on all measured attributes, behind London, New York, Paris and Tokyo.
Last year, the Emirati city ranked ninth. This time, the survey found it had made substantial gains in terms of investment appeal and reputation, bolstered by strong governance and strategic investments.
Riyadh and Jeddah also improved, climbing four and six places respectively to rank 75th and 79th on the overall global list.
Riyadh enjoyed some impressive gains in specific attributes, moving up 37 places in the rankings in recognition of its high-profile sports teams and clubs, 24 places for its private schools, and 20 places for its shopping, dining and nightlife options, making it one of the fastest-growing cities by these measures.
Andrew Campbell, managing director of Brand Finance Middle East, attributed the rapid improvements in the regional rankings, particularly the success of Dubai, to strategic investments by governments in infrastructure, tourism and the business sector.
“The substantial improvements in Dubai’s consideration metrics further highlight the city’s increasing allure as a premier destination for visitors, residents, businesses and global investors,” he said.
Dubai’s appeal in terms of business and innovation, along with a stable economy and favorable corporate tax policies, were credited with moving it four spots higher in the overall rankings than a year ago. It also achieved significant improvements in its rankings for local working (from 16th to 8th) and remote working (from 24th to 4th).
The index is based on a survey of more than 15,000 respondents. It measures factors related to familiarity, reputation and consideration to assess how desirable a city is viewed for living, working, studying, visiting, retiring and investing.
Abu Dhabi ranked 30th on the overall global list, the same as last year, but improved in terms of science, technology and economic appeal.
Other cities in the Middle East and North Africa that appear on the list include Cairo (63rd place in the overall rankings), Doha (69th), Casablanca (73rd) and Tel Aviv (83rd), which dropped six places amid ongoing conflicts.
Saudi stories pique audience interest, says Bloomberg Media MD
- Visiting the Athar Festival of Creativity in Riyadh, Amit Nayak told Arab News: “We’ve seen a real appetite from our global audiences for content from here”
RIYADH: Stories and articles about Saudi Arabia and the region are among the most widely read by audiences, according to Bloomberg Media’s managing director in the Middle East and Africa.
Visiting the Athar Festival of Creativity in Riyadh, Amit Nayak told Arab News: “We’ve seen a real appetite from our global audiences for content from here.”
He said that with such a large and diverse team based in the Middle East, Bloomberg Media was able to bring local insights and perspectives to provide content based on what audiences wanted.
“We remain focused on deeply understanding our Middle Eastern audience, fostering direct relationships, and delivering trusted news and insights tailored to their needs,” he said.
“We work with leading entities across the region, such as Saudi Tourism Authority and Red Sea Global, using custom content across different platforms to help tell their stories to regional and global audiences.”
The use of smart technology has been big part of Bloomberg’s strategy for over a decade, with The Bulletin being a predominant feature on the app. Launched by Bloomberg’s Media Innovation Lab in 2018, it provides single-sentence summaries of the top three stories.
“We leverage first-party subscriber data through our AI-powered Audience Accelerator platform,” added Nayak. “This allows us to precisely target key demographics to inform machine learning models that predict the population of users on the site, enhancing campaign performance and building brand credibility.”
In 2022, Bloomberg Media Studios opened a regional studio in Dubai and earlier this year launched “Bloomberg Horizons: Middle East & Africa,” a flagship morning program.
Bloomberg News also launched the Mideast Money newsletter, which focuses on “the intersection of wealth and power, and the impact of regional sovereign investors and dealmakers in global finance.”
Evolving as a commercial team that, 10 years ago, predominantly sold advertising, Nayak said that as clients became more sophisticated and keener to reach global audiences, Bloomberg Middle East was fostering internal talent to better collaborate with them.
“We were well placed because we have invested heavily in our teams on the ground here — whether that’s expanding sales, building a client marketing team, or hosting events on the ground in the region,” he said.
Tunisia influencers sentenced to jail over content: media
- Some Internet users condemned the spread of crude language and obscene images on social media, while others saw the move as a new restriction on freedoms
TUNIS: Four influencers on Instagram and TikTok have been sentenced to jail in Tunisia for content authorities deemed immoral, local media reported Wednesday.
The Business News outlet said an Instagrammer known as Lady Samara, with about one million followers, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison on Tuesday.
TikToker Khoubaib received four years and six months, while Instagrammer Afifa was sentenced to a year and six months and her husband Ramzi to three years and six months.
On October 31, as part of the same investigation, an Instagrammer known as Choumoukh was sentenced to four and a half years’ jail on similar charges.
The private radio station Mosaique FM also reported a series of sentences ranging from 18 months to four and a half years, without identifying those being sent to prison.
It said they were being prosecuted for “public indecency, dissemination of content contrary to good morals or adopting immoral positions, using inappropriate language or adopting inappropriate behavior that undermines moral and social values and risks negatively influencing the behavior of young users of these platforms.”
The investigation was opened after the justice ministry on October 27 urged prosecutors to “take necessary judicial measures and launch investigations against anyone producing, displaying or publishing data, images, and video clips with content that undermines moral values.”
The decision sparked widespread debate, both on social media and in the media.
Some Internet users condemned the spread of crude language and obscene images on social media, while others saw the move as a new restriction on freedoms.
Online magazine Nawaat, which frequently criticizes the Tunisian government, said the arrests come amid “a climate marked by repressive restrictions on freedoms.”
“Following the systematic dismantling of judicial power, the prosecution of opponents and journalists, and the repression of civil society, social media influencers — regardless of the quality of their content — are now in the regime’s crosshairs,” said an article.
Tunisia’s opposition and civil society have condemned what they call an “authoritarian drift” by President Kais Saied, who was re-elected on October 6 with a sweeping majority but low turnout.
Trump Media reports $19 million loss in third quarter on TV streaming costs
- Trump Media & Technology Group said the figure includes $12.1 million in legal fees
- It also reported $3.9 million in research and development spend
Former US President Donald Trump’s media company reported a net loss of $19.2 million in the third quarter, due to legal fees and costs tied to its TV streaming deal.
Trump Media & Technology Group said the figure includes $12.1 million in legal fees in the quarter, stemming from its acquisition of TV streaming technology in August and residual fees related to its SPAC deal in March.
It also reported $3.9 million in research and development spend.
Shares of the company reversed earlier losses in extended trading and were last trading about 2 percent higher.
The report comes as the US presidential election is in the final stretch, with polls showing Trump and current vice president Kamala Harris running neck and neck, as the world awaits the results of one of the most unusual elections in modern US history.
Shares of Trump Media, which operates the Truth Social media platform, have seen wild swings in recent days with the stock serving as something of a proxy for Trump’s chances of election.
Trump Media said its revenue was $1 million for the quarter ended September and had cash and cash equivalents of $672.9 million, including short-term investments, with no debt.
