Alphabet in talks with Spanish publishers to bring Google News back, sources say
22/02/2021 15:57
By Emma Pinedo
MADRID, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google GOOGL.O is
negotiating individual licensing deals with a divided Spanish
news industry that could allow the U.S. tech giant's news
service to resume in the country, three sources close to the
matter told Reuters.
Google News, which links to third party content, closed in
Spain in late 2014 in response to legislation which meant it had
to pay a mandatory collective licensing fee to re-publish
headlines or snippets of news.
Now the thorny issue is back on the table as Spain prepares
to implement the 2019 European Union copyright directive by
June. While that requires Google, Facebook FB.O and others to
share revenue with publishers, the government could allow the
companies to negotiate individual deals with content providers.
Spain's Culture Ministry said the government was working on
a draft bill, but declined to give further details.
Google News will only be back in Spain if publishers have
the right to sign individual agreements under a new law, a
Google Spain spokeswoman said, adding that a paid licence should
not be mandatory.
Facebook faced a backlash from publishers and politicians
last week after blocking people in Australia from accessing and
sharing news, escalating a dispute with the government there
over a planned law that would require it to share revenue with
content providers. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2KO01X
The EU rules, however, do not force online platforms to pay
for links posted to their news site by publishers, the main
grievance for Facebook in Australia, so their implementation
could pave the way for a series of deals. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2KP43J
"Google is in talks with Spanish editors about the
possibility of taking part in the Google News Showcase
programme," a source familiar with the process said, referring
to the proposed new name for the service.
Two other sources said some preliminary agreements had
already been reached, pending details of the new legislation.
STATUS QUO
Google recently agreed to pay $76 million to a group of 121
French news publishers, infuriating many other local outlets,
which deemed the deal unfair and opaque. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2KI1PD
Some Spanish publishers represented by the AMI media
association, such as El Mundo owner Unidad Editorial, are in
favour of maintaining the current system which gives publishers
the right to levy licensing fees through a collective management
entity.
AMI general director Ramon Alonso said the model allows for
a transparent and fair negotiation with Google and others, and
prevents the exclusion of some publishers.
But others, including CLABE that represents 162 associates
with around a thousand news outlets including leading digital
brands such as El Espanol or Eldiario.es, say they can reach a
better deal on their own and should be free to choose.
"We are trying to ensure that these agreements benefit as
many companies in the sector as possible," said Juan Zafra,
CLABE secretary general.
The Independent Regional Press Association (AIE), a founding
member of AMI, said in a letter published in all of its outlets
on Monday that it had been "seriously harmed" by the existing
model, which brought no income from content and made Spain "a
global digital exception".
Meanwhile, Microsoft MSFT.O and European media groups on
Monday urged EU regulators to require online platforms to seek
arbitration in disagreements over how to share revenues with
news publishers. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2KS14Q
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
EXCLUSIVE-Google's $76 mln deal with French publishers leaves
many outlets infuriated urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2KI1PD
FACTBOX-EU unlikely to face a Facebook news ban after Australia
urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2KP43J
Facebook 'unfriends' Australia: uproar as news pages go dark
urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2KO01X
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(Reporting by Emma Pinedo, editing by Andrei Khalip, Kirsten
Donovan)
((emma.pinedo@thomsonreuters.com; 918 35 68 34; Reuters
Messaging: emma.pinedo.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))