For the members of Australia's largest organisation of newspaper publishers, the announcement by Meta that it will no longer negotiate deals with publishers once current agreements expire is a devastating blow.
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Country Press Australia represents more than 230 regional, rural and outer suburban publications across the nation.
The organisation was advised through an email from Meta early Friday afternoon that "our company priorities have substantially shifted in the past year and, as a result, we will no longer be making Facebook News Tab available in Australia".
Meta also confirmed: "This doesn't affect our agreement with Country Press Australia which will continue in accordance with its terms and conditions until it expires".
In a subsequent meeting on Friday afternoon between our association and Meta it was made clear that our agreement with Meta would not be renewed.
This is a devastating blow to our members who are party to the agreement.
All are publishers of regional and local public interest journalism.
Meta has been providing grants to Country Press Australia publishers and these have provided vital sustainability.
There will be publishers who close the doors and won't be able to continue supporting their communities with news in the wake of this announcement.
These regional and local publishers are the major, and in most cases sole, providers of local public interest journalism in their communities.
There will be publishers who close the doors and won't be able to continue supporting their communities with news in the wake of this announcement. These regional and local publishers are the major, and in most cases sole, providers of local public interest journalism in their communities.
In times of trouble and in emergency situations, such as during floods and in major bushfire events, the local publisher's Facebook page is never more important - or appreciated - by people in our communities.
Meta's actions undermine our democracy in the way the company displays such disdain for the work of the news industry.
It also undermines public confidence in the media sector.
The most popular Facebook pages in most regional and rural communities is that of the local news publishing company, yet Meta says people don't go to Facebook for news or political content.
What about in times of fire and flooding or when the chips are down and someone in the community needs help? Local experience would suggest otherwise.
If, by Meta's own admission, Australians don't go to Facebook for news or political content, then the federal government should heed the advice of Meta and immediately cease advertising on Meta's platforms.
Sadly, jobs will definitely be lost as a result of Meta's decision. But it's hard to put a number on this.
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A series of sequential and overlapping shocks have hit the regional and local news industry, including the move of advertising to digital and social media, the decline in print advertising and federal government advertising spending, increased costs (accelerated during the pandemic), the advent of generative AI and now Meta declaring it will no longer pay for the use of news media content.
The reaction from our association's members in the aftermath of Friday's announcement has been one of deep concern, alarm and even anger.
The federal government must act to give assurance to our industry and to support the democratic infrastructure that is the newspaper industry. And it needs to move swiftly, decisively and with purpose.
We need government to support the news industry and invoke the News Media Bargaining Code.
Our government must also do what it can to assure Australians that it values the news industry's role in our democracy and to mitigate disruptions to the news industry.
Facebook reaped the benefits of our members' unique local content for many years.
It has paid those regional and local publishers for only the past three years. And now it will not renew its agreement with Country Press Australia.
A democracy cannot function without a healthy news sector, and this is now heavily at risk in regional and local communities after Meta's decision.
It is important that the Albanese government considers all possible action, including designating Meta under the bargaining code and other options available to it and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
It is vital that Australia's news media is adequately compensated for the content that Facebook has been able to build its business on over many years.
This ensures a strong and robust news media industry, which is vital for a healthy democracy.
It is also vital that the government ensures strong support for the industry now more than ever before.
This includes urgently finalising its News Media Assistance Program.
- Andrew Schreyer is the president of Country Press Australia and publisher of the Warragul and Drouin Gazette.
