Back-END: $100Mln Google Funding from Online News Act Legislation Moving Forward

The failed government media policy has finally found a few more dollars to distribute to its friends.

Google and the Canadian government have signed off on their final agreement to allow Google to remain exempt from the provisions of Bill C-18, the Online News Act and continue to show legacy media outlets in Google search.

As outlined in the October 28th, 2024 CTV News post, “Google exempt from Online News Act for 5 years, must pay news outlets $100M: CRTC,” the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has granted Google a five-year exemption from the Online News Act, ordering it to pay $100 million to Canadian news outlets within 60 days.

That money will be funneled through the Canadian Journalism Collective (CJC) an interesting organization set-up specifically to administer the expected Google funding in May 2024. Freedom Forum looked into the CJC in the July19th, 2024 post, “BACK END: Canada's Legacy Media Hates the Canadian Journalism Collective.”

These days, Canada’s legacy media hates the CJC less, especially since it opened its doors to legacy media members hoping for a cut of the Google cash. The October 30th, 2024 Unifor press release, “Unifor pleased to see Google's $100M annual contribution to Canadian newsrooms,” is more indicative of the legacy’s current feelings towards the CJC.

The final negotiations' were slower than anticipated with the October 14th, 2024 Hill Times post, “CRTC says decision on Google’s Online News Act exemption expected this fall,” noting that the the CRTC failed to conclude a deal before the CJC’s October 7th deadline for media fund money to be distributed.

As for Meta, the other foreign owned social media giant targeted by the Online News Act, the company continues to block Canadian news from its platform.

As outlined in the August 5th, 2024 Roasting the Press post, “Legacy Media Looses 43% of Online Audience Since June 2023,” the Meta decision has been devastating to Canadian legacy news distribution online.

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