48 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

After more than 16 years, Jezebel, the sharp-edged feminist news and opinion website, is shutting down.

 

Originally launched in 2007 by Gawker Media, Jezebel — which carried the tagline “Sex. Celebrity. Politics. With Teeth” — is being shuttered by current owner G/O Media, after an unsuccessful attempt to sell the site. In addition, G/O Media editorial director Merrill Brown is leaving the company after less than a year as part of a company restructuring.

 

“As of this week we are making the very, very difficult decision to suspend publication of Jezebel,” G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller wrote in a memo to staff Thursday announcing the shutdown. “Few decisions over the course of my career have been as excruciating, and I want to make clear this is in NO WAY a reflection on the Jezebel editorial team.”

 

 

https://variety.com/...ffs-1235785877/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 09 November 2023 - 10:49 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Vice to end several news shows and lay off dozens of staffers in hollowing out of news division

 

https://www.cnn.com/...offs/index.html

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 09 November 2023 - 10:50 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Google and the federal government have reached an agreement in their dispute over the Online News Act, sources tell Radio-Canada and CBC News.

 

The agreement would see Canadian news continue to be shared on Google's platforms in return for the company making annual payments to news companies in the range of $100 million, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told CBC News.

 

The federal government and Google agreed on the regulatory framework earlier this week, a government source familiar with the talks told Radio-Canada.

 

The federal government had estimated earlier this year that Google's compensation should amount to about $172 million. Google estimated the value at $100 million.

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/n...s-act-1.7043330

 

 

 

 

 

Faced with Google's threat to stop distributing Canadian news, the government seems to have softened its position.

 

But the government source argues that an agreement constitutes a victory and a net gain for Canadian media. The framework for a single negotiation is likely to serve as an example for other countries, the source added.

 

Bill C-18 applies to digital platforms with 20 million unique monthly users and annual revenues of $1 billion. Only Meta and Google meet those criteria.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 November 2023 - 07:56 AM.

[Mike K.]

Twitter doesn’t? Interesting.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

Bill C-18 applies to digital platforms with 20 million unique monthly users and annual revenues of $1 billion. Only Meta and Google meet those criteria.

 

 

That's the first time I ever read that explanation.

 

^ Canadian users and revenue, they mean.  For example, Meta revenue is over $30B per year, globally.

 

 

There were 30 596 400 Facebook users in Canada in May 2023, which accounted for 79.1% of its entire population.

 

 

 

 

https://napoleoncat....sers-in-canada/

 

 

Only 8M Canadian twitter users.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 November 2023 - 08:08 AM.

[Mike K.]

Right.

[dasmo]

That’s too bad.

[Mike K.]

The question now is, how will Google recoup those funds?

[Victoria Watcher]

That’s too bad.

 

It is, but Google is very different than Facebook.

 

Google makes money from search (sponsored content to appear at top of search results).  

 

If I go to Google to look up a Canadian news item and can find few, I might just be inclined to try a different search engine.  What if I like that engine and decide to stay there for all my searches, like for consumer items or local services?  This is where Google could lose users.

 

But next to nobody searches news on Facebook that same way.  They browse stuff that pops up in their feed etc.  

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 November 2023 - 08:17 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The question now is, how will Google recoup those funds?

Mike

 

 

• $4.8 billion: Google’s Canadian ad revenue in 2019, up from $1.4 billion in 2011. Google takes in 50% of all online advertising in Canada.

https://the-message....million in 2011.

 

It's likely $6B now, so they have the funds.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 November 2023 - 08:16 AM.

[lanforod]

Google makes money from ads.

[lanforod]

One company I think has flown under the radar and possibly makes more money than Canada knows on ads related to news content: Microsoft.

[Victoria Watcher]

Google makes money from ads.

 

Well, to be fair, they have multiple revenue sources.  But in the end, they are mostly all ads, it just depends where you find them.

[Mike K.]

Micro-who?

[Ismo07]

So it wasn't about limiting internet options, just a revenue source?  Who would've thought.

[lanforod]

Anyone actually think the money will flow to the news agencies or just end up in the feds general coffers?

[dasmo]

But those same news companies will spend money on Google to buy ads. In essence giving them a break. The independent journalism will not get this break.

[dasmo]

The bill pushes contracts between the SM companies and the News corps. It’s not a tax. Or is my memory wrong?

[Victoria Watcher]

Anyone actually think the money will flow to the news agencies or just end up in the feds general coffers?

 

The payments will be direct to news organizations but they can have a single voice at the negotiating table.  And the bigger ones will of course get the most money and decide how it is divided up, too.

[dasmo]

Canadian government will probably spend that on adverting on Google anyway. So we will pay for it one way or another.

Edited by dasmo, 29 November 2023 - 09:00 AM.