Open Call for Eligible Canadian News Organizations–Including Newsmagazines–to Apply for Benefits From Google

Message from Amy Awad, Director General, Digital and Creative Marketplace Frameworks, Department of Canadian Heritage, April 5, 2024:

Following the Online News Act, Google has now posted an open call for Canadian news organizations on its website. The open call process will run from February 28-April 30, 2024. We encourages all news organizations who believe that they may be eligible to respond to the open call. 

When responding to the open call, interested news businesses will have to attest to their eligibility based on the criteria in Section 27 of the Act (eligibility of news businesses), and they will have to attest that the news outlets for which they wish to receive compensation meet the criteria described in Section 31(2) of the Act (news outlets). 

The Section on the eligibility of news businesses lays out the following criteria (please refer to the Act for the authoritative version):  

1.      If the news business is a qualified Canadian journalism organization as defined in the Income Tax Act, or is a campus station, community station, or native station as defined in the Broadcasting Act, OR     

2.      If the news business employs two or more journalists in Canada, operates in Canada, produces news of general interest (i.e. not industry-specific news), is either a member of a recognized journalistic association or follows its own code of ethics and standards of professional conduct,

OR   

3.      If the news business operates an Indigenous news outlet. 

The Section on news outlets describes the eligibility for news outlets (please refer to the Act for the authoritative version). News businesses operate news outlets. A news outlet can participate in the bargaining process if the outlet is operated exclusively for the purpose of producing news content consisting primarily of original news content that meets each of the following requirements:  

1.      It is produced primarily for the Canadian news marketplace;    

2.      It is focused on matters of general interest and reports of current events, including coverage of democratic institutions and processes;    

3.      It is not focused on a particular topic such as industry-specific news, sports, recreation, arts, lifestyle or entertainment; and    

4.      It is not intended to promote the interests, or report on the activities, of an organization, an association or its members.    

If you think that you meet the criteria listed above, we encourage you to submit an application through the Google website.  

Please note that the Government will not be issuing any funding through the Act. Instead, benefits will flow from large platforms to news businesses or groups of news businesses directly. 

Context:

Canada’s final deal with Google on media payments sets a new standard by Robert Whitehead, International News Media Association.

Almost two-thirds of Google’s $100-million media fund will go to print, digital media: CBC/Radio-Canada will get a maximum of 7% of fund, other broadcasters to split 30% by Peter Zimonjic, Louis Blouin, CBC News.