Country Press Australia has signed a letter of intent with Facebook over payments to its members’ news content.
CPA has 81 members and represents more than 160 regional newspapers including The Bunyip, Narrabri Courier, Gympie Today and Noosa Today.
The letter of intent, subject to signing a longform agreement between the two entities, is a multiyear agreement to provide funds to support the newsrooms.
CPA president Andrew Manuel says the funding from Facebook would help sustain original public interest journalism across regions.
“This funding support will help Country Press Australia’s members build their digital businesses and reach new audiences,” says Facebook AUNZ news partnership lead Anrew Hunter.
“It’s part of our continuing investment in Australian journalism and our collaboration with the news industry to build sustainable business models. We’re pleased to reach this agreement with CPA because it furthers our work with small rural newsrooms."
The letter of intent comes after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) gave CPA members interim authorisation to collectively bargain in April. Last week, the ACCC issued a draft determination proposing to authorise collective bargaining for CPA members under the news media bargaining code.
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