Digital Giants, Market Power and Media Diversity

Australia's news media is one of the most highly concentrated in the world. Since 2019, more than 157 newsrooms have closed in Australia and many local, community and rural newspapers have ceased printing or gone digital only. It was in this climate that in 2018 the federal government tasked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to undertake a digital platforms inquiry to measure the impact of the major digital platforms Google and Facebook on Australian news businesses. The ACCC recommended a mandatory media bargaining code for digital platforms to ensure that Australian news organisations are paid for original journalistic content which is shared on the digital platforms. Google and Facebook responded by warning its users about the code and Facebook threatened to block Australian content and users. In this episode the Chair of the ACCC, Rod Sims talks with The Australia Institute's Chief Economist Richard Denniss about the mandatory code and the fight he's taken to the global digital giants. This episode was recorded live on 17 September, 2020. The Australia Institute // @theAUSInstitute Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director at the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Guests: Rod Sims, Chair ACCC, // Richard Denniss, Chief Economist The Australia Institute @RDNS_TAI // Producer: Jennifer Macey Theme Music: Pulse and Thrum Additional Music: Epidemic Sound