The Online News Act , which came into force at the end of last year, forced major information technology companies like Google and Meta to share revenue from Canadian news stories posted on their websites with the media outlets that originally produced them. Google opted to make a deal with the Department of Canadian Heritage last November, which will see the company contribute $100 million a year to Canadian-based news publishers, to be distributed in an equitable fashion by a collective. In early June, Google announced it had selected the Canadian Journalism Collective (CJC) to distribute the funds.
According to CJC’s website , it was founded in May “by a diverse group of news publishers and broadcasters to promote sustainability, equity and innovation in the implementation of the Online News Act and regulations.” It lists 12 members who make up the collective, all of whom are involved with relatively obscure left-wing, alternative publications — including Indiginews, Pivot and the Resolve — along with small media outlets, such as Village Media and Discourse Community Publishing. The one exception is the Inspirit Foundation , an organization that provides media and arts funding to advance progressive causes.
The political leanings of most CJC members is unsurprising. What’s surprising is that a multinational corporation like Google would willingly establish a working relationship with little-known individuals and groups that neither represent mainstream politica.
