Local news media, including Stuff, the NZ Herald and the Otago Daily Times, is seeking Commerce Commission approval to collectively bargain with Facebook and Google. The Spinoff founder Duncan Greive explains why.

The News Publishers’ Association (NPA) today filed an application with the Commerce Commission seeking permission on behalf of its members, and all other independent New Zealand-owned media organisations, to collectively bargain with global giants Facebook and Google to seek fair payment for Kiwi journalism used on their platforms.

The NPA commissioned a study earlier this year to research the news media habits of New Zealanders to see how their relationship with news media had changed 12 months following the first nationwide level 4 lockdown in March 2020.