Google agreed to pay millions for California news. Journalists call it a bad deal
Associated PressSEP 2024
Google, California Agree to Five-Year Deal on Journalism and AI Research
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The Spin
Narrative A
This is a win for all parties involved. The previous draft bills threatened Google and other digital platforms with unfair taxation backed by lobbyists of big media conglomerates for merely connecting Californians to their online news outlets of choice. This pact between Google and California is a historic partnership aimed at supporting the local media ecosystem through philanthropy and innovation.
Narrative B
Instead of remaining committed to the fight against Big Tech and its grip on the internet's information environment, California has sold out to the very monopoly that the draft legislation sought to hold accountable. Through this deal, local media is now more reliant than ever on Google for its survival, with Gov. Newsom and his supporters choosing to side with Silicon Valley over independent journalism from the safety of smoke-filled rooms.