In a recent development, global tech giant Google has reached an agreement with Corint Media, an umbrella organization representing the interests of German and international publishers, regarding compensation for the use of news content.
Pending a decision from the German patent office (DPMA), Google has agreed to pay German publishers an annual sum of 3.2 million euros (approximately $3.38 million) for the publication of news content.
The agreement covers a range of esteemed publishers, including Sat.1, ProSieben, RTL, Axel Springer, and CNBC, among others. Google emphasized that these payments to Corint Media align with existing licensing agreements it has with 470 regional and national publications in Germany. These agreements cover the use of headlines, excerpts, and thumbnails and include reputable publications such as Spiegel, Zeit, and FAZ.
Initially, Corint Media had sought a substantial payment of 420 million euros for the use of news content in 2022. However, they are hopeful that the upcoming DPMA arbitration board decision will lead to a substantial increase in the remuneration to be paid by Google, Reuters news report said.
It’s worth noting that prior to this agreement, Google and Corint Media had also agreed on a one-off payment of 5.8 million euros by Google to cover the period since the introduction of new press ancillary copyright legislation in 2021.
Commenting on the situation, Christine Jury-Fischer, the Managing Director of Corint Media, highlighted the importance of fair compensation: “The quasi-monopolist Google dictates prices, so the route via the courts is the only way to arrive at appropriate remuneration for the use of content.”
The outcome of the DPMA decision will likely have significant implications for the ongoing relationship between tech giants and content publishers, setting a precedent for fair compensation in the digital news landscape.
