Do you know who all profits (with) from news on the net?
Domestic media companies deliver this content, but often receive little to no remuneration for the online use of their texts, photos and videos.
Media release from Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice:
Do you know who all profits (with) from news on the net?
"More players than you would expect at first glance".
Search engines (e.g. Google or Yahoo) and social media operators (e.g. Facebook, Instagram or X) use Austrian press content to generate reach, clicks and advertising revenue. Domestic media companies deliver this content, but often receive little to no remuneration for the online use of their texts, photos and videos – even though they put in the amount of work that others benefit from.
A separate ancillary copyright is intended to ensure that platforms pay for this use of press content. Instead of appearing individually, however, it makes sense for the media to bundle their rights in order to be on an equal footing with large tech companies.
From February 2026, the collecting society VG Newsmedia will take on exactly this task: it will represent the rights of press publishers in Austria and ensure that the use of journalistic content on the Internet is fairly remunerated. In his keynote speech at the official presentation of VG Newsmedia at the Concordia Press Club, the Berlin lawyer Prof. Dr. Thomas Höppner emphasized that the work of VG Newsmedia will not be an easy undertaking in view of the market power of Internet giants. Membership of VG Newsmedia is open to all publishing houses in Austria.
Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice: bmj.gv.at
Photo: ©BMJ
“All rights belong to BMJ - Bundesministerium für Justiz” (for this news)
