Independent TV Stations Demand Meta Pay for Canadian News

A group of independent television stations has formally asked the broadcasting regulator to force Meta to compensate them for carrying their news, arguing the tech giant remains subject to the Online News Act despite its current ban on journalism.

According to a report by The Globe and Mail, a coalition of about 15 small French and English TV stations presented the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) with a dossier containing more than 100 examples of their content appearing on Facebook and Instagram.

The broadcasters argue that because their journalism is still being accessed on these platforms through user workarounds, Meta qualifies as a “digital news intermediary” and must enter negotiations for compensation.

“We are asking that the Commission rule that Meta is covered by the Online News Act because it is making available news as defined in the act,” said Peter Miller, counsel to the broadcasters, in a statement to The Globe and Mail. “For smaller players ensuring that Meta is covered under the news act and provides compensation is essential, because they have been hardest hit by changes in the advertising market.”

While Google reached a $100-million annual agreement with the federal government to exempt itself from the bargaining process, Meta has maintained its blackout since 2023, to comply with the Act.

The stations’ submission includes clips and screenshots of news bulletins and written stories shared on Meta’s platforms since the law took effect. The group noted in its filing, “Meta has been making LITS news available on a regular basis since the Online News Act came into force December 19, 2023.”

The broadcasters further said that while Meta appears to “periodically do a ‘clean-up’ and take down links to news,” this does not exempt them from the law. “This does not detract, however, from the fact that the links were made available, and fresh ones appear, therefore subjecting Meta to liability under the Act,” the submission stated.

Ottawa is still in talks with Meta in what seems to be an attempt to bring back news sharing to social networks.

There’s an unexpected twist in this fight. Ottawa tried to make Meta pay for news, but the standoff has pushed people to share articles in other ways. Instead of posting links, users now upload screenshots or paste full stories directly into their feeds.

News is still spreading across Facebook and Instagram, but it no longer sends readers back to the original websites. That means fewer clicks, fewer ads, and fewer chances to gain subscribers. A policy meant to help publishers earn more money has ended up creating a system where their work circulates online without bringing them much benefit.