Irish Examiner View: Journalism must be protected and valued

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp has made a three-year agreement with Facebook, in which the social media giant will pay for its Australian content.

This week marks the introduction by the Irish Examiner of a subscription service for digital content. The move follows investment in content, resources and new technology over the past 18 months, much of which has been implemented while staff work remotely due to Covid-19 restrictions.

It also involves investment in sustaining the highest quality journalism. As we evolve from a purely print media to digital, our values remain the same: a commitment to the accurate, non-biased telling of Ireland’s story. That commitment hasn’t changed since our first edition of August 30, 1841.

On the other side of the world, a three-year agreement by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp with Facebook to pay for its Australian content will, hopefully, help transform the terms of trade for journalism in that country. It follows legislation passed in Australia that requires social media giants Google and Facebook to negotiate with news outlets for payment for content. This was a brave move by the Australian government and one that should be emulated elsewhere, including Ireland. It is also likely to influence authorities elsewhere, particularly where journalism is valued and protected.

Rigorous and unbiased journalism has never been more important. Unlike social media rumour mills that spread untruths and misinformation, traditional journalism is based on real reporting, not opinion and prejudice masquerading as facts. That is why it must be protected — and paid for.