Global reliance on digital technology is at an all-time high, with people relying on mobile devices for retail, communication and entertainment. Many industries took time to come to terms with this shift in consumer behaviours while many others came under threat.
Pirated movies and illegally streamed music took some time to come under control before the likes of Netflix and Spotify provided ways for industries to monetize online distribution.
Even the gambling industry has seen a significant shift to the convenience of mobile technology. Betting expert Sergio Zammit discusses the sheer variety of games and options for those who can access traditional casino games and state-of-the-art slots. Playing with 5 dollars is also possible with many low-stakes options available.
Another industry that has seen a major shift towards online audiences is the news. Many people started to receive their daily news updates from online sources and social media, reprioritizing the strategy around the future of journalism.
However, Canada took surprising steps in 2023 by passing the Bill C-18 Online News Act, which implements a framework surrounding how digital news intermediaries compensate online news sources for facilitating access and reproducing their content.
Canada's decision to implement this law was inspired by the Australian model, but the decision made by some of the internet's largest monopolies threatened to jeaopardize the country's news industry.
Australia's News Bargaining Code was implemented in 2021 and saw AUD $200 million funneled into the news industry from Meta and Google.
The proposed aim of the bill was to enhance fair economic relationships between online platforms and news businesses by improving the news businesses' bargaining positions. However, it had a complicated start, with some platforms simply removing news content from their platforms.
In particular, Instagram and Facebook owner Meta blocked news from its service to Canadian consumers and Google threatened to follow suit.
The decision to simply remove content rather than pay for it under new legislation saw many Canadians lose access to the news facilities they had become accustomed to.
Unlike many countries, Canada is showing an increase in the number of consumers now paying for news. Figures rose from 11% in 2023 to 15% in 2024. A 4% increase in paid news subscriptions is notable, especiallyin the digital age. However, this figure is a return to levels experienced before 2023, with many press organizations hopeful for a continuation of this upward trend.
Since its initial assessment, Google had a rethink and agreed to pay $100 million a year into the Canadian news industry.
However, despite the increase in subscriptions, it's not all good news for the Canadian Press with international news outlets making up some of those figures.
As well as the recent legislation that has limited the Canadian public's access to online news content, the decreasing cost of subscription services will also have played a part.
News industries around the world have discounted their subscriptions in the hopes of attracting more paying customers, with the perceived benefit of this being the ability to sell advertising space based on high reader numbers.
The cost of many online news subscriptions starts from as little as a couple of dollars a month, some even offer exclusive deals for new sign-ups that make it even cheaper.
This is necessary in the current climate when Canadians are shown to limit what they would pay for these services to around $5 per month.
The convenience offered by news subscriptions is something many consumers appreciate, with dedicated apps granting access to tailored homepages that give local or specialized news stories based on the user's preferences.
The betting industry is another example of how users can access platforms based on their preferences. This has allowed the industry to flourish and explore other avenues including crypto gambling and experimenting with developing technologies.
This example shows the complications associated with digital regulations and how certain industries plan to adapt. Online news in Canada is hopefully anticipated to see greater levels of stability in the coming years as consumers get used to the relatively new legislation and decide which news source best suits their needs.
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