In the dispute with Google about the publication of press texts, German publishers must receive millions. The arbitration committee of the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) proposes that the American group should temporarily pay the press houses 5.8 million euros for the use of journalistic content, according to the copyright organization Corint Media, which represents the interests of the publishers.
The DPMA has confirmed this. The amount applies to the period from the entry into force of the so-called ancillary copyright on June 7, 2021 up to and including March 2023. According to a spokesman for DPMA, the disputes committee is based on the 3.2 million euros that Google offers for a year.
However, the copyright organization had demanded compensation of 420 million euros from Google for 2022 for the use of press content such as headlines, short article fragments and preview images in the search engine. Google said it welcomes the proposal, which is consistent with Google’s previous offering. “The annual amount of 3.2 million euros until March 2023 is within the scope of what we have already agreed with more than 400 regional and national publications in Germany. The amount also contrasts with Corint’s “excessive demands” .Media.
Google pays more in other countries
The American group announced that it would study the details of the proposal carefully. If one of the two conflicting parties rejects the offer, the proposal will be considered not accepted and the dispute will probably end in court. Corint Media hopes that the publishers will receive even more than the 5.8 million euros. Because it is expected that if the Disputes Committee decides in the main proceedings, “high amounts in the millions will be confirmed” as appropriate payment. The DPMA spokesperson said that what the arbitration board would propose in the main proceedings was open.
The collecting society expects a higher amount, as press publishers in Australia – where the market is only a third of the German market – have received an estimated EUR 100 million from Google for the use of their content. In France, according to industry information, Google pays about 45 million euros to the local press publishers for the additional press rights and an equally high amount for so-called Google News Showcase contracts, Corint Media explains.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
