Oregon pushes to make tech firms pay for news

Oregon lawmakers are pushing ahead with legislation that would force Google and Meta to pay local news outlets for using their content, after a senior news executive warned that AI-powered search features are already undermining journalism.

John Maher, president of The Oregonian and OregonLive, told a state Senate hearing he had searched online for one of his newsroom’s articles and was shown not just an AI-generated summary of the piece, but extracts from other sources commenting on it. “There was little reason to click through to the original story,” he said.

Maher said this kind of AI-driven behaviour reinforced the need for the Oregon Journalism Protection Act, a proposed law that would compel large digital platforms to compensate news publishers either through a fixed annual payment of $122 million or by entering arbitration to determine a fair rate.

Under the bill, 90% of the money would go to journalism outlets operating in Oregon and the remaining 10% to a civic information consortium supporting rural and start-up publications. The framework draws heavily on similar models adopted in Australia and Canada.

Supporters argue that the law is needed to stem the decline of local journalism in the state, where nearly 20 outlets have shut down or merged since 2022 and half of all newspapers are now owned by out-of-state corporations, many of which have cut staff following acquisitions.

Advocates also warned that the growing availability of low-quality AI content, as well as the spread of “zombie” websites that mimic local news brands while recycling already published stories, is further eroding the viability of public-interest journalism.

But the bill has drawn criticism from both platforms and publishers. Google and Meta oppose the legislation, with Meta calling it “based on a false premise” since publishers choose to post content on its platforms. The company said it may stop sharing news in Oregon altogether if the law passes, raising fears among smaller outlets that depend on social media to reach readers.

Others are worried about the fairness of the proposed funding model. Branden Andersen, founder of the hyperlocal news site Newsberg, said the bill risks favouring large national players. “We should prioritise funding for locally owned newsrooms,” he said, warning that the legislation in its current form could entrench existing media hierarchies.

Nonetheless, Andersen said the bill had brought local news organisations closer together. “If nothing else, that’s been a very positive output from all of this. We’re working together to ensure our communities are informed.”

The legislation, introduced by State Senator Khanh Pham, is awaiting a vote in the Oregon Senate before proceeding to the state House of Representatives. Amendments under discussion include proposals to replace platform payments with tax credits for subscriptions and donations to nonprofit newsrooms.

Source: Noah Wire Services

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score:
8

Notes:
The narrative presents recent developments regarding the Oregon Journalism Protection Act (SB 686), introduced by State Senator Khanh Pham. The earliest known publication date of similar content is April 30, 2025, in Willamette Week, which discusses the bill’s introduction and its objectives. ([wweek.com](https://www.wweek.com/news/2025/04/30/an-oregon-senate-bill-would-make-tech-giants-share-their-wealth-with-the-news-business/?utm_source=openai)) The report includes updated data and quotes, indicating a higher freshness score. However, the narrative’s content appears to be original, with no evidence of being republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.

Quotes check

Score:
9

Notes:
The narrative includes direct quotes from John Maher, president of The Oregonian and OregonLive, and Branden Andersen, founder of Newsberg. A search for the earliest known usage of these quotes reveals no identical matches in earlier material, suggesting that these quotes are original or exclusive to this report. No variations in quote wording were found, and no online matches were found, raising the score but flagging as potentially original or exclusive content.

Source reliability

Score:
7

Notes:
The narrative originates from a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. However, the press release is from a single outlet, which may raise questions about the reliability of the information. The press release is from a reputable organisation, which strengthens the reliability of the information. No person, organisation, or company mentioned in the report cannot be verified online, indicating that the information is likely accurate.

Plausability check

Score:
8

Notes:
The narrative discusses the Oregon Journalism Protection Act (SB 686), which aims to compel major tech companies to compensate local publishers for the news content they utilise. This aligns with recent legislative efforts in other countries, such as Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code and Canada’s Online News Act, which have successfully enacted laws compelling tech platforms to share revenue with news outlets. The narrative includes specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates, enhancing its credibility. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic, and the structure is focused on the legislative initiative without excessive or off-topic detail. The tone is formal and appropriate for a legislative discussion, resembling typical corporate or official language.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary:
The narrative presents recent developments regarding the Oregon Journalism Protection Act (SB 686), including direct quotes from relevant stakeholders and specific factual anchors. The information aligns with recent legislative efforts in other countries and is consistent with the region and topic. The source is a press release from a reputable organisation, and no discrepancies or unverifiable entities were identified. Therefore, the narrative passes the fact-check with high confidence.