On the NLA's Web Proposals

Our industry faces many challenges right now –proving the value we bring; owning the digital space; stopping giving away time for nothing. These are not the easiest of times for anyone.

We really don’t need extra costs heaped on us right now. But that’s precisely what the NLA is proposing.

There’s a good deal of effort being made to confuse the issue, but at its heart is the newspapers’ claim that they should be able to charge for the receipt and circulation of URLs.

They’re not talking about the forwarding of material –they’re talking about charging agencies and their clients for URLs. They’re talking about charging PRCA members for directing their clients to the newspapers’ own sites. And then charging clients too. That is simply outrageous. If the newspapers want to make their content available for free, and then live off the advertising revenue, then good luck to them. If they want to charge for web content, then –again-that’s their choice. But charging for links to publicly available, free material is utterly ridiculous.

We’ll be fighting this all the way –if you feel the same, then be vocal about it, support us in the media, and let the NLA know that they have gone too far.