Estonia’s Media collective Secures Deal with Microsoft for news Rights
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The Estonian Media Collective (BPCMO) has reached an agreement with Microsoft to receive compensation for the use of news content, marking the first such deal between a major tech company and Estonian news publishers. This agreement aims to address the imbalance in value between news organizations and tech platforms, and comply with EU copyright regulations.
Background on the Estonian Media Collective (BPCMO)
The BPCMO, chaired by Henri Heinsaar, is a collective bargaining organization representing Estonian news publishers. The Baltic Press Publishers Association (BPCMO) was established to negotiate with tech companies on behalf of its members. The collective was formed to streamline negotiations, as individual smaller outlets may lack the resources to effectively bargain with large tech corporations. Heinsaar believes this collective approach is more efficient for both publishers and tech companies.
The Agreement with Microsoft and EU Copyright Directive
The agreement with Microsoft centers around compensating Estonian news publishers for the use of their content.This is in response to the EU’s Digital Single Market Directive (DSM Directive), specifically Article 15, which aims to address the ”value gap” between news publishers and online platforms. Estonia’s Copyright Act also implements these provisions. Microsoft is the first major tech company to comply with these regulations in Estonia,according to the BPCMO.
Potential Expansion to Latvia and lithuania
The BPCMO anticipates that this agreement with Microsoft will pave the way for similar deals in Latvia and Lithuania. Heinsaar stated that the viability of the Estonian organization will encourage neighboring countries to establish similar collective bargaining arrangements. He believes securing depiction in these countries will be faster now that a successful model is in place.
Implications for Tech Company Negotiations
The collective bargaining approach simplifies negotiations for tech companies like Microsoft, Google, and possibly OpenAI, as they can deal with a single entity rather than numerous individual publishers. This is particularly beneficial when negotiating with smaller outlets that may not have the resources for individual negotiations.
Breaking News Check (as of 2026/01/17 02:25:31):
A search on Reuters, Associated Press, and Google News reveals no new developments regarding this agreement as of the time of this response. The original report remains the latest verified facts available.
