TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The government of Taiwan is fostering dialogue between tech giants and media outlets to work out a revenue-sharing scheme that helps prop up the country’s journalism industry.

Digital Minister Audrey Tang (唐鳳) said Wednesday (Oct. 26) that a talk will be held within one month for the country’s news companies to negotiate a deal with digital platforms that have profited from the content they produce.

The move aims to support Taiwan’s journalism sector, which has seen businesses slashing 20% of staff over the past decade as they struggle to profit due to a 50% drop in advertising revenue, CNA quoted Tang as saying.

She stressed that a thriving news industry lies at the heart of a robust democracy and that government intervention is needed to bring about a mechanism that suits both parties. Law enactment and private negotiations can take place concurrently to find a preferred revenue-sharing solution, she added.

A report released in July by the Taiwan Network Information Center suggested over half of Taiwanese people access news through digital platforms, especially those aged 49 and under. A survey found that 51.9% of internet users support the idea of digital platforms paying news companies.

Australia in February 2021 became the first in the world to introduce a regulation that forces Google and Facebook to pay for news. A March report by the Financial Times said the two giants paid Australian media firms A$200 million (US$129 million) over the past year, a boost to local industry.