Facebook has signed commercial deals with 14 Canadian publishers to participate in its News Innovation Test.
The social media giant notes that the new initiative is meant to help promote a “healthy news ecosystem, elevate authoritative journalism and deliver a valuable experience for people on Facebook who are interested in news.”
As part of this test, Facebook will pay participating publishers for the ability to link to additional news stories not already posted on Facebook.
Publishers who are part of the test include BlogTO, Daily Hive, Narcity, The Narwhal, The Coast, Le Devoir, The Tyee, Village Media, Canada’s National Observer and more.
“We recognize that Facebook has a role to play in supporting journalism, and this test will allow us to partner even more closely with publishers to help them build sustainable business models,” said Kevin Chan, the head of public policy at Facebook Canada, in a statement.
“Only through communication and collaboration can we make progress, and we look forward to continuing our work to promote a healthy news industry in Canada.”
Facebook says the test will help it experiment with ways to enhance the experience for users looking for trusted Canadian news about important topics.
Source: Facebook
