Australia’s Country Press association has weighed in on News-sponsored research disputing Meta’s claims about the role of news on Facebook.

A study by Dynata for News Corp showed a third of Australians accessed Facebook for “news”, contradicting Meta’s assertion that news content is “a minor part” of the Facebook experience for most Australian users.

“Meta has previously used this claim to justify its decision to abandon commercial agreements with local publishers,” Country Press Australia president Andrew Schreyer said.

He said the implications of this were significant for the local journalism landscape, especially for the more than 230 newspapers which are part of CPA, which represents regional and rural newspapers across the country.

“The research emphasises the essential role that news media plays in Australia, particularly how regional newspapers contribute to offering balanced and precise news coverage.”

More than 40 per cent of Australians cited news access as a key motivator for their daily social media activity, with this tendency more noticeable among Gen Z and millennials at 60 per cent and 53 per cent, respectively.

Schreyer, who is also publisher of the Warragul & Drouin Gazette, said there were significant industry challenges ahead, and forecast potential closures of up to 50 member outlets as Meta’s current agreements under the News Media Bargaining Code near expiration.

The study also found that while overall Facebook usage is waning, half of the Australians still turned to social media for news – which is not precisely defined – with a quarter using it as their primary news source. “These findings starkly contradict Meta's position that news is a minimal component of the content seen by Australians on its platforms, which Meta claimed represents less than three per cent of the total.

“This research release aligns with the media industry's wait on the Albanese government's decision regarding Meta’s obligations under the News Media Bargaining Code, which might compel Meta to negotiate compensation for content with news providers.

“Meta has threatened to block Australian news content should these costs be enforced.”

Last week, an article in The Australian by News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller expressed concerns over Meta's threats to remove news content, potentially replacing it with less reliable sources, and criticised Meta for its “lack of accountability”.

In the study of 2500 people, 85 per cent of Australians agreed that platforms should prevent the spread of false or harmful information, believing that without trustworthy journalism, 66 per cent believe the societal impact would be negative.

Schreyer said that democracy in areas without local news was lost. “Who is going to stand up to a council decision that doesn’t meet the pub test? Who is going to shine a light on issues when people don’t have a big enough voice to get their message out,” he asked.

“The research underscores the vital role that regional newspapers play in providing accurate and diverse perspectives. As Australians show a growing dissatisfaction with Meta, the study reaffirms the importance of maintaining a strong and independent local press to ensure accountability and transparency within communities.”

Meanwhile, Queensland Country Press Association secretary Phill Le Petit has reported six new members – five of them launching in the last six months – bringing member numbers to 64. Recent new members are Cap Coast Today (Yeppoon), Douglas Gazette (Port Douglas, pictured), North West Weekly (Mt Isa), Tamborine Mountain News and Western Downs Today.

Additionally, Hinchinbrook Life is due to launch at the beginning of November.