Facebook has decided to entrust a group of journalists with the task of selecting the true news from those of dubious reliability. Google and Facebook are realizing that journalistic professionalism is important. In this context, it is urgent to safeguard a system of safeguards and rules ”. The president of Fieg Maurizio Costa says this in an interview with Corriere della Sera. A picture of which Costa draws the lines: “First: protection, and just remuneration, of copyright also at the European level. Professional contents cannot end up on the Net for free. Second: enough with the improper and exclusive use of user data available to the big players of the Net. Third: fiscal equity. The Over The Top, who act from countries with subsidized taxation, do not pay taxes in Italy. A question therefore arises of the fairness of the competition ”. A few steps forward, Costa then recalls, has been made: “The Italian three-year agreement with Google is an advanced case in Europe. It deals with important aspects: recognition of the value of content, sharing of data, transfer of know-how, fight against piracy. In short, technology and digital can enter into synergy with traditional publishing by representing an opportunity. The New York Times has seen online subscriptions grow 20% in the last year, which now stands at 2,5 million with total digital revenues of $ 600 million. The simple defense of the traditional publishing world has no sustainable prospects over time. Italian professional publishing represents a solid reference when it offers insights, analyzes, level comments, punctual checks. When it is polyphonic and knows how to guarantee pluralism and comparison of ideas. But all this is not a dogma: quality must be conquered with day-to-day facts.
