The Daily Mail, a prominent UK tabloid, has recently lodged a complaint with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regarding its exclusion from Apple News in the United Kingdom. This development marks a significant shift in the publication’s stance towards the digital news platform.
Historical Context
In 2015, Apple News launched in the United States, and the Daily Mail was among the publications featured on the platform. However, when Apple News expanded to the UK, the Daily Mail opted not to participate. The primary concern was that inclusion might divert traffic away from the newspaper’s own website, potentially impacting advertising revenue. At that time, the Daily Mail expressed dissatisfaction with its U.S. experience on Apple News, describing it as extremely disappointing and noting that it generated no revenue for the outlet.
Current Developments
After years of abstention, the Daily Mail now seeks inclusion in Apple News UK. Despite this change in position, Apple has not yet facilitated the publication’s entry into the platform. DMG Media, the parent company of the Daily Mail, alleges that Apple prefers to add partners who would grow the pie rather than redistribute existing readership among current publications. Additionally, concerns have been raised that the Daily Mail’s high volume of articles and strong user engagement might overwhelm Apple’s ecosystem.
Regulatory Complaint
In response to these challenges, DMG Media has called upon the CMA to address what it perceives as Apple’s arbitrary and discriminatory practices. The complaint accuses Apple of leveraging its dominance in the mobile market to position Apple News as a major news distribution tool, thereby making participation in the platform indispensable for online news operations. As of now, Apple has not publicly commented on the complaint.
Broader Industry Implications
This situation underscores the evolving dynamics between traditional news outlets and digital platforms. The Guardian, another leading UK newspaper, withdrew from Apple News and Facebook Instant Articles in 2017, aiming to drive traffic directly to its own website to bolster advertising and subscription revenues. Similarly, the BBC has raised concerns about how aggregate news services, like Apple News, may diminish its branding by downplaying the origin of news stories.
Conclusion
The Daily Mail’s ongoing efforts to join Apple News UK highlight the complex relationship between news publishers and digital platforms. As the media landscape continues to evolve, the balance between content distribution and revenue generation remains a critical issue for publishers navigating the digital age.
