Funding recipients of under Bill C-18 will still need to have two journalists but one of them can be an owner of the news outlet or someone else who doesn’t deal at arm’s length with the business side of the operation, the House of Commons heritage committee decided on a 7-4 vote. (The Logic)

Talking point: Conservatives voted against the amendment to the Online News Act on the grounds that it should cover media companies with one journalist, such as those covering some of Canada’s smallest towns and ethnic communities in larger centres. The bill would require digital platforms such as Google and Facebook that link to news sites (including The Logic) to negotiate payments to them. Tory MP Rachael Thomas said the bill still favours large broadcasters and newspaper conglomerates at the expense of small outlets “that are trying really hard just to make a go of it.” Also Friday, an Australian government review reported that a similar law there has helped fund journalism but might need to mandate payments from more platforms.