Editorial: Seven West Media leads way as tech giants invest in outlets that generate content and credibility

If you are reading this column in print, chances are you follow us on Facebook. We have about 62,500 followers on Mark Zuckerberg’s all-conquering social network, enough people to fill Optus Stadium and pack out The Camfield pub next door. It is the biggest social media following of any newspaper in regional WA. Losing access to our Facebook page last week was a shock to the system. Posting regular updates on social media has become part of the daily routine of a newsroom. Just about every story that runs in our newspaper gets uploaded to our website, then shared on our Facebook page. But we also post fresh content online, covering breaking stories, providing emergency updates and sharing photos and videos with our followers. Our page is more than a tool to drive traffic to our website — it builds a sense of community. If something big is unfolding in this part of WA, we want you to know that you can rely on us to be covering it. It is one way we can keep you in the loop, but not the only one. You can also visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. While Facebook has become a key content-sharing platform for news outlets, those outlets also generate a lot of activity — and credibility — for the platform. It was heartening to see the US tech giant reach a compromise with the Australian Government on Monday, following in Google’s footsteps by declaring its intention to invest in Australian journalism. And it is worth noting Seven West Media — which owns this newspaper — led the charge, becoming the first major Australian media company to reach agreements with first Google and then Facebook.