Australian parliament passes news media bargaining code

FILE PHOTO: Google and Facebook logos, words "media, news, media" and Australian flag are displayed in this illustration taken, February 18, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The Australian parliament on Thursday passed a news media and digital platforms mandatory bargaining code that will make it compulsory for Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook Inc to pay media companies for content.

The code will be reviewed within one year of its commencement, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said in a joint statement.