News publisher 'Stuff' found that removing its content from Facebook seven months ago didn't affect its web traffic.

Amid calls to emulate the Australian plan, U.S. lawmakers should avoid the temptation.

As local newspapers grapple with declining ad revs, accepting tax-deductible charitable donations could make all the difference.

Its advocacy on their behalf may prove to be beneficial in tilting the digital revenue scales back in the favor of content providers._

The tax rate is on a sliding scale of 2.5% to 10%, based on the company's global revenue from any source -- not just digital ad sales.

News outlets likely have seen a drop in web traffic following the move, which was more extreme than the company's past efforts.

The agreement comes as Google faces the possibility of being forced to pay publishers for journalism in Australia, where News Corp. dominates the newspaper industry.

The personnel scandal at the 'NYT' renews criticism that the the publisher is too dependent on a narrow group of readers whose political views affect editorial coverage.

"In short, independent journalism is vital to the social cohesion that is essential for democracy," says Microsoft, which blamed Google and Facebook for a drop in publisher revenue and massive newsroom job cuts.

All claim their shows featured "spirited opinion commentary." Smartmatic's suit countered the hosts had hurt the company's reputation.