More Australian newsmedia are reported to have closed deals with Facebook and Google, following on the heels of Seven West Media’s announcement this week.

Australian Community Media, which has more than 40 regional, rural and suburban mastheads and publications from the former Fairfax Media business, says it has signed a letter of intent for a multi-year agreement to provide news and information through Facebook News.

Managing director Tony Kendall said the agreement – which is still to be signed – would help ACM continue build its platforms and grow audience. “We’re passionate about keeping our communities strong, informed and connected and this partnership will ensure our trusted regional and rural news will reach new audiences,” he said in a statement. The support also enables ACM to continue to build our digital platforms and grow our audience for our original news.”

Meanwhile Victorian regional publisher Times News Group says it has reached its own agreement with Google for the search giant’s News Showcase. Based in the Surf Coast town of Torquay and with offices in Bendigo and Ballarat, it has seven local mastheads.

It is one of the smaller – possibly the smallest – independent publishers to have announced deals with the Big Tech companies. Regulator the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission granted interim authorisation for members of Country Press Australia to begin negotiations with Facebook and Google.

Seven West announced on Monday that it was finalising news agreements with Facebook and Google, for three years and five years respectively.

Facebook has an international agreement with News Corp, and local agreements with Private Media, Schwartz Media and Solstice Media, while Guardian Australia and News Corp have agreements for Google News Showcase.

The government is also expected to include $4.2 million in extra funding to the Australian Communications & Media Authority to “implement and administer” the news media bargaining code.

Pictured: Times News Group directors Mark Casey, Warick Brown and Nick Abbott on the masthead’s web announcement