Social media giant Facebook on Monday announced that it will launch its news platform called Facebook news in Germany in May.

"Facebook news, a place dedicated to journalistic content will launch in German in May 2021," Facebook said in a statement.

Facebook news, launched in the US in 2019 and UK in January, delivers news-related content bought from traditional publishers. Facebook will pay the publishers In return for their content.

In total, Facebook claims the German platform will host "more than 100 media brands", including major groups such as Funke and Conde Nast. Yet it will not include German media giant Axel Springer, which owns top national titles such as Die Welt and the country’s most widely read Bild daily.

"We consider it problematic that some platforms are on the one hand trying to become news media themselves, while at the same time fobbing off publishers with disproportionately low payments," an Axel Springer spokesman said.

Facebook claims its news platform will help media outlets win news readers, monetise content, and expand business model.

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(With inputs from AFP)