Google Launches Online Experience And Licensing Program In India To support News Media And Readers

At a time when the need for access to trustworthy information is critical, Google has announced a slew of investments to support India’s news industry.

The company has launched its global product called News Showcase, a new online experience and licensing program, in India to support news organizations and readers.

This program incentivizes and supports news publishers to curate high quality content on Google’s News and Discover platforms, connecting readers with the news they need.

Google News Showcase is rolling out in India with 30 news publishers including national, regional and local news organizations like The Hindu Group, HT Digital Streams Ltd, Indian Express Group, ABP LIVE, India TV, NDTV, Zee News, Amar Ujala, Deccan Herald, Punjab Kesari, The Telegraph India, IANS (Indo Asian News Service) and ANI.

“This builds on News Showcase deals signed by 700 news publications in more than a dozen countries, including Germany, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, the U.K. Australia, Czechia, Italy and Argentina, more than 90 per cent of them representing local or community news — with discussions underway in several other countries,” the company said in a blog post.

“News Showcase is just one part of our overall commitment to the Indian news ecosystem. Today we’re announcing that we are expanding our Google News Initiative efforts in India as well,” it added.

Stepping up our work to strengthen digital skills in newsrooms and journalism schools across India, over the next three years, with increased support from the News Lab, the company will train 50,000 journalists and journalism students.

With focus on digital tools to aid verification and combat misinformation online, and expand programs to connect Indian journalists and fact-checkers.

Also the company is introducing several new programs to help small and mid-sized publications achieve financial sustainability as part of the GNI Digital Growth Program, which has already trained executives at 100 Indian news organizations since launching last year.