- Google’s News Showcase publishes content from publications.
- News Showcase is available on iOS, Android, and mobile websites.
- It is unclear how monetization would operate inside Google News Showcase for UK publishers.
Google’s News Showcase is a scheme in which the search giant pays for curating news content from publishers. It has been launched in the UK and Argentina. The service covers more than 120 publications in the United Kingdom. Also, 40 Argentine publications have signed up. The service provides the opportunity to access select paywalled material free of charge for readers. Now, features material from more than 450 publications worldwide.
Publications in the UK include Reuters, the Financial Times, The Independent, the New Statesman, and The Telegraph are included. Meanwhile, Clarín, La Nación, and Perfil are some Argentinian publications. A Google FAQ states that a monthly fee is charged to publishers for curating news articles for the service, as well as for accessing paywalled content. This brand-new product essentially provides publishers a licensing scheme for news content, with content produced by local, national, and independent publishers in the UK that can then help attract potential subscribers. You can also note that this project was first introduced in Australia. Although, the new platform has been clouded by legislative disputes.
What is News Showcase?
News Showcase is available on iOS, Android, and mobile websites. Discover is available on select Android phones, such as Google Pixel smartphones. Access it by swiping to the left on the home screen. The GUI displays lists of posts that you can tap to read in full from each publication. The News Showcase consists of swipeable “story panels” cards that can include timelines, bullet points, and article lists, with plans to incorporate video and audio in the future. Each one features the branding of publishers in the top-left corner and opens a corresponding article directly. They will be available for Android, iOS, and smartphone websites on Google News, as well as Discover on iOS.
Google’s Standoff Against Australian Publishers
Google News Showcase launched in Australia last week, a country where the company is currently locking horns with lawmakers over proposed legislation that could require it to pay for its content to news publishers. If the News Media Negotiating Code goes into effect, Google recently threatened to remove its search engine from the country. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said last week that he had held “constructive” talks over the new rules with Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
The situation means that while seven Australian publishers have joined the program. They cover more than 25 magazines. Google says it agrees that News Showcase should be compliant with the new rules. And, if they don’t like the Google News Showcase contract, publishers are free to enter into arbitration.
One of the key goals is to offer newspapers and organizations more hyperlocal and regional content that would not otherwise be able to compete directly with the largest players in the UK media space. For those small news outlets that lack the resources of bigger media organizations, Google also believes that this would help a “digital transformation.”
Google’s Future Plans
It is unclear how monetization would operate inside Google News Showcase for UK publishers. There has been no formal confirmation, unlike Australia. The newspapers will receive fees or pay-outs for aggregated news. Unique licensing arrangements with publishers, however, suggest that UK and Argentine readers will be able to access material that is routinely concealed behind a paywall. Google suggests that this would give readers the opportunity to read more content from a publisher. They would otherwise have access to while allowing publishers to encourage readers to become subscribers.
Facebook has a similar news initiative involving paying publishers to license their content. The tab recently arrived in the UK after launching in the US. The service includes Facebook paying select publishers to license content, including those that would usually be paywalled, similar to Google News Showcase. Google says that outside the UK and Argentina, it is also able to launch News Showcase in France, Canada, and Japan.
