Google says it will start paying some publishers for their news content, in a move that could pave the way for reduced tensions between the internet search giant and the beleaguered news industry. The company said on Thursday that it plans to launch this year a licensing programme to pay publishers for “high-quality content”.
This programme will help participating publishers monetise their content through an enhanced storytelling experience,” Bender said, describing it as a significant step forward in how the company will support high-quality journalism.
But some observers were quick to question the program, dismissing it as more of a public relations manoeuvre, and one that furthers a divide-and-conquer strategy aimed at heading off government-led plans in some countries to level the playing field between the online giants and traditional publishers.
Google’s new arrangement comes as traditional media revenue has plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic despite significant demand for news content.
“A vibrant news industry matters — perhaps now more than ever, as people look for information they can count on in the midst of a global pandemic and growing concerns about racial injustice around the world,” Bender wrote in the blog post.
“But these events are happening at a time when the news industry is also being challenged financially.”
