Google’s News Showcase, a program in which the search giant pays to select news content from publishers, has launched in the UK and Argentina. In the UK, the service covers more than 120 publications, while 40 Argentine publications have subscribed. For readers, the service includes the ability to access selected content with paid access for free. The News Showcase was launched in Germany and Brazil last year, and in Australia last week, and now includes content from more than 450 publications worldwide.
In the United Kingdom, publications available through the service include Reuters, a Financial Times, The Independent, a New Statesmanand The telegraph, while Argentine publications include Clarín, The nationand Profile. A frequently asked question from Google notes that publishers receive a monthly fee for selecting news for the service, as well as for accessing paid content.
News Showcase is available on the Google News app on iOS, Android and the mobile web, as well as Discover on iOS. On some Android phones, such as Google Pixel devices, Discover is available by swiping left on the home screen. The interface shows lists of articles from each publication, which you can tap to read in full.
More than 120 publications in the UK will begin curating content for the News Showcase, many of them local newspapers that do not have the same resources that many larger national newspapers have to invest in their digital transformation. 2 / https://t.co/CV3mFa2QUK pic.twitter.com/buDHqtiA9N
– Google News Initiative (@GoogleNewsInit) February 10, 2021
Last week, the Google News Showcase launched in Australia, a country where the company is currently fighting with lawmakers over new rules that may force it to pay news publishers for its content. Google recently threatened to pull its search engine out of the country if the News Media Trading Code goes into effect. Last week, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he had “constructive” talks with Google CEO Sundar Pichai about the new rules.
The situation means that while seven Australian publishers have joined the program, covering more than 25 publications, The Guardian reports that a channel, Nine, has chosen not to negotiate with Google until the new code is brought in. In a FAQ, Google says it believes the News Showcase should be compatible with the new rules, since publishers are free to enter into arbitration if they do not like the Google News Showcase business.
Facebook has a similar news initiative that involves paying publishers to license their content in the form of the News tab, a section of the service that includes a mix of curated and personalized news. After launching in the USA, the guide recently arrived in the UK. Similar to the Google News Showcase, the service involves Facebook paying selected publishers to license content, including some that would normally have paid access.
In addition to the UK and Argentina, Google says it is also preparing to launch the News Showcase in France, Canada and Japan.