Google Announces Program to Help Start-Up News Organizations to Get Established

If you’re part of an early-stage digital news team, and you’re looking to grow, this may be your chance.
SIA Team
July 28, 2021

Financially, there’s a certain segment of the digital news industry that’s virtually been left behind: those that appeal to underserved audiences. 

Those news organizations are being left behind because the fact that they have a more narrow audience may also lessen the chance that they get the funding they need. That is, news organizations that have a larger scope may get a larger piece of the pie, whereas those with a more narrow focus might get a smaller piece of the finance pie.

That’s unfortunate, especially when you consider that news publishers that appeal to underserved audiences are doing a commendable job at representing small groups that otherwise feel that they have no representation.

And despite the scope of the news organization (whether they appeal to a niche audience or a mainstream one), attaining the necessary finances for growth is an obstacle that many small organizations face. 

This has not gone unnoticed, and today, Media Lab Bayern, the Google News Initiative and the European Journalism Centre have announced  the GNI Startups Lab Europe. This is described as an intensive six-month program, the objective of which is to help up to 12 early-stage/startup digital news organizations become established and ultimately become financially viable. 

Source: The Keyword Google Blog