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