Google and New Zealand media companies announce major new deals to help fund journalism

[ad_1]

Google has signed new deals with eight New Zealand media companies. Photo / AP

Some of New Zealand’s largest media companies – and many smaller ones – will get a windfall from Google to help them invest in journalism and their businesses with new deals.

The Herald revealed tonight that eight media companies were involved: Stuff, The Spinoff, Allied Press (publisher of the Otago Daily Times), Mahurangi Matters/Hibiscus Matters, Gisborne Herald, Wairarapa Times-Age, Ashburton Guardian and the app Wanaka.

Many of the companies have been part of a collective group that has negotiated with Google.

NZME, the publisher of the NZ Herald, signed a similar five-year deal with Google last year, while South Island-based RNZ and Crux also have deals in place.

The new deals were due to be announced overnight tonight – just weeks before the government plans to introduce new legislation to bring social media giants to the table to force them to negotiate financial deals with NZ media companies over the use of journalism and content on their digital platforms.

A Google PR spokeswoman emailed Media Insider this evening, saying: I have a press release (concerning Google and news) that is embargoed until 00:01 NZT, Thursday June 15th. If you’re happy to accept the embargo, can I share it with you?

Media Insider has advised Google not to send us the press release until it has actually been released.

The Google PR spokeswoman then sent a quote from Caroline Rainsford, national director of Google New Zealand, who said the deals showed Google’s unwavering commitment to the New Zealand news industry.

Advertise Advertise with NZME.

We are so pleased to continue to bring a broad range of Aotearoas publications to a wider audience via Google News Showcase, from digital natives such as Spinoff and Wanaka App, legacy titles from Stuff and Allied Press, to local public interest journalism from Gisborne Herald and Ashburton Guardian.

Many of these stocks have served their communities for decades, providing vital news and information to their regions. We are delighted to reach these agreements to help support public interest journalism in New Zealand.

Caroline Rainsford, country director at Google NZ. Photo / Dean Purcell

The full media release followed soon after and comes nearly exactly a year since NZME announced a five-year deal with Google.

At the time, NZME said the deal – the value of which was not specifically disclosed – would support a number of digital transformation initiatives. NZME provides journalism and content to Google’s News Showcase platform as part of the deal.

NZME Chief Executive Michael Boggs said at the time the deal with Google supported NZME’s focus on digital transformation and highlighted the company’s high-quality journalism and news content.

We are delighted to have signed these agreements with Google and are now able to move forward with these digital transformation projects and initiatives. NZME’s 300 editors in our newsrooms across the country work tirelessly every day to deliver high-quality, reliable news content across our many platforms. To be able to further extend their reach, highlight their talent and share their content via the Google News Showcase is a really positive development.

In April, Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson told Media Insider: We need to, before the election, raise this online news bill.

Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

That bill is designed to get digital giants, including Google and Meta and any future platforms, to join the party to help fund media companies for journalism and content that help attract and engage audiences on their mega- platforms.

Advertise Advertise with NZME.

Unless the giants can strike deals with media companies, they will be forced to the table under the new legislation, which is expected to be before Parliament by July.

Jackson said at the time that all New Zealand media companies, large and small, needed reassurance, to help fund newsrooms and journalism. She’s been really tough on the media companies. I want to see a level playing field for all businesses.

He said he was notified that Google was doing more business. Some local companies were concluding one- or two-year deals, ahead of legislation and as an urgent measure to get cash in the door.

The deals were important in helping preserve journalist roles: It was crazy, Jackson said, that 50 percent of journalist roles had been lost over the past decade.

[ad_2]