Google has announced updates to its “News Showcase” that, it claims, will make it even more useful to news publishers & users alike.
Writing in its official blog, The Keyword, Alex Cox, Product Manager,News, Google will soon start offering people access to paywalled Content in partnership with select news publishers.
Paywalls, he said, are a crucial part of some publishers’ revenue strategies. To support that goal, Google will pay participating partners to provide limited access to paywalled Content for News Showcase users. In return, users will register with the news publisher, providing a way for the publisher to build a relationship with readers.
Alex said it is also now easier for people to find even more valuable Content from the news organizations they trust; a new type of News Showcase panel includes a list of important articles selected daily by their favorite publishers. For example, if a user follows a news outlet that covers their local news, they will see daily updates on the most important local stories, selected by that newsroom. Relevant publications, both national & local, will also now be shown within the feed, plus in a dedicated area to discover new News Showcase publications within Newsstand on Google News.
Since first launching News Showcase 2 months ago, the number of publications from around the world which have signed on has nearly doubled, claimed Google. There are now close to 400 news publications in countries such as Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, France, UK & Australia, & conversations are underway in a number of other countries. New partners include publications such as Le Monde, Courrier International, L’Obs, Le Figaro, Libération and L’Express in France, & Página12, La Gaceta & El Día in Argentina.
