Google to begin paying UK publishers after signing its ‘News Showcase’ licensing deal

Google announced that it launched its News Showcase licensing program on Feb. 10. This means that the American tech company will now start paying news publishers in the U.K.

The new deal with the British publishers

The signing of the new program is part of Google’s efforts in satisfying the publishers’ request to be compensated for their articles that will be featured on its platform. Moreover, this is also the Silicon Valley giant’s way to prove that it is amenable willing to support the online media industry.

As CNBC News reported, prior to the launch of the said licensing deal in the U.K., both Google and Facebook have been pressured to pay media companies for the content they published on their platforms. The Australian government declared that it would be imposing a news media policy that will make tech companies like Google pay publishers, but this was met with protest.

In response, Facebook and Google threatened to withdraw their services in Australia. The Prime Minister and other officials in the region said that they don’t accept threats and will act accordingly if they indeed pull out.

Google’s Showcase news platform

In the U.K., Google already previously declared that it agreed to pay publishers, and this was finally formalized through the Google News Showcase. In this deal, it will be paying at least 120 British publications that include Reuters, The Financial Times, The Evening Standard, The Telegraph, New Statesman, Midland News, JPI Media, Reach, and more.

The pay agreements between Google and the publishers are said to amount to millions per year. This arrangement will allow the search engine company to feature news clips on its news aggregate platform called Showcase. This can be found in Google News mobile app.

“Today, we’re announcing that Google News Showcase, our new product experience and licensing program for news, will begin rolling out with local, national and independent publishers in the U.K.,” Google’s UK and Ireland managing director, Ronan Harris, wrote the company’s blog. “As part of our licensing agreements with publishers, we're also launching the ability for readers to access select paywall content.”