The Wairarapa Times-Age is one of a number of New Zealand media companies that have signed up to join Google News Showcase, in a deal that involves the internet giant paying to share news outlets’ stories.
The showcase, which launched internationally in 2020, pays publishers directly for the right to feature their stories – unlike Google search results, where it’s up to individual new sites to monetise any content that’s shown.
The deal was inked just weeks before the government plans to introduce new legislation aimed at compelling social media giants to negotiate financial terms with local media companies regarding the use of journalism on their digital platforms.
As part of collective negotiations that also involved Allied Press, Ashburton Guardian, Gisborne Herald, Mahurangi Matters/Hibiscus Matters, NZ Herald, The Spinoff, Stuff, and the Wanaka App, the Times-Age has signed a five-year content deal with the showcase.
Although the revenue from the deal will fall far short of what could be described as “a financial windfall”, Times-Age publisher Andrew Denholm noted that – after years of global digital giants eating media’s lunch – something is better than nothing.
“Running a small independent newsroom is expensive,” Denholm said, “and Google’s payments will go a small way to ensuring the paper continues to employ journalists who champion local interest stories for our loyal subscriber base.”
