A Year of Progress: Supporting Journalism in Australia

One of the highlights of my year was when a small, regional news publisher from New South Wales asked if an AI-generated podcast episode, featuring their top stories of the week, could be changed to have an Australian accent.

The answer, unfortunately for now, was ‘not yet’ - but there is nothing better than having the adoption of new technology by news publishers outpace our ability to refine it. It shows how quickly things are changing.

Extending our commitment to regional publishers

One of Google’s key focuses this year has been supporting regional and local news publishers. We know that these publications play a vital role in keeping communities informed, and we’ve been working hard to provide them with the resources they need to succeed in the digital age.

We recently renewed our news agreement with Country Press Australia, which represents 80 publications across the country. This partnership includes investment in training programs, audience analytics, and the continuation of Google News Showcase support.

Andrew Schreyer, president of Country Press Australia, said: "The renewal of CPA‘s agreement with Google shows it values our members’ unique and professionally produced content from rural, regional and local communities in every Australian state and territory. And our members value Google’s support as it helps them keep supporting their communities with local public interest journalism that forms an essential piece of democratic infrastructure."

The agreement means Google Australia has renewed News Showcase agreements with more than 100 publications in 2024, including numerous other independent regional Australian publishers such as Solstice Media, Times News Group, and Junkee. These partnerships are a testament to our belief in the importance of local news.

Driving innovation in newsrooms

It's not just about commercial partnerships, though. We're also committed to providing journalists and publishers with the tools and skills they need to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape and detect and combat misinformation. The Digital News Academy (DNA), our partnership with News Corp and Melbourne Business School, has trained over 250 journalists in the past year alone. The DNA offers a nine-month program that covers a range of essential skills, including video, verification, and, most recently, an introduction to AI.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with a 90% satisfaction rating from trainees. Journalists like Dave McCowan from News Corp Australia have praised the DNA for giving them "the tools and confidence to improve reader engagement, boost social media performance and develop techniques for more effective journalism".

We recognize that smaller publishers often face unique challenges, and we've developed specific initiatives to address their needs. For example, our Google News Initiative Advertising Lab AUNZ program has been instrumental in helping small and mid-sized news organizations improve their digital advertising infrastructure and increase revenue. Participants in the program have seen significant results, including a 30% increase in average viewability and a 92% viewability rate, consistently exceeding industry benchmarks.

We’re also proud of the work we’ve done with emerging digital publishers, including The Daily Aus and The Squiz, both of which we have worked alongside as they seek to broaden their audience reach and diversify revenues. Our work with The Daily Aus helped it to increase newsletter subscriptions by 471%.

Looking ahead, I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, particularly in the realm of AI. AI-led products like Pinpoint, Gemini and NotebookLM - one of Time’s Best Inventions of 2024 - have the potential to change the way journalists work, freeing up their time to focus on what they do best: in-depth reporting and storytelling. AI can help automate tasks like transcribing interviews and analyzing data, allowing journalists to spend more time on the ground and connect with their communities.

It’s been a privilege to work alongside so many talented and dedicated journalists and publishers this year. I’m constantly inspired by their passion and commitment to delivering high-quality journalism that informs and empowers communities across Australia. Together, I’m confident that we can continue to build a brighter future for the news industry, one where journalism thrives and serves as a cornerstone of a healthy and informed society.