News Showcase is launching in Belgium
For over 20 years, we’ve been collaborating with journalists and publishers to help sustain a long-lasting, vibrant and independent news ecosystem – connecting readers with the news and information that impacts their lives. We’ve heard from journalists and publishers across Europe and right here in Belgium who are exploring new ways of engaging and growing their audiences online.
Today we are building on our commitment to news by announcing the launch of Google News Showcase, our curated online news experience and licensing program, in Belgium.
Media publishers such as IPM Group, Mediafin, Rossel Group and RTL info have signed on to Google News Showcase in Belgium. We look forward to opportunities to partner with more Belgian publishers as we roll this product out in the market.
Logos of our News Showcase partners in Belgium
"We are pleased that Google has chosen to work with Rossel media group for the launch of Google News Showcase in Belgium,” said Thierry Hugot, CCO and CMO of Rossel Group. “News Showcase will allow us to display with multiple panels the diverse media content created by Rossel group. This will engage new and existing audiences and subscriptions with Extended Access.”
Globally, we have signed News Showcase deals with over 2,200 publications and the product is live in 21 countries, including France, Spain, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Italy, Austria, Romania and Slovenia.
“We are delighted by the partnership we have with Google for News Showcase to help us promote our content and accelerate our innovations in the digital market,” says Guillaume Lefebvre, digital transformation manager of IPM Group. “Thanks to their support, we were the first publisher in Belgium to offer Subscribe with Google, a one-click payment option which significantly improves the user experience when it comes to subscribing to our digital news services.”
News Showcase panels, created by participating publishers in Belgium, provide more ways for readers to engage with the news, and direct them to full articles on news publications’ websites. This enables publishers to deepen their relationships with readers – and gives them more direct control of presentation and branding. Our Belgian news partners’ News Showcase panels will begin rolling out starting today on Google News on Android, iOS and the web, and in Discover on iOS and Android.
An example of how News Showcase will look with some of our partners in Belgium.
As part of our licensing agreements with publishers for News Showcase, we're also paying participating news organizations to give readers access to a limited amount of their paywalled content. This feature means readers will be able to see more articles than they would otherwise be able to, encouraging them to learn more about the publication – and potentially subscribe.
An example of how a variety of News Showcase panel types will look with some of our partners in Belgium.
"L’Echo, the leading French language business paper in Belgium, is excited to participate in News Showcase,” says Peter Quaghebeur, CEO of Mediafin. “Our editors will curate content to give a flavor of the best we have to offer to new and existing readers, who through this new channel will learn what we stand for and receive updates on a daily basis. We firmly believe this will help us achieve our goals.”
“RTL info, a historic Belgian audiovisual media company, is delighted about this partnership with Google for News Showcase,” says Mathieu Tamigniau, head of the digital news at RTL info. “This collaboration will further accelerate the digital shift of RTL info and allow many people to discover our journalism that combines proximity, accessibility and responsiveness.”
Our partnership with the Belgian news industry
The launch of News Showcase in Belgium is the latest example of our collaboration with publishers and journalists. Since 2015, we’ve provided training on digital tools through the Google News Initiative to more than 800 journalists and journalism students in the country. Our Journalism Resources website also provides workshops, free of charge, to help journalists research and visualize their stories, with specific courses on digital verification and data journalism.
Additionally, Google provided the inaugural contribution to the European Media and Information Fund, which focuses on fighting misinformation and supporting fact checking and media literacy initiatives. Belgium’s Euractiv Media Network and MEDEA: Media and Learning Association iVZW were granted funding through this program to continue critical fact checking initiatives.
Through News Showcase and our other News products, programs and partnerships, we’re proud to promote quality journalism and help sustain a healthy and diverse news industry.
