A Journalism Emergency Relief Fund has been launched by the Google News Initiative to provide some financial aid to small, medium and local news publishers globally.
Google in a statement said the funding is open to news organisations “producing original news for local communities during this time of crisis, and will range from the low thousands of dollars for small hyper-local newsrooms to low tens of thousands for larger newsrooms, with variations per region”.
Publishers can apply for funds via a simple application form available at https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com/journalism-emergency-relief-fund/apply. Applications will close on Wednesday April 29, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
“We’ve made this as streamlined as possible to ensure we get help to eligible publishers all over the world. At the end of the process, we’ll announce who has received funding and how publishers are spending the money,” said Richard Gingras, VP, News, Google.
The statement further noted local news is a vital resource for keeping people and communities connected in the best of times. Today, it plays an even greater function in reporting on local lockdowns or shelter at home orders, school and park closures, and data about how COVID-19 is affecting daily life. But that role is being challenged as the news industry deals with job cuts, furloughs and cutbacks as a result of the economic downturn prompted by COVID-19.
The company also says it is giving $1 million collectively to the International Centre for Journalists, which plans to provide immediate resources to support reporters globally, and the Columbia Journalism School’s Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, which is helping journalists exposed to traumatic events experienced during the crisis.
“We believe it is important to do what we can to alleviate the financial pressures on newsrooms, and will continue to look at other ways to help,” Gingras said.
CALEB OJEWALE
