Author Archives: Nic Hopkins

Supporting news innovation in the Asia Pacific region

News organizations in Asia Pacific are at the forefront of innovation when it comes to connecting with readers and exploring new business models. We’ve seen this first-hand, working with partners across the region and heard great ideas for encouraging a more sustainable news industry.

To support this innovation, today we’re pleased to announce the third Asia Pacific Google News Initiative (GNI) Innovation Challenge, as part of our ongoing commitment to support the news industry around the world.

Applications are open to news organizations of all sizes for projects that focus on innovation in the news industry. Previous rounds of the Innovation Challenge supported more than 30 publishers across APAC to develop sustainable business models by diversifying revenue streams and increasing audience engagement.

Some past recipients include:

  • The News Minute in India launched a membership program to turn fans into members.
  • South Korea’s Busan Daily used AI to gain a new understanding of audience preferences and introduced personalization to onsite search, deepening engagement and increasing conversions.
  • The Conversation in Australia developed new community standards and tools to make conversations on its platform safer, more inclusive and constructive.
  • In Pakistan, The Current built a new membership model and tested an alternate stream of revenue for digital news startups.
  • In Japan, Asahi Shimbun focused on tipping and donations as new means of reader revenue.
  • Kumparan in Indonesia created a donation process so people can pledge money directly from news platforms.
  • The women-run rural news outlet Khabar Lahariya in India made the transition to digital, reaching new readers and building a stronger business.
The story of Khabar Lahariya, an all women-run rural news organization based in India.
10:25

How the Innovation Challenge works

The Asia Pacific GNI Innovation Challenge is open to news organizations of all sizes that aim to produce original journalism and whose projects focus on innovation to create a more sustainable and diverse news sector. Projects will be evaluated against several criteria, including: impact on the news community, innovation, feasibility and a willingness to share knowledge. Applicants should be based in the Asia Pacific region and have their principal place of business there. For more information on eligible projects, criteria and funding, see our website.

How to apply

Applications are open until August 23 at 11:59 PM SGT and can be submitted via our website in English, Bengali, Chinese (traditional), Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean or Thai. We’ll be hosting a virtual town hall on Wednesday, July 13 at 2:00 PM SGT to answer applicants’ questions.

The GNI Innovation Challenges have been driving innovation in news since 2018 and have funded over 200 projects in 47 countries globally. We want to help empower news organizations across the APAC region to pioneer new thinking to support quality journalism. We look forward to receiving your application!

New program helps regional journalists develop digital skills

Today, we’re pleased to announce an initiative that helps support regional news publishers by providing vital digital skills training and new opportunities for young journalists.


Introducing the Digital News Academy

The Digital News Academy is a new program created by Google and News Corp Australia that will provide training in the latest digital skills to 750 local and regional news professionals from a range of outlets across the country, including Australian Community Media and several others.

The program, run over three years, will provide comprehensive tuition in skills including digital journalism, video and audio production, data journalism, audience measurement, reader revenue, digital business models and marketing. 

In addition to enabling crucial digital capabilities, the Digital News Academy will also create opportunities for young journalists, funding 60 new 12-month journalism traineeships in regional Australia over the next three years. 

This is a significant investment in training and skills for local news in Australia, and builds on the work we’ve been doing for years in support of regional publishers. We’ve long partnered with the news industry in Australia, and this new initiative will benefit and support hundreds of journalists from across the Australian news industry.


The Digital News Academy will launch in 2022

What our partners are saying

News Corp Australasia’s executive chairman Michael Miller said the academy would provide essential skills at a crucial time for news media professionals.“The future of commercial news organisations rests on their ability to create and publish journalism that serves audiences in tangible, valuable ways and is consumed how and where those audiences choose,” Mr Miller said. “This task is the foundation mission as news organisations large and small develop business models built on high value journalism. I thank Google for working with News Corp Australia in establishing the academy and it’s further acknowledgment of journalism’s value and importance.”

Australian Community Media, Australia’s largest rural and regional publisher, will be a major participant in the program, receiving both training and trainees. “ACM is delighted to be involved in this initiative. The ongoing training and upskilling of our editorial teams to meet the ever changing demands on our consumers is a key priority for our business. This is evidenced by the recent appointment of Saffron Howden in the role of Editorial Training Manager. With Saffron's experience, and the global expertise brought together in this program, this bi-partisan initiative will be fantastic for ACM editorial staff and the strength of regional journalism more broadly,” says Tony Kendall, CEO of Australian Community Media.  

The Digital News Academy will launch in early 2022.