Google accepts payments to 300 news publishers in Europe

Google will expand its list of paid publishers and news producers in the coming months – Photo: REUTERS

“Up to now we have reached agreements with about 300 news publishers at both national and local levels in Germany, France, Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands and Ireland,” said Ms. Sulina Connal – director of partnerships between Google and content producers – revealed in an unpublished article.

Reuters news agency has access to the above article and said that the full content will be published by the end of May 11.

Most of the more than 300 news publishers (about two-thirds) are German newspapers such as Der Spiegel, Die Zeit and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

According to Reuters, Google is in further talks with news producers in other countries but did not disclose the total amount paid out or the amount each party received.

Google is developing a tool that will allow news producers in many other countries to monetize the content Google uses. The tool is expected to be introduced in the coming months, according to Reuters.

This comes nearly three years after the European Union (EU) passed strict regulations related to copyright, which required Google and other online platforms to pay publishers of information. ie, writers, journalists, musicians… if using the products of these people.

News producers are among the strongest critics of Google for years of “free use” of their content.

The fact that Google has to pay news producers and publishers is part of an ongoing trend in some countries. Last year, Australia passed a law making Facebook pay for using news produced by the country’s press. Canada also introduced a similar law in April.