Google News Initiative (GNI) announced the launch of the Indian Languages Program, an initiative by Google, designed to support local news publishers in India. The GNI Indian Languages Program is an initiative designed to empower publishers through various components, including access to training, technical support, and funding, to help improve digital operations and reach more readers. With support for a total of nine languages, including English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Marathi, the program stands as Google’s technology program for news publishers.
The GNI Indian Languages Program follows a structured format that includes various components to support and empower publishers including a range of activities, including scaled inspiration series and virtual workshops. These sessions will feature guest speakers, success stories from previous GNI program participants, and Google-led sessions on topics such as core web vitals, website optimisation, News Consumer Insights (NCI), YouTube, and more.
Selected publishers will also undergo a diagnosis process to assess their page speed, core web vitals performance, and other relevant parameters. Additionally, publishers will receive personalised guidance and support in addressing the identified areas for improvement, including remediation of issues related to core web vitals, schema, site manifests, mobile usability, content formats, and additional revenue enhancement solutions.
Additionally, a subset of chosen publishers will benefit from dedicated consultations and technical implementation support to enable user experience. The long-term engagement will involve close collaboration with publishers to create a roadmap tailored to the specific needs.
In order to qualify for the Indian Languages Program, publishers need to meet certain criteria. They should be small or medium-sized Indian-language news organisations that generate original news content and are legally registered in India. Additionally, they must have a functioning website, a minimum of 12 months of uninterrupted operation, and a staff of at least 50 full-time employees. Eligible applicants can encompass both for-profit and nonprofit entities, including traditional news organisations, digital-native platforms, and broadcasters.
Applications for the GNI Indian Languages Program will be examined by both the Google Project team and external advisors. The Project team will evaluate all submitted applications and, in some cases, work with expert consultants to perform additional analyses and make suggestions for the selection of recipients. Eligible applicants will be ascertained and communicated to by the Google Project team.