Google’s new initiative is set to empower small and medium-sized Indian language publishers, boosting their presence in the digital space.
In an effort to strengthen the fabric of regional journalism, Google, the tech behemoth, has initiated a robust program intended to bolster local language publishers in India. The Indian Languages Program, launched under Google’s News Initiative (GNI), promises to provide training and funding to regional news platforms, aiming to enhance their operations and expand their readership across the digital landscape.
The Gist of Google’s Indian Languages Program
Envisioned for Local Language Publishers
Google’s Indian Languages Program is specifically crafted for small and medium-scale Indian news publishers, offering support not only for English but also for an extensive range of Indian languages. The tech giant has referred to this as its “most diverse” technology program, extending its services to Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Marathi publishers.
Intensive Training and Funding
Through this program, Google will provide a dedicated training module to a selected group of news publishers, designed to boost their performance parameters such as core web vitals, page speed, and mobile usability. In addition, these publishers will be guided on revenue enhancement strategies and diverse content formats to enable them to better engage with their target audience.
Furthermore, they will receive consultations and hands-on technical assistance to build superior user experiences for their website users. This will ensure that readers not only consume news on these platforms but also have an enriched user experience that keeps them coming back.
Publishers will also have the chance to participate in interactive virtual workshops, guest lectures, and Google-led sessions focused on website optimization, YouTube strategies, and data analytics.
Google’s Eligibility Criteria for the Indian Languages Program
Broad Spectrum of News Organisations
To qualify for Google’s Indian Languages Program, the news organization must be registered in India with an operational website. A wide variety of news organizations, including digital natives, broadcasters, and traditional media outlets, are eligible to apply.
Operational and Staffing Requirements
Google has outlined a set of operational and staffing prerequisites for applicants to this program. Organizations should have been in operation for at least 12 months and must employ a minimum of 50 full-time staff members.
The deadline for application to this transformative program is June 30, 2023. Google’s ‘Indian Languages Program’ is indeed a major leap towards nurturing the regional journalism ecosystem in India, opening doors of opportunities for local language publishers to reach new heights in the digital news domain.