To promote “quality journalism”, Google has decided to waive off fees for publishers using its Ad Manager platform for the next five months.
Google recently had announced a “journalism relief fund” in which the search giant would provide emergency grants to news outlets.
The details of the schemes have not been announced yet. Requirements and criteria will be revealed soon.
“During times of global crisis, people rely on quality journalism to stay informed and safe,” Jason Washing, head of global news partnerships at Google, said in a blog.
“And the ads that appear alongside news coverage help fund the journalists who write breaking news stories, and keep news sites and apps running. “ Washing explained.
Social media giant Facebook on March 30 had announced that it would donate $100 million to support news organizations. $25 million would be grants while rest would be ad spending.
This effort comes after months of criticism that both the tech companies dominated online advertising and made it difficult for news media to profit from digital operations.
