Was Australia Newspapers Booted Off the Google News Early Access Program?

When it was first announced they were working with local and national publications in Germany, Australia and Brazil. But with today’s announcement, it would appear Australia outlets got booted off likely because they are working out how to handle the upcoming battle with the ACCC.

Now they are working closely with 10 different news outlets from Germany and Brazil on an early access program,  testing features and gathering feedback to shape the product direction ahead of full launch later this year. Publishers taking part in this early access program including international brands as well as local household staples like ZEIT ONLINE, Der Spiegel, Tagesspiegel, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Ippen Media Group and Rheinische Post in Germany and Estado de Minas,  A Gazeta, Correio Braziliense and UOL in Brazil.

Participating publishers are testing publisher tools, evaluating technical integrations and ensuring different templates enhance the ways they bring stories to their readers.

They are also discussing paywall integrations, where Google would pay for free access to allow readers to read articles on a publisher’s site. This will help paywalled publishers grow their audience and deepen their relationship with readers.

Google claims that they want to make sure readers know who is behind the news and find publications they respect. That’s why they are making sure this  product strongly reflects the publishers’ brand, while still creating a cohesive news experience.