European Journalism Promotes Diversity
The Digital News Initiative is a European organization established by Google to support high quality journalism through innovation and technology. It includes an "Innovations Fund" valued at more than EUR 150m, that in next coming years issued grants to 4 solely non-profit organizations, committed to digital news as a feature of their work. They include news websites, radio stations, television stations, documentaries, feature films, photo galleries, podcasts and news websites. The major focus of the organization is the building of high quality content for its platforms, which can be used by online users and published by publishers on the internet.
The European Journalism Review Council certified the digital news initiative as the best news innovation programme in the European Union in 2021. It has been able to achieve this because it is made exclusively available to anyone with an internet connection and a social media account. In this respect, it is different from other similar platforms that are open to all, and that may not necessarily appeal to a particular sector. Another advantage of the project is that the only content is created by its editors, which assures a more objective assessment of the quality of the news. This is important as it enables the CJI to point out shortcomings and to recommend ways to improve the platform.
The Digital News Initiative's key target is to improve the quality and quantity of information provided by publishers and news organizations on the internet. The money from the fund will go directly to publishers to create more content and to develop new business models. Although it is a new initiative, it enjoys wide support from national and international publishers and news organizations. The European Journalism Watch Group highlights three priorities for the digital news initiative, namely: ensuring that the money invested by European journalism organizations in the next five years reaches its objective, providing in depth reports to help users and consumers understand the benefits, developing in-depth education on digital news and on the impact of the initiative, and publishing guidelines for writers.
In its first year of operation, the European Journalism Watch group is currently running a working group on digital news innovation. Its second year will see the addition of four members to this working group. This will bring the number of people involved in this initiative close to ten. This working group will be in charge of recommending measures to increase transparency and innovation, as well as suggestions and recommendations on how to make the European Journalism Watch Register a truly independent organization.
In its second year, the Digital News Initiative will continue to run a working group on improving the way that European journalism can gain greater access and use its innovation potential. It will continue to promote European excellence in digital news and the need for diversified online content. It will also look into the role that journalists play when using innovative technologies, including social media. It will work on improving the quality of online video journalism and explore the impact of the increasing role of citizen journalists.
For publishers in Europe, the Digital News Initiative is an important business interest. Because of the increasing influence of digital technologies on the news and the power of social media, the news industry has been targeted by various competing interests. There are questions about the role of journalism, and there are concerns that the increased cost of the digital transition could damage the industry. If magazine starts to weaken, then it could affect the country's economy.
For both publishers and journalists, the Digital News Initiative is an important business interest. In its first year, there were only four small publishers in Europe, but this can increase as the business takes off. The Digital News Initiative will keep on adding members as new developments happen. This will give the organization a stronger voice and a broader base of coverage. As well, it will create a forum for discussion between publishers, journalists, and others interested in this important industry.
In the end, as Europe embraces the digital world, more people will be looking for quality journalism. For now, there are many publishers in Europe who are looking to expand their presence and compete with the large international news companies. In the coming years, there will be a serious need for European journalism and digital publishing.