Like so many other industries, journalism has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. And yet it’s also one of those categories people depend on among the most during a time of crisis. Acknowledging the situation, Google has announced additional assistance for media outlets.

For five months, Google will waive serving fees for publications that use Ad Manager. Not all organizations that use the ad exchange platform will qualify for relief. Specifically, Google says it will help publications that produce “original” journalism. Those that do fit the bill will hear from Google sometime in the next couple of days. “With these efforts, we aim to help news organizations reduce some of the cost of managing their businesses and funding important journalism during this time,” Google said.

The news that Google is waiving ad serving fees caps off what’s been a rollercoaster week for media outlets. On Tuesday, Amazon emailed Amazon Associates — individuals and businesses that link to products on the company’s website in exchange for a percentage of sales — that it will cut commission rates across a variety of product categories on April 21st. In recent years, a lot of publications have turned to affiliate revenue as a way to offset declining ad sales, and so as you can imagine Amazon’s announcement was devastating for some organizations.

The good news is that it sounds like Google plans to continue providing support. At the start of the month, the company announced $6.5 million in funding for organizations combating misinformation, with “an immediate focus on coronavirus.” This week, it also said it would give emergency funding to publications serving local communities.

Source: engadget.com