Globally, Google has signed News Showcase deals with over 2,500 publications. The product is now live in 24 countries, including the United States, France, Spain, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Italy, Austria, Romania, and Slovenia.
Vladislava Lazarova, Executive Producer at BTV Media Group, stated, “Storytelling has always been at the core of our work as news editors and content creators. The launch of Google News Showcase in Bulgaria will give the bTV Media Group digital outlets further opportunities to reach audiences directly so we can continue to tell and share the stories that really matter.”
Venelina Gocheva, CEO of 24 Chasa Group, expressed excitement for the launch of Google News Showcase in Bulgaria, saying, “We believe this Google product will enrich our loyal readers and introduce our content to new and diverse audiences. Content curated by our experienced editors is needed now more than ever — to battle disinformation, provide diversity of opinions, expand readers’ worldview, and deliver stories people can relate to.”
Our Partnership with the News Industry in Bulgaria
Over the past year, Google has strengthened its collaboration with publishers and journalists in Bulgaria by launching multiple new projects focused on tackling misinformation, evolving business models, and promoting innovation, including:
- Partnering with the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria to help expand Factcheck.bg, which is certified by the International Fact-Checking Network, and develop sCOOL Media, a project to empower youth to combat misinformation and promote a sustainable news ecosystem.
- Working with FT Strategies on a project to assist a leading Bulgarian business publication in creating a data-driven approach to grow their subscriber base.
- Continuing to invest in AI design sprint training and holding a workshop aimed at empowering publishers to innovate and grow revenue, which several publishers from Bulgaria and across Central and Eastern Europe attended.
- Training journalists across newsrooms in Bulgaria and fact-checking organizations in digital verification skills, advanced research, and tools to support investigative journalism efforts through the Google News Initiative.
The launch of News Showcase in the country showcases Google’s commitment to journalism and partnership with news organizations. Google looks forward to continuing to work together with journalists and publishers in Bulgaria to help them fight misinformation, innovate, and grow reader revenue.
