Google and YouTube commit R688 million to boost South African media sector

Competition Commission report lauded as heralding a new era for local journalism and media sustainability

- ZELDA VENTER

IN A LANDMARK moment for the South African media industry, the Competition Commission unveiled the final report of its Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry on Thursday, heralding a new era for local journalism and media sustainability.

This comprehensive report not only details the challenges the industry faces but also promises transformative support, encompassing a substantial R688 million Media Support Package over the next five years, the culmination of an agreement with tech giants Google and YouTube. This will fund national, community and vernacular media through a combination of content licensing, innovation grants, and capacity-building initiatives. It includes support for newsroom innovation, contributions to the Digital News Transformation Fund, and funding for vernacular-language training through the Media Development & Diversity Agency (MDDA).

Google will also introduce new user tools to prioritise local news sources, provide technical assistance to improve website performance, share enhanced audience data, and establish an African News Innovation Forum. Microsoft, in turn, will extend its MSN news contracts to include five additional national publishers.