Archive · 13 Nov 2025
Google to Pay $40 Million to South African News Media
Imagine Google is like a giant library that helps people find news.
Many smaller news companies in South Africa were finding it hard to get noticed because Google's library seemed to show more stories from big, faraway places than from local South African towns.
So, the people in charge of making sure businesses play fair in South Africa talked to Google.
They agreed that Google will give more than $40 million to help these local news companies.
This money will help them do things like make their websites better, create new types of news using computers, and make sure people can find their stories more easily.
Google also promised to try harder to show local news stories so that people in South Africa can easily find out what's happening in their own country.
Google will pay over $40 million (688 million rand) to support South African news media.
The deal follows a 16-month investigation by the South African Competition Commission.
Funding will be allocated to national publishers, AI innovation, and small media outlets for digital transformation.
Google committed to prioritizing local news sources, improving website performance, and sharing audience data.
Similar funding deals have been reached in other countries like Taiwan, Canada, Australia, and the US.
- Who
- Google and South African news media
- What
- Google agreed to pay over $40 million to support local news media amidst concerns about favouring international content.
- When
- Thursday (announcement date), following a 16-month investigation.
- Where
- South Africa
- Why
- To support struggling local news outlets, address algorithmic bias favoring international news, and promote digital transformation.
Regulators and Local Media
Payment Amount and Justification
Regulators and Local Media
Google agreed to a $40.4 million funding package after an investigation found their searches favored international news, recommending a payment of up to $27 million annually for five years.
Google ultimately agreed to a lump sum funding package of 688 million rand ($40.4 million) as part of a settlement with the competition authority.
Algorithmic Bias
Regulators and Local Media
There was a finding of algorithmic bias favoring foreign outlets, which the platforms committed to removing to prioritize local news sources.
The settlement includes commitments from Google to introduce new user tools to prioritize local news sources and remove algorithmic bias favoring foreign outlets.
- Total Funding Package
- 688 million rand ($40.4 million)
- National Publishers/Broadcasters Support
- $4 million over five years for content on Google News
- AI Innovation Support
- $2.6 million annually
- Community/Small Media Digital Transformation
- $2.2 million over three years
- Google's Commitments
- Prioritize local news, provide technical assistance, share audience data, support YouTube monetization, remove algorithmic bias.
- Investigating Authority
- South Africa's Competition Commission