Rooting Platform Dependencies in the Digital News Economy: Google News Initiative in India

Abstract

News industries everywhere have observed increased interventions from platform companies in the form of “support” under umbrella initiatives that bundle and distribute platform resources. I call these “platform support initiatives,” showing that they serve to disburse platforms’ funds, technical infrastructure, and skill training, thereby supporting the seamless integration of platforms into the digital news industry. This article studies the case of the Google News Initiative in India and critically analyzes the structure, implementation, and implications of its programs since its launch in 2018. I combine an analysis of the company’s blogposts and case studies with semistructured interviews with news publishers in India. I find that these initiatives expand the unequal relationship between the platform and publishers, despite the rhetoric that the two are merely “partners.” This imbalance of power is evident from the resultant institutional, infrastructural, and financial dependencies created among newsmakers in India.