The project aims to support and connect independent news creators with traditional media through training, funding, and industry collaboration.
Google has launched the Global News Gaps Project, an initiative aimed at strengthening emerging news creators and bridging them with traditional media organisations. The announcement was made during WAN-IFRA’s World News Media Congress in Krakow last week.
The project has three main pillars. The first, the News Creators Project, will be led by FT Strategies, with WAN-IFRA acting as the lead industry association partner. It will map and deepen understanding of the new wave of news providers operating mainly on social media and video platforms, and explore how best to connect them with the traditional media ecosystem.
The second strand will provide tailored training and strategic advice to 300 emerging news creators, with 150 also receiving Google funding and WAN-IFRA membership. Jaffer Zaidi, Vice President of News Partnerships at Google, said the aim was not just to provide tools, but to help these new entrants become “more responsible and resilient in their work.”
The third element is an expansion of Project Oasis, profiling 1,000 emerging newsrooms and 5,000 digital news organisations to build a fuller picture of the independent news sector globally.
Alongside its role in the Global News Gaps Project, WAN-IFRA is preparing to announce its own multi-year strategy to engage more closely with digital-native publishers. Discussions at the congress, including a session led by audience strategist Justin Bank and editors from Southeast Asia, pointed to the growing importance of collaboration between mainstream media and emerging creators.
Traditional news organisations have concerns about the ethics, standards and transparency of some new entrants. But there is growing recognition that digital-first creators often reach younger, underserved audiences with a speed and authenticity that legacy publishers struggle to match.
Investigative journalist Julia Angwin captured this sentiment at the congress. “I do get a lot of hope from the news creators I’ve been interacting with – they are so excited about the importance of news and serving democracy,” she said.
Applications for the News Creators Project are now open. As the journalism landscape evolves, the Global News Gaps Project reflects an urgent need for both established and new organisations to engage meaningfully with audiences while upholding the principles of responsible journalism.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://wan-ifra.org/2025/05/wan-ifra-supports-global-news-gaps-project-to-understand-and-strengthen-emerging-news-providers/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://wan-ifra.org/2025/05/wan-ifra-supports-global-news-gaps-project-to-understand-and-strengthen-emerging-news-providers/ – This article announces WAN-IFRA’s involvement in Google’s Global News Gaps Project, aiming to support emerging news providers. The project comprises three pillars: the News Creators Project, focusing on news voices on social media and video platforms; Strategic Support and Resources, offering training and consultation to 300 emerging news providers, with 150 receiving WAN-IFRA membership and Google funding; and the expansion of Project Oasis, profiling 1,000 news creators and 5,000 digital news organizations. The initiative seeks to bridge independent news creators with the established media ecosystem.
- https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com/ – The Google News Initiative is Google’s effort to work with the news industry to help journalism thrive in the digital age. It focuses on elevating and strengthening quality journalism, evolving business models to drive sustainable growth, and empowering news organizations through technological innovation. ([eventsarchive.wan-ifra.org](https://eventsarchive.wan-ifra.org/es/partners/google-news-initiative-0.html?utm_source=openai))
- https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com/ar-sa/resources/programs/innovation-challenges/selected-projects/ – This page showcases selected projects from the Google News Initiative’s Innovation Challenges, highlighting innovative solutions aimed at supporting journalism and news organizations. Projects include WBUR’s BizLab, which extends the listening experience of its WBUR Listen app to enable donations and transactions; Lee Enterprises’ Voice Brief Tool, streamlining the creation of human-curated news briefs for audio assistants; and Wick Communications’ NABUR, establishing a responsible, curated neighborhood social media platform. ([newsinitiative.withgoogle.com](https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com/ar-sa/resources/programs/innovation-challenges/selected-projects/?utm_source=openai))
- https://blog.google/products/news/3-takeaways-from-the-wanifra-world-news-media-congress/ – This blog post discusses key takeaways from the WAN-IFRA World News Media Congress held in Zaragoza, Spain, in 2022. The event focused on rebuilding trust in journalism, understanding underserved audiences, and innovative strategies for digital revenue growth. The Google News Initiative announced developments in Europe, including the 47 recipients of the Innovation Challenge for Europe, the expansion of the partnership with FT Strategies, and the launch of the fourth edition of the Table Stakes Europe program in partnership with WAN-IFRA. ([blog.google](https://blog.google/products/news/3-takeaways-from-the-wanifra-world-news-media-congress/?utm_source=openai))
- https://archive.wan-ifra.org/press-releases/2019/11/21/how-and-why-we-work-with-platforms – This press release from WAN-IFRA outlines the organization’s principles and practices when collaborating with technology platforms like Google and Facebook. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining editorial independence and transparency, ensuring that partnerships do not influence governance or policies. The release highlights initiatives such as World News Day, launched in September 2019 with the support of the Google News Initiative, and Table Stakes Europe, a transformation and coaching program for regional and community news publishers. ([archive.wan-ifra.org](https://archive.wan-ifra.org/press-releases/2019/11/21/how-and-why-we-work-with-platforms?utm_source=openai))
- https://richardgingras.medium.com/considering-the-future-of-news-in-our-societies-b5fbfd17f197 – In this Medium article, Richard Gingras, Vice President of News at Google, reflects on the future of news in society. He discusses the emergence of AI, the evolution of internet policy, and the challenge of maintaining the relevance of journalism in digital societies. The article was presented as a keynote at the WAN-IFRA annual congress in Taiwan on June 29, 2023. ([richardgingras.medium.com](https://richardgingras.medium.com/considering-the-future-of-news-in-our-societies-b5fbfd17f197?utm_source=openai))
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative clearly references the World News Media Congress held in Krakow and recent project launches by Google and WAN-IFRA. No indications of recycled or outdated news, and the initiative is described as current, with applications for participants still open. This would normally warrant a high freshness rating as it does not appear to repurpose older press releases or dated content.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Direct quotes such as those from Jaffer Zaidi and Julia Angwin are attributed to the World News Media Congress and interviews conducted at the event. While the precise timing of these statements is recent and contextually appropriate, further external verification with independent sources or transcripts from the event was not attempted. However, the quotes are plausibly attributable, and there is no evidence they have been recycled from earlier reporting.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from WAN-IFRA, a globally recognised industry body, and references direct involvement in high-profile initiatives with Google and FT Strategies. Both Google and WAN-IFRA are reputable organisations, and the context of the World News Media Congress lends further credibility. No concerns regarding the reliability of the primary sources.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The described projects and initiatives align with current trends in journalism, specifically the focus on supporting independent creators and bridging gaps between legacy and digital-native news providers. Statements regarding the scale and nature of the project (300 news providers, 1,000 news creators, etc.) are consistent with known Google and WAN-IFRA programmes. No implausible claims detected; lack of evidence for certain specifics does not invalidate plausibility.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is current, sources are reputable, quotes are credible and contextually appropriate, and the described initiatives are plausible and consistent with industry trends. No signs of recycled or outdated news.
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