The recent agreement between Google and the state of California has sparked significant debate within the journalism and media community. Under this deal, Google will contribute millions of dollars to support local journalism jobs, alongside funding for artificial intelligence (AI) research. However, the deal has been criticized by many as a strategic maneuver by Google to avoid more stringent regulations that could have been imposed through legislation.
Key aspects of the deal include a total of $250 million in funding, with $110 million from Google and $70 million from the state budget specifically allocated to journalism initiatives, which will be managed by UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. Additionally, $70 million from Google will fund an AI research program aimed at developing tools to address real-world challenges.
Critics argue that this agreement is a missed opportunity for more robust, ongoing financial support for news outlets. They contend that California's decision to abandon a proposed "link tax" bill—which would have required tech giants to pay a portion of their advertising revenue to publishers—allowed Google to sidestep potentially much larger financial commitments. This bill, modeled after legislation in Canada, could have significantly increased funding for journalism.
Journalists and labor unions have expressed frustration at being excluded from the negotiation process and view the deal as a concession to Google, which they believe undercuts efforts to fairly compensate publishers. The inclusion of AI funding in the deal has also raised concerns that it could eventually lead to the replacement of human journalists with AI tools.
Despite these criticisms, some journalism groups, such as the California News Publishers Association and California Black Media, have supported the agreement. The deal is set to take effect next year, though it remains subject to further discussions and potential adjustments, especially as it moves through the budget process in California.