Over a hundred UK-based local news titles are to benefit from funding from a Journalism Emergency Relief Fund by Google News Initiative to ease the impact of Covid-19 on regional publishers.

The digital giant has now named the 106 UK recipients of the global fund, which includes independent newspapers the Camden New Journal, Islington Tribune, Henley Standard and Jewish Telegraph.

Titles from the regional press’s smaller publishing groups receiving Google funding are: the Cambridge Independent and Kent Online of Iliffe Media, Coventry Observer of Bullivant Media group, and Baylis Media’s Maidenhead Advertiser & Slough Express.

Larger publishing groups Midlands News Association – publisher of the Express and Star – and The Courier/ The Press and Journal of DC Thomson Media in Scotland will also benefit.

The funding has already assisted DC Thomson with supporting new content teams to help generate 10,000 subscribers during lockdown, the initiative reports. 

The West Highland Free Press, which temporarily ceased publication in April due to the pandemic, is also listed as a recipient. The UK’s only employee-owned paper will make a return to print in August under the new editorship of Keith MacKenzie who assumes the role following predecessor Ian McCormack’s retirement.

Google News Initiative says it has now provided $39.5 million in funding to more than 5600 publishers in 115 countries through its Journalism Emergency Relief Fund.

The tech giant says the aim of the fund is to recognise the role of local news organisations at the forefront in helping their communities navigate Covid-19.

More than 12,000 applications for the emergency fund were reportedly made within just two weeks of Google announcing the scheme in April.

Google carried out a survey when receiving applications which found that 60 per cent of the recipients were planning to diversify their revenue streams following Covid-19. Developing subscription, membership or contribution models were cited plans – no doubt to counter the loss of advertising revenue triggered by the pandemic.

Ludovic Blecher, Head of Google News Initiative Innovation, said in a post announcing the recipients:

“When COVID-19 was turning the world upside down, we didn’t know what to expect. The intent was simple: help address a very real need from local publishers and news sites globally that are facing financial hardship as a result of the economic and advertising downturn. 

“In the last few months, we have provided $39.5 million in funding to more than 5600 publishers in 115 countries. The money is being applied in diverse and creative ways, from ensuring basic reporting needs and giving emergency stipends to allow reporters to cover the crisis, to driving audience engagement and generating subscriptions.”

A full list of UK recipients appears below: