During the recent Google for India event, the company unveiled a new “watch page” experience for news stories on YouTube. This feature will allow users to access content from reputable news sources, including video on demand, live streams, podcasts, and Shorts. The watch page for news is set to launch in India in the fourth quarter of 2023, supporting 11 languages. Users can access this feature by clicking on a video with a newspaper icon, which will be available on the homepage and in search results. Initially, it will be available for mobile users, with desktop and living room integration coming in the future.
YouTube aims to provide users with curated content related to significant news stories of the day. For example, if the main news story is about Chandrayaan-3, the watch page will suggest videos, Shorts, and related content from credible news sources. Google emphasized the importance of connecting viewers with timely and substantive news content, reflecting users’ growing interest in news content in India.
At the event, Google also revealed that one in three users in India searched for news in 2022. Additionally, Google highlighted the economic contributions of the YouTube creative ecosystem to India, stating that it contributed over Rs 16,000 crores to the Indian GDP and supported more than 750,000 full-time equivalent jobs in 2022.
Google introduced the “Shorts Innovation Program for News,” which is designed to enhance the short-form video capabilities of news organizations through financial grants and support. This initiative involves collaboration with over 20 organizations across 10 countries, with a total funding of $1.6 million.
