Google to launch fund to support Taiwan’s media outlets

Google said Taiwan’s media industry has been facing major competitive challenges in adapting to the digital age. (AFP/File)
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Updated 10 March 2023
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Google to launch fund to support Taiwan’s media outlets

  • ‘Taiwan News Digital Co-prosperity Fund’ aims to strengthen local publishers digital capabilities

TAIPEI: Google said on Wednesday it will launch a T$300 million ($9.8 million) fund over the next three years to help boost the Taiwanese media’s continuing operations and digital competitiveness.

Google has come under pressure in some countries to negotiate commercial deals and pay news publishers for their content, though not in Taiwan.

Google said it will pay local publishers through what it calls a “Taiwan News Digital Co-prosperity Fund” to strengthen their digital publishing capability.

The fund will help Taiwan local media “hone digital skills, gain expertise and support the sustainable development of Taiwan's news industry,” the company said.

“Even while Google faces many challenges in the overall international environment, Taiwan remains a crucial global stronghold,” Tina Lin, managing director of sales and operations at Google Taiwan, told reporters in Taipei.

Google said Taiwan’s media industry has been facing major competitive challenges in adapting to the digital age, pointing out that advertising revenues for traditional media outlets have dropped 70 percent from 2003 to 2020.

The initiative marks the latest effort by the internet giant to develop mechanisms to support and compensate regional news providers whose content appears on Google, as it faces the prospect that governments may impose regulations to require such mechanisms.

An Australian law giving the government power to compel Google and rival Meta Platforms to negotiate content supply deals with media outlets has largely worked, according to an Australian government report in late 2022.


SRMG launches G.O.A.T, AI-powered sports platform for data-driven fans

Updated 13 January 2026
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SRMG launches G.O.A.T, AI-powered sports platform for data-driven fans

  • The launch comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is increasingly at the center of global sport
  • The app complements live broadcasts by keeping fans connected before, during, and after the game

RIYADH: The Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) on Tuesday announced the launch of G.O.A.T, a new sports app designed to deliver fast, credible, and curated coverage in one destination. Built for a mobile-first generation, G.O.A.T is designed for a sports landscape evolving at unprecedented speed.

The launch of G.O.A.T comes at a time when Saudi Arabia, and the region more broadly, are increasingly at the center of global sport. Saudi football in particular has been undergoing rapid transformation, emerging as one of the fastest-growing and most closely followed leagues in the world.

“As fan behavior evolves alongside this growth, audiences are no longer looking only for headlines, but for trusted context, real-time access, and platforms that reflect how sport is experienced today,” the group said in a statement. 

Created to meet these expectations, G.O.A.T is an audience-first, data-driven app built for the AI age. It brings together real-time updates, breaking news, video highlights, and match insights in a simple, always-on experience designed around fan behavior and matchday flow.

The app complements live broadcasts by keeping fans connected before, during, and after the game, from instant goal alerts to key stories, highlights, and the conversations shaping matchday momentum across screens and platforms.

The launch marks the first phase of G.O.A.T’s rollout, initially focusing on football and the Saudi Pro League, alongside coverage of the world’s most prominent competitions. In its early release, the app serves as a leading destination for up-to-the-minute Saudi football news, grounded in SRMG’s editorial standards and designed to cut through misinformation and noise that increasingly dominate sports coverage.

In its initial release, G.O.A.T curates content from SRMG’s most trusted brands, including Arriyadiah, Asharq Al Awsat, Asharq Sports, and Sport 24, giving fans access to reporting, analysis, and match coverage from the region’s most established newsrooms through one unified product experience.

As the platform evolves, G.O.A.T is expected to unlock new monetization opportunities aligned with fan behavior and premium engagement. These include intelligent sponsorship integrations, data-driven brand partnerships, and premium experiences built around key moments and competitions. Designed as a scalable product platform, G.O.A.T enables brands, leagues, and partners to connect with highly engaged sports audiences through context-rich formats that enhance rather than disrupt the fan experience.

The launch of G.O.A.T also marks another step in SRMG’s expansion across the sports media ecosystem, following the group’s acquisition of exclusive rights to broadcast the Saudi Pro League across the Middle East and North Africa through Thmanyah.

Alaa Shahine Salha, Content Development Managing Director at SRMG, said: “G.O.A.T was built around a simple idea. Sports fans need speed, depth, and credibility in one place. This first phase establishes a strong editorial and community foundation. What comes next will expand how fans interact with content, match moments, and each other, powered by a smarter, data-led experience.”

SRMG said it will continue to evolve G.O.A.T through interactive and community-driven features that deepen participation and bring fans closer to the action, while maintaining a clear commitment to credibility and responsible reporting.

G.O.A.T is now available to download on iOS and Android.