Google News Showcase Will Start Paying For Paywalled Content

[engine]

Google News Showcase will soon start paying selected publishers for paywalled content, enabling limited access for users. It's on mobile, and recently iOS, and to come to desktop later.
It's currently live in Germany and Brazil at the moment, with discussions with a number of selected publishers in Argentina, Canada, France, U.K. and Australia, amongst others.

we’ll pay participating partners to provide limited access to paywalled content for News Showcase users. In return, users will register with the news publisher, providing a way for the publisher to build a relationship with readers.

[blog.google...]

[JesterMagic]

I bet Google set the price and said take it or leave it to these Publishers. As publishers start to do this and visitors start to expect it, it will force others to follow suit or loose traffic.

It's the problem with Google being a monopoly in search and also being a knowledge engine now. With no competition for Google they get to set the terms. Even if it doesn't make financial sense there will always be companies desperate enough to take the deal to try and save their business which then forces other companies to follow suit since Google brings in the most visitors for their websites.

[JorgeV]

Next, Google will run auctions, the publishers coming with the lower price, will get higher ranking.

[tangor]

Yet another PR move and attempt to stave off government oversight. Will it be enough?

[MrSavage]

This should give everyone the creeps.

[Pjman]

This reminds me of back in day, when Goto.com which became Overture first came out. As a publisher saying to myself, "Who in their right mind would pay for clicks?" I got on board months later.

[tangor]

One metric to keep in mind this is PAYWALLED content. I'm actually on the side of sites operating in that fashion as their content is all intended to be PROFIT GENERATING and g and others have been getting it for free and posting it in their SERPS.

That is patently UNFAIR.