Google News partners with local news publishers to bring local news about COVID-19

California [US], June 30 (ANI): Google on Monday announced that it is partnering with local news publishers to bring local news about the COVID-19 pandemic to its Google News application.
As cities and towns across the world respond with local policies and guidelines, the need for timely and reliable local news and information is vital. Google said that to help people navigate these complexities, they are working across their news products to highlight the latest local guidance and surfacing more content from local news publishers so users can understand how the virus is affecting their community.
"Finding consolidated and trustworthy COVID-19 guidance can be challenging. To help each community be prepared for what's next, the Google News app is piloting a new feature in partnership with local news publishers. We will test this in a few geographic areas in the COVID-19 special section of the app, where users can view community reopening timelines, plus updates around business and school openings," Daniel Rocha, Director, Engineering, News, said in a blog post.
"They can also see the status of the local healthcare infrastructure, public transportation, events and sections with resources for residents looking for or wanting to help families in need. This feature is available in more than 21 areas, ranging across both small and large newsrooms from The Raleigh News & Observer, NOLA.com, CBS Chicago, Oregon Live and Gothamist," Rocha added.
Rocha further stated that they will also continue to expand their coverage across the U.S. and Canada, and plan to bring this feature to products beyond the Google News app in the future. (ANI)