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UPI
22-05-2025
- Business
- UPI
Google reduces donation to California newsrooms after Newsom budget plan cuts
The Google brand logo hangs above the entrance to the Google Building in Manhattan in January of 2023. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo May 22 (UPI) -- Google announced reduced its funding contribution for newsrooms across California, following the lead of Gov. Gavin Newsom who made a similar cut from his budget plan. The tech company dropped its initial proposed donation of $15 million to the California Civic Media Fund to $10 million, California State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, said in a press release Wednesday. Newsom had cut state funding for the fund last week from $30 million to $10 million as part of his current plan to address a $12 billion budget deficit. Alphabet will continue to provide financial support for newsrooms across the Golden State through its Google News Initiative, among other programming, which offers over $10 million in annual support to media outlets in California. The Civic Media Fund will also receive money from private donations and be managed by the California State Library. "We appreciate the leadership of Gov. Newsom and Assemblymember Wicks in fulfilling the famework established last year," Alphabet's Vice President of Global News Partnerships Jaffer Zaidi said. "We're committed to its success, and based on the agreement, we're pleased to match the State of California's initial contribution to the Civic Media Fund." Wicks initially announced the deal in August, saying it would include nearly $250 million in public and private funding over five years .with $100 million upfront.
Libya Observer
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Libya Observer
UNSMIL launches "Basirah" program to develop AI skills of Libyan media professionals
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has announced the launching of a new training program titled 'Basirah' (Insight), aimed at enhancing the professional skills of Libyan journalists, starting on May 21. According to UNSMIL, the program opens with a digital workshop led by Pamela Kesrouani, a teaching fellow with the Google News Initiative in the Middle East and North Africa. The focus will be on how journalists can leverage artificial intelligence to improve the quality of their reporting and research. Over the next two months, the program will feature prominent international experts from institutions such as the University of Cambridge, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and others. Topics will include the impact of AI on politics and democracy, technological tools for improving news verification, media manipulation during times of war, and strategies for protecting oneself from online harassment. Head of UNSMIL, Hanna Tetteh, stressed that journalists play a vital role in Libya's stability by raising public awareness, debunking false information, and holding decision-makers accountable. She added that the Basirah program was designed to provide high-quality technical training that meets this crucial need. Tags: UNSMIL AI
