Ludovic Blecher, Head of Google News Initiative Innovation, said in a statement that JERF has provided 39.5m US dollars in funding to publishers in 115 countries in the past few months. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that JERF which was launched in April is aimed at helping local publishers facing financial hardship as a result of the economic and advertising downturn. The GNI Head said that the list of Nigerian publishers were Aledah.com, City Mirror News, Daily Nigerian, News Wire NGR, Lagos Post Media, Newsfeed Nigeria, Premium Times. He said that the others were Sundiata Post, Sunrise Newspaper, Tell Magazine, Daily Times, Daily Report, Eagle Online, The Median, TNG and The Punch (including Saturday Punch, Sunday Punch and Punch Online)Blecher said the money is being applied in diverse and creative ways from ensuring basic reporting needs, giving emergency stipends to allow reporters cover the crisis, to driving audience engagement and generating subscriptions. “The pandemic has affected everyone and local news organisations have been at the forefront in helping their communities navigate COVID-19,’’ Blecher said.

Source: The Guardian July 24, 2020 10:52 UTC