YouTube: enhancing visibility of trustworthy news sources

YouTube is implementing changes to improve the exposure of news from “reliable sources” on its platform. This involves introducing a new “engaging viewing experience” for mobile devices, which aims to offer users additional news-related content as they watch news videos. By prioritizing authoritative voices in search results and recommendations, YouTube hopes to build trust and enhance accuracy for its users. This measure will help counteract misinformation and ensure viewers receive information from valid sources. Additionally, YouTube plans to allocate $1.6 million to support news content creation for its short-form service called Shorts.

Users will see the updated YouTube watch page when they open a video with a newspaper icon. This will present relevant long-form videos, livestreams, podcasts, and Shorts videos below the currently playing content. The goal for this change is to provide a richer news consumption experience on YouTube, motivating users to interact more with reputable news sources and various formats. By investing in Shorts’ production, YouTube demonstrates its dedication to spreading trustworthy news and growing an informed user base.

The production of shortform Shorts news content in collaboration with over 20 organizations across ten countries

This partnership hopes to stimulate the creation of reliable and engaging news content in a condensed format, catering to the increasing number of users who prefer consuming information in smaller portions. By offering financial assistance and resources, YouTube creates an environment where reputable news organizations can thrive and share vital information through Shorts, ultimately improving the platform’s informative content.

YouTube’s investment in trustworthy news is significant, particularly when other platforms are reluctant to engage with news from traditional mainstream sources. By partnering with established news outlets, YouTube intends to minimize the time and effort needed to create shorter, more digestible news stories while maintaining journalistic integrity. This initiative is expected to foster greater trust among users, as conventional news organizations with proven track records will repurpose their content for this fast-evolving platform.

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Deanna Ritchie

Managing Editor at ReadWrite

Deanna is the Managing Editor at ReadWrite. Previously she worked as the Editor in Chief for Startup Grind and has over 20+ years of experience in content management and content development.