Media company NZME is looking to cut a deal with technology heavyweight Google about supplying news.
NZME offices. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Brad White
The pair have signed a letter of intent for the supply of content to Google's News Showcase, and will now negotiate the terms and conditions of a five-year deal.
Chief executive Michael Boggs said any deal would support its digital development and journalism in the country.
"We are pleased to have reached a point with Google where we can partner with them to further enable digital growth across NZME's business, boosting digital revenue for NZME and increasing our audience reach."
NZME publishes a range of papers including the New Zealand Herald, also owns NewsTalk ZB and other radio networks, and last year bought the specialist online business publisher, BusinessDesk.
As a result of the potential deal NZME detailed its earnings guidance for the year to between $67m-$72m. It had previously only said it expected to beat the previous year's $66m.
Google New Zealand country director Caroline Rainsford, said an agreement would show its backing for "original, trusted, and quality journalism".
"We've helped support the local news industry for two decades and we look forward to continuing to build on this important work to support the future of journalism in Aotearoa."
NZME is also talking to Meta, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, about being paid for content that appears on its websites, but it gave no update on the state of those talks.
Boggs said NZME would now pull out of the planned media industry collective looking to reach a content supply and payment agreement with the big tech companies, similar to that reached in Australia under threat of government regulation.