Google News Showcase expands to Croatia with major media partnerships

In a significant development for Croatian digital journalism, Google announced the launch of its News Showcase platform in Croatia on February 2, 2025. The program marks the expansion of Google's curated news experience and licensing initiative to its thirty-first country globally, according to Marcin Hajek, Senior News Partner Manager at Google.

The launch encompasses partnerships with several prominent Croatian media organizations, including 24sata, Večernji list, Index.hr, and Net.hr. These partnerships represent a strategic expansion of Google's news licensing program, which has already established agreements with more than 2,800 publications worldwide.

The integration of Croatian media outlets into News Showcase introduces a novel approach to news presentation through specialized panels. According to Marin Katusic, Director of Content Development at Index.hr, this system enables publishers to showcase their premium content strategically. "It allows us to hand pick only the highest quality content we create, the one we want our brand to be associated with," Katusic stated.

The technical implementation of News Showcase in Croatia incorporates specialized panel displays across Google News and Discover platforms, accessible on both Android and iOS devices. This integration maintains publishers' direct control over their content presentation and branding while facilitating reader access to complete articles on the publications' websites.

For Večernji list, a publication celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2024, the platform arrives at a crucial moment. According to deputy editor-in-chief Dario Markas, the tool addresses contemporary challenges in information verification. Markas emphasized the platform's role in helping publishers "get to the facts and the real truth that often lies beneath the surface."

The expansion into Croatia represents Google's tenth launch in the Baltic and Central and Eastern European regions. This geographical progression demonstrates the platform's increasing presence in European media markets, particularly in regions experiencing digital transformation in their news ecosystems.

Net.hr, marking its 25th anniversary as one of Croatia's pioneering digital journalism platforms, views the partnership as an opportunity for innovation. Matej Lončarić, Chief Digital Officer of CME Adria, highlighted the alignment between Net.hr's mission and the News Showcase initiative in delivering high-quality content to readers.

The implementation of News Showcase in Croatia builds upon Google's existing collaborations with local media organizations. The company has established partnerships with the Croatian Association of Digital Publishers (HUDI), delivering specialized training programs that have reached more than 240 journalists and publishing professionals. These initiatives have covered various aspects of modern journalism, including misinformation management, artificial intelligence applications in investigative reporting, and digital verification techniques.

Google's engagement with Croatian media extends beyond the News Showcase platform. The company has conducted AI Design sprint workshops in collaboration with FT Strategies, focusing on artificial intelligence product design and strategic implementation. Additionally, Google has supported initiatives addressing misinformation, particularly during election periods, through partnerships with organizations such as Faktograf on the "Election Facts Hub" project.

The educational dimension of Google's media partnerships in Croatia includes collaboration with VERN University, focusing on developing digital skills among aspiring journalists. This initiative emphasizes data verification, research methodologies, and reporting techniques.

Ivan Buča, editor-in-chief of 24sata, addressed the contemporary challenges of digital information consumption, noting that "News Showcase can really help publishers to present the best of their content to a wide audience." Buča emphasized the platform's potential as a tool for highlighting significant daily topics and improving content accessibility on mobile devices.

The launch of News Showcase in Croatia represents a continuation of Google's long-term engagement with news publishers, which spans more than two decades. This development signals an evolution in the relationship between technology platforms and traditional media organizations in the Croatian market, focusing on content quality, reader engagement, and sustainable digital journalism practices.