Google and epa European Pressphoto Agency sign agreement – Google to host epa content on Google News

Google and epa today announced a new agreement under which the search engine will host epa content on Google News. Under the agreement, Google News users will be able to quickly and easily find original text stories and photos from the online services of several of epa's eleven shareholding agencies.

"This new approach not only enhances the experience for users, it also gives proper recognition to journalists and publishers who work hard to break the news,” said Josh Cohen, Business Product Manager of Google News. "We are delighted to work with epa and through it with eight of Europe’s leading national news agencies.”

"We are pleased to have accomplished an agreement with Google that is good for all: epa, the participating agencies and Google will benefit from the monetization of our original articles and photos hosted by Google, and users will benefit from the user-friendly approach to this type of display of news agency content,” said Jörg Schierenbeck, epa’s Managing Director.

In the coming months, Google will now be able to link to the source of the news agency content. "Previously, Google News would often display multiple copies of the same news agency articles and photos, with separate links to various sites,” said Cohen. "Thanks to the agreement with epa, Google News will now be able to link directly to the original article, on a page hosted by Google.”

Users will also have the option to click to see all other copies of these articles, wherever they have been published, giving them additional opportunities to click through to those publishers websites and see extra content, background, and analysis from publishers.

"The importance of this agreement is that the news agencies are recognized for the original content they create, and can generate new revenue through the advertising revenue share split with Google for all hosted articles on Google News,” said Walter Grolimund, Chairman of epa’s Supervisory Board.

About epa:

epa (www.epa.eu) built a name as the leading newsphoto source from Europe since its foundation in 1985. epa is owned by eleven of Europe’s finest news and pictures agencies, and the cream of their current newsphotos forms part of the epa product. On May 1, 2003, the agency went one step further and set up its own world-wide network of photographers. Today, as much as an average of more than 1000 epa pictures per day reach hundreds of newspapers and other subscribers on all continents. epa photos have been awarded prestigious prizes in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa.

About Google Inc.

Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit http://www.google.com.