News in brief: AUS Publishers Hit Google with Lawsuits; Daily Mail to Merge Print and Online Teams Amidst Challenges; BBC World Service Sets out £6m Saving Plan 

Google Faces Ad Tech Lawsuits from AUS Publishers

Google is facing two class-action lawsuits from Australian publishers over its dominance in ad tech, reports The Guardian. These add to the growing number of lawsuits against Google over its uncontested dominance in the industry. The claimants say that Google’s actions have led to publishers receiving less in ad revenue than they otherwise would. One regional publication has said that its ad revenue from the company amounts to just AUS$20 (£10) per month. On Friday, a hearing took place for the class-action brought by law firm Piper Alderman on behalf of a range of publications. The court also heard a proposed class-action brought by Maurice Blackburn on behalf of regional outlet Riverine Grazier, which is due to be launched in the coming weeks. 

Daily Mail to Merge Print and Online Teams Amidst Challenges

In other news from the world of publishing, the Daily Mail owner intends to make job cuts across the newspaper group as well as merging its print and online teams into a single operation, the FT reveals. The move is a response to the uncertain outlook publishers are currently facing amidst increasing challenges for the publishing industry. The strategic overhaul will reportedly result in less than 100 job losses. It will also see the Mail on Sunday publications becoming more closely integrated into the newsroom. Just last week, Sky News also announced a strategic overhaul to protect its future amidst the decline of linear TV.

BBC World Service Sets out £6m Saving Plan 

Similarly, the BBC World Service has set out its plan to save £6m in order to meet saving requirements for 2025. The savings will be made through the closure of national and international posts, reducing around 130 roles; reinvesting in strategically important skills; making changes to the commissioning mix on World Service English; and reshaping some of the World Service Language teams. Despite the government’s increase in funding for the service, the broadcaster says that issues including previous freezes on the licence fee and global inflation have made the cuts necessary.