Times News Group has signed a publishing agreement with Google News Showcase, making it the first independent, regional Australian publisher to sign up to the initiative. Times News Group will curate content across its titles including Surf Coast Times, Bellarine Times, Bendigo Times, Geelong Times, and Ballarat Times.

Managing Director Warick Brown praised Google for the deal and said the company "understands the authority regional newspapers have in the communities they serve... [Google] will help take our content further and reach larger audiences".

100 Australian media titles have signed onto Google News Showcase since its launch in February.