11:51 pm - May 30, 2025
Why OpenAI’s $6.5 billion bet on Jony Ive could herald the first truly independent intelligence device Fresh from attending the INMA World Congress in New York, I find myself grappling with an uncomfortable truth that overshadowed the entire conference. While we discussed the future of journalism, OpenAI’s latest AI…...
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The Poynter Institute’s new programme aims to rebuild trust in AI-driven journalism amid audience scepticism. As newsrooms rush to adopt artificial intelligence to streamline workflows and enhance reporting, many of their audiences remain deeply uneasy about the technology’s growing role. That disconnect presents a serious challenge for trust in journalism…
BI is increasing its reliance on AI and will focus on events amid falling traffic. Business Insider is laying off around 21% of its staff as part of a major restructuring aimed at addressing sharp declines in web traffic and the growing impact of generative AI. The move, outlined in…
After 16 years as a vibrant online platform, Tablet magazine is launching a high-end monthly print edition. Tablet, the sharp-tongued online magazine that has built a loyal audience over 16 years, is launching a print edition in a move that bucks the digital-only trend sweeping the media industry. Editor-in-chief Alana Newhouse says the new monthly will offer readers a more tactile, deliberate experience, “a sense of humanity and passion” in contrast to what she sees as the sterile outputs of mainstream media. Launching next week, the first edition will cost $40 and feature original long-form reporting, photo essays and exclusive…
The strategic sale of The Observer to Tortoise Media and international growth highlight a significant shift in the publisher’s financial health amid wider sector changes. The Guardian has reported record revenue of £275 million for the 2024–25 financial year, as digital reader income and international expansion help cut its operating losses by a third. The figures mark a sharp improvement from the previous year, when the company brought in £257.8 million and posted a £37 million operating loss. That figure is now below £25 million. Growth was led by a surge in digital reader revenues, which rose more than 20…
A €1.4 million grant programme backed by the EU and King Baudouin Foundation is supporting local and investigative news outlets across Europe. A new €1.4 million grant programme is aiming to revitalise local and investigative journalism across Europe, with a particular focus on under-served regions often described as “news deserts”. Backed by the European Union and the King Baudouin Foundation, the initiative is being run by Journalismfund Europe and International Media Support, and is open to local, regional and community media outlets struggling with declining revenues and shrinking newsrooms. The Pluralistic Media for Democracy programme is offering nearly 40 grants…
The US investment group has reached an agreement to acquire The Telegraph overcoming previous governmental hurdles. US investment group RedBird Capital Partners has reached an agreement to acquire the Telegraph Media Group for £500 million, marking the end of a protracted saga marked by political opposition and scrutiny over foreign influence. The in-principle deal gives RedBird “sole control” of the publisher, which includes the Telegraph’s print and digital operations, while Abu Dhabi-based International Media Investments (IMI) retains a minority stake in line with UK rules that cap foreign state ownership of newspapers at 15%. The agreement follows the collapse of…
The publisher is to launch Ouest-France TV in September 2025, aiming to engage underserved young adults aged 25 to 49 beyond Paris with locally focused video content. Ouest France will launch its own television channel in September 2025 as part of a wider effort to reach younger viewers and diversify its revenue base. The new service, provisionally called Ouest-France TV, will focus on locally produced video content aimed at 25 to 49-year-olds living outside major cities. Speaking at the World News Media Congress, CEO Fabrice Bakhouche said the initiative was a response to shifting media consumption habits. “Video is the…
Governor Gavin Newsom proposes cutting California’s $30 million commitment to a deal with Google aimed at saving local news. California’s landmark agreement with Google to support local journalism is under threat after Governor Gavin Newsom proposed cutting the state’s contribution from $30 million to just $10 million – before a single…
Led by the entrepreneur Florian Novak, Jetzt aims to revive Austria’s media landscape with its subscription-based independent text and audio journalism. A new independent journalism platform in Austria is attempting a bold experiment: signing up 5,000 paying members before it even launches. The site, called Jetzt, is the brainchild of…
The Murdoch-controlled company is introducing compulsory AI bootcamps to improve adoption of AI tools. News Corp Australia is rolling out mandatory AI training sessions for its journalists as it steps up the use of artificial intelligence in its newsrooms. The company says the bootcamps are designed to familiarise staff with…...
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Julia Hood will lead a strategic push to integrate artificial intelligence deeply into journalism processes. Business Insider has appointed Julia Hood as its first newsroom AI lead, formalising its push to integrate artificial intelligence more deeply into editorial processes. The move comes shortly after staff expressed concern over the company’s…
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Recognised as Innovator of the Year by the Local Media Association, the publisher has used AI to enhance storytelling, accessibility, and community engagement. Paris Brown, publisher of The Baltimore Times, has been named Innovator of the Year by the Local Media Association for her work modernising the 40-year-old title through…
Tim Davie promotes a balanced approach that merges technological innovation with traditional journalistic integrity. BBC Director-General Tim Davie has called on public service broadcasters, regulators and technology companies to join forces in safeguarding trust in journalism and combating the risks posed by AI. In a speech delivered in London last…
Employees at the Axel Springer-owned title are wary about their usage being tracked. More than 70% of Business Insider staff have started using the enterprise version of ChatGPT since its rollout in April, part of a company-wide push to integrate generative AI into daily workflows. The rollout aims for full…
A new INMA report on newsroom metrics shows top publishers are prioritising quality reads and engagement over clicks. Leading news organisations are moving away from measuring success through traffic volume and impressions, according to a new report from the International News Media Association (INMA). Instead, publishers such as The New…...
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The title’s new bot-produced sports articles combine Major League Baseball schedules with heavy sports betting promotions. USA Today has expanded its use of automated journalism, publishing articles that combine Major League Baseball schedules with sports betting promotions – a move that has reignited concerns about the ethical boundaries between news and marketing. At a glance, the articles appear routine: they list upcoming MLB games under standard headlines, with a byline from a USA Today editor and a short introduction. But embedded throughout are heavy promotions for betting platforms like FanDuel, BetMGM and Caesars, offering sign-up bonuses alongside disclaimers about responsible…
With over two decades in NLP, Amanda Stent is focusing on generative AI applications to transform financial analysis while navigating risks like AI hallucinations. Amanda Stent, a pioneer in natural language processing, is leading Bloomberg’s AI strategy at a time when generative AI is reshaping financial services. With more than two decades of experience, Stent has witnessed the field’s evolution first-hand – from the early days of niche research to today’s AI-driven transformation. Completing her PhD at the University of Rochester in 2001, Stent specialised in natural language generation long before it became a mainstream focus. Reflecting on her career…
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The study by SE Ranking raises concerns among publishers about reduced external traffic and the future of SEO strategies. A new study by SEO platform SE Ranking shows that Google’s AI-generated search overviews are now driving more than 40% of users back to Google’s own pages, intensifying concerns among media publishers about shrinking external traffic and the future of SEO. Analysing over 140,000 AI search responses across five major US states, including New York and California, the study found that 43.42% of links in AI-generated summaries pointed to Google-owned properties. As users navigate increasingly AI-driven search results, they now click…
The project aims to support and connect independent news creators with traditional media through training, funding, and industry collaboration. Google has launched the Global News Gaps Project, an initiative aimed at strengthening emerging news creators and bridging them with traditional media organisations. The announcement was made during WAN-IFRA’s World News Media Congress in Krakow last week. The project has three main pillars. The first, the News Creators Project, will be led by FT Strategies, with WAN-IFRA acting as the lead industry association partner. It will map and deepen understanding of the new wave of news providers operating mainly on social…
The Murdoch-led company has reported a surge in quarterly net profits to $107 million, outperforming Wall Street expectations. News Corp has reported robust quarterly profits, driven by strong performance in its digital businesses and the continued success of its Dow Jones division, led by The Wall Street Journal. For the third quarter ending March 31,...
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The website’s recent experiments with AI chatbots spotlight both the opportunities and challenges faced by modern newsrooms in engaging audiences and maintaining journalistic trust amid evolving technology. The Texas Tribune’s recent experiments with AI chatbots offer a window into how newsrooms are grappling with the potential and pitfalls of artificial intelligence. Presented at the Hacks/Hackers Journalism AI conference in Baltimore, the Tribune’s trials explored how chatbots might improve audience engagement without undermining trust. At the heart of the Tribune’s exploration was a question many newsrooms are now asking: can AI-powered chatbots serve as meaningful interfaces between the newsroom and the…
The aggregator has expanded its AI-driven news platform beyond iOS with a new web version. Particle, the AI-powered news app co-founded by former Twitter engineers, has launched a web version as it looks to broaden access and establish itself as an alternative to traditional aggregators like Flipboard and SmartNews. Previously available only on iOS, the new web version brings Particle’s summarised, AI-curated news experience to desktop users. The platform uses LLMs to generate concise, multi-perspective summaries of articles from a wide range of sources. The aim is to help users cut through the noise of today’s fragmented news environment without…
The paper has relaunched its mobile app with personalised content, a dedicated podcast tab and text-to-speech functionality. The Guardian has relaunched its mobile app with a new focus on personalisation, audio features and visual storytelling, part of a broader strategy to cement direct relationships with its growing global audience. It also redesigned its web homepage with a focus on being “mobile first”. The redesigned app introduces a dedicated podcast tab and a text-to-speech feature that lets users listen to articles, reflecting the publisher’s push into audio as a key driver of engagement. An in-app audio player and a new puzzles…
The German publisher has transformed its subscription model by introducing daily news quizzes and a debate-based commenting systems. Der Spiegel has overhauled its subscription strategy with a suite of interactive features designed to build reader habits and foster community. Central to the approach are daily news quizzes and a reimagined commenting platform, both of which have measurably increased engagement and time spent on site. The strategy was outlined by the title’s product manager Dr Laura Badura in a session at WAN-IFRA’s World News Media Congress in Krakow this week. The quiz, linked prominently in Der Spiegel’s morning newsletter, draws around…
The winners of the 2025 Digital Media Awards were announced in Krakow this week. The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has revealed the winners of the 2025 Digital Media Awards Worldwide, honouring innovative approaches in digital news media across regions including Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The selection process involved 674 entries from five regions, demonstrating how news publishers are utilising digital tools to enhance journalism and engage audiences effectively. The awards ceremony took place during WAN-IFRA’s World News Media Congress in Krakow this week. “While we talk a lot about the challenges facing news publishers, WAN-IFRA’s Digital…
The market, valued at $670.3 million in 2023, is projected to exceed $2.4 billion by 2032. The global market for AI writing assistant software is on a steep growth trajectory, with its value projected to rise from $670.3 million in 2023 to more than $2.4 billion by 2032, according to a new report from DataIntelo. This represents a compound annual growth rate of 15.5 percent, driven by accelerating demand across e-commerce, education and hybrid work sectors. As digital communication and content personalisation become central to business operations, AI writing tools are increasingly used to scale content creation, reduce human error…
The country is moving forward with a new AI bill that embraces self-regulation and collaboration over punitive measures. Japan is moving to establish a formal AI regulatory framework designed to promote innovation through self-regulation and minimal enforcement – part of a wider effort to position the country as the world’s most “AI-friendly” economy. The bill, already approved by the House of Representatives and expected to pass in the upper house where the ruling coalition holds a majority, emphasises collaboration over control. Rather than setting binding rules, it encourages AI developers to act responsibly, promising support from the government and proposing guidance,…
