4:58 pm - March 30, 2026
The industry faces existential questions about purpose and value Traditional notions of a “paper of record” are increasingly outdated Successful organisations will innovatively redefine their role and revenue streams This first appeared in our weekly newsletter Editor’s picks. Sign up here I’ve been turning to existential questions in recent…
Jonathan Greenberger to lead Politico from 1 May, focusing on expanding its reach Shift in leadership aims to enhance reporting speed and technological infrastructure Politico continues to diversify with new hires in audio, video, and Capitol Hill coverage Jonathan Greenberger will become Politico’s editor-in-chief on May 1, marking a shift…
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman urges tech firms to focus on hiring recent graduates skilled in AI Industry leaders see young, AI-native workers as vital for future innovation and leadership Despite automation trends, companies emphasise the importance of training entry-level staff for long-term success Steve Huffman wants companies to stop overlooking…
Notus recruits nine seasoned journalists including seven from The Washington Post Move highlights shifts in Washington’s media landscape with talent leaving traditional outlets Organisational rebrand plans suggest ambitions to rival established national newspapers The nonprofit political newsroom NOTUS has hired nine journalists, including seven from The Washington Post, in a move that underscores growing competition between legacy news organisations and well-funded startup outlets and further emphasises the issues at the beleaguered Post. The hires, announced Monday in an internal memorandum from the Allbritton Journalism Institute, bring a cluster of veteran reporters and editors to the newsroom founded last year by…
Teenage use of TikTok and Snapchat declines but persists in some groups Platforms remove millions of underage accounts but face enforcement hurdles International interest grows as Australia’s approach influences other countries’ policies Two months after Australia introduced the world’s first nationwide ban preventing under-16s from holding accounts on major social media platforms, early data suggests teenage use has fallen but not disappeared. A report from parental control software maker Qustodio found activity among 13- to 15-year-olds on TikTok and Snapchat declined between November and February, though more than one in five teenagers in that group continued to use the apps.…
Investigative journalist Julia Angwin sues Grammarly over unauthorised use of her name in AI tool The case questions whether AI companies need explicit licences for referencing real individuals The lawsuit highlights broader concerns about transparency, consent, and attribution in AI practices A proposed class action in Manhattan federal court accuses Grammarly, the AI writing tool, of using the reputations of well-known journalists, authors and academics to market an AI editing feature without their permission. The complaint, filed by investigative journalist Julia Angwin, alleges the company’s “Expert Review” tool presented editing suggestions as if they were drawn from named writers, creating…
Over 1.5 million research papers processed with AI in 2025, with a 25% forecasted increase in 2026 Springer Nature’s Snapp platform integrates AI tools to streamline manuscript handling and reviewer management The publisher balances efficiency with human oversight, ensuring transparency and research integrity Springer Nature says it processed more than 1.5 million research papers through AI-assisted editorial workflows in 2025 and expects that figure to rise by a further 25 per cent in 2026 as it expands the technology across its journals. The publisher says nearly 60 AI tools are now embedded in different stages of manuscript handling to assist…
The New York Times newsroom has grown by over 50% in a decade, marking ongoing success. Historical overexpansion at the Washington Post serves as a cautionary tale. Industry-wide decline and AI disruption suggest caution against large-scale staffing growth. This first appeared in our weekly newsletter Editor’s picks. Sign up here Food portions, the economy, TVs, apartment blocks, wars and people – a week in New York has reminded me that America just keeps getting bigger. You could add the New York Times to that list. This week AG Sulzberger, its publisher, revealed that its newsroom has now grown to…
ESPN hires six experienced journalists from The Washington Post amid industry reshuffle New recruits bolster ESPN’s investigative and long‑form sports coverage The move highlights the widening talent gap and strategic shifts after Post’s sports desk closure Five weeks after The Washington Post dismantled its sports desk, ESPN has hired six…
Axel Springer agrees to buy The Telegraph for £575 million, ending a lengthy sales process The deal marks the first time a German publisher owns the UK’s historically conservative newspaper Regulatory reviews are expected to scrutinise the impact on media plurality and foreign influence German publishing group Axel Springer has…
Axel Springer acquires Bisnow, integrating it into Brew Media Group The deal aims to strengthen Axel Springer’s US B2B and event-led offerings Bisnow remains operationally independent with senior management intact Axel Springer has agreed to acquire Bisnow, adding the events and editorial business to a new US-focused division that will…
News Corp’s CEO outlines a strategy combining licensing and litigation to protect journalism content The company has secured multi-million dollar deals with tech giants like Meta and OpenAI for AI training data Thomson emphasises the importance of reliable news sources for AI development and warns against unauthorised use News Corp…
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Nearly half of US consumers now turn to TikTok for search, a 20% increase in two years Gen Z is the most active, with 64% using TikTok for online searches Marketers should focus on short-form, visually engaging content to optimise discovery Nearly half of US consumers have used TikTok as…
Unanimous approval of a three‑year contract by HuffPost Writers Guild of America East members Agreement includes AI content review, advanced deployment notice, and protection against impersonation Salary minimums increase by nearly 10%, with improved parental leave, sick leave, and professional development funds Members of the Writers Guild of America East…
Steve Grove discusses the decline of traditional local newspapers amid rising citizen reporting The Star Tribune adapts through digital innovation, risking operational cuts Signs of growth emerge through increased online subscriptions despite funding challenges Sometimes the context around a conversation reshapes its meaning. That was evident at last Friday’s Good…
RAG combines retrieval and generative models to deliver up-to-date, accurate answers Structured data and schema markup boost content discoverability for AI systems SEO strategies are shifting towards fact clarity and entity prominence to favour AI-driven search answers Retrieval-Augmented Generation — or RAG — is changing how information is surfaced online.…
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Major UK news organisations launch SPUR to combat unauthorised AI training use Aim to establish licensing standards and secure fair compensation for original reporting Initiative underscores concerns over AI’s impact on journalism’s economic sustainability Some of Britain’s largest news organisations have launched a coalition to challenge the unauthorised use of journalism by AI developers. Leaders of the BBC, Financial Times, Guardian, Sky News and Telegraph Media Group have signed an open letter announcing SPUR , Standards for Publisher Usage Rights. The group says it will press for clearer rules and compensation when original reporting is used to train artificial intelligence…
Programme targets young media leaders across EMEA to foster responsible AI use in newsrooms 12-week, tuition-free initiative supported by Google News Initiative aims to narrow innovation gap Focus on skills development through real-world challenges, mentorship, and collaborative learning WAN-IFRA has unveiled the NextGen AI Leaders Programme, a 12-week initiative to help young media executives lead responsible AI adoption and strengthen newsroom management. The tuition-free scheme reflects WAN-IFRA’s effort to back a more diverse generation of leaders and narrow the innovation gap between well-funded global publishers and smaller, mid-sized and local news organisations. “To take full advantage of the opportunities AI…
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John Mulholland brings decades of international editorial experience to the paper His appointment aims to enhance breaking coverage and long-form storytelling The outlet seeks to innovate tone, technique, and technology in local journalism Kevin Delaney, editor in chief of The San Francisco Standard, has appointed Fleet Street veteran John Mulholland as managing editor, according to a staff memo published by Talking Biz News. Mulholland will oversee day-to-day news operations, working with section editors on breaking coverage and long-form journalism. He will report to Delaney and is due to start on Monday 30 March. He lives in Sacramento and has served…
German media giant Axel Springer challenges agreed Mail deal The new bid offers more cash upfront and is fully funded UK regulators probe the merger, raising questions over market dominance In a fresh twist to the protracted sale of The Telegraph, German media giant Axel Springer has joined a rival bidding consortium led by Dovid Efune, aiming to hijack the agreed deal currently held by Daily Mail owner DMGT. As first reported by the Financial Times, the consortium – led by the owner of the New York Sun – has submitted a revised £500 million offer to seller RedBird IMI.…
Publishers see significant audience growth with AI content integration Internal barriers delay adoption despite demonstrable benefits Traditional news models challenged by AI’s cost-effective scalability For the past three years I have walked into meetings with editorial teams feeling like I needed to justify my existence. I run a company that provides AI-powered news wire and content services to publishers. We do not replace journalists. Instead we provide infrastructure – scale, speed and coverage density that no newsroom can sustainably produce on current budgets. We help brands fill gaps and build depth. And yet, more often than not, I have…
Widespread use of multiple devices while watching TV influences audience behaviour and advertising strategies Second-screen engagement offers new promotional opportunities but also raises cognitive and health concerns Industry faces a challenge: balancing commercial aims with the potential long-term effects on attention and development Watching television with a phone in hand is no longer a sideshow to media consumption – it is the default setting. A new report from consultancy Flux Trends argues that simultaneous engagement across devices has become an organising principle of entertainment. For news organisations, that shift is not a behavioural footnote but a product challenge. The study,…
Adam Baidawi, aged 35, takes charge of GQ worldwide, overseeing US and international editions. His appointment reflects a drive for continuity and generational change at Condé Nast. Baidawi aims to redefine masculinity as modern, progressive, and aspirational. Condé Nast has named Adam Baidawi global editorial director of GQ, placing the 35-year-old editor in charge of the men’s title worldwide and extending a run of senior promotions from within the company. The appointment signals both continuity and generational change at the publisher, which has reshaped its top ranks in recent months while seeking to position its flagship brands for a more…
Apple is adding HLS-powered video support to treat video as a native podcast format The upgrade enables seamless switching between listening and watching, including offline viewing Dynamic video ads will open new monetisation opportunities for creators and advertisers Apple is embedding native video into Apple Podcasts, reshaping how publishers distribute and monetise shows inside one of the industry’s largest listening platforms. The update – now in beta across iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4 and visionOS 26.4 – treats video as a first-class format powered by HLS streaming rather than a bolt-on feature. Listeners will be able to switch between audio and…
The Guardian is launching a US-focused daily news podcast to strengthen its American presence. The programme, debuting later this year, is co-hosted by Kai Wright and Carter Sherman. It marks a major step in The Guardian’s push into audio and video journalism in the US. The Guardian is preparing to launch a US-focused daily news podcast, expanding its American operation and moving into more direct competition with The New York Times and NPR. The story was first reported by Semafor. The move marks a significant shift for the British publisher as it deepens its investment in the US and pushes…
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy orders investigations into the Telegraph sale by DMGT Concerns raised over media monopoly and diversity of views in UK press Ofcom and CMA to report by June 10 on potential impact of the merger Culture secretary Lisa Nandy has formally intervened in the proposed £500 million acquisition of The Telegraph by the owners of the Daily Mail, citing significant concerns regarding media freedom and market competition. The deal, struck in November by Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), would see the broadsheet join a stable that already includes the Daily Mail, The Metro, the i, and…
The Independent appoints Barney Henderson as UK editor and Jacqui Merrington as executive editor These hires mark a strategic move to strengthen digital and editorial innovation The publication reports significant growth in UK and US digital audiences in 2025 The Independent has strengthened its senior editorial team with the appointments of Barney Henderson as UK editor and Jacqui Merrington as executive editor, the title announced on Wednesday. Henderson joins from Newsweek, where he served as director of publishing & subscriptions strategy and ran that title’s breaking-news operation, a role that also involved shaping subscription plans. His earlier posts include assistant…
Discord to treat all accounts as teens by default unless verified* Verification options include AI selfie estimates and ID documents* Platform faces privacy backlash and debates over data security and safety measures Discord will treat almost every account as a teen profile from early March unless users complete age verification — the latest example of social platforms enforcing age restrictions under mounting regulatory pressure. As governments demand tougher child-safety controls, platforms are shifting from optional safeguards to default restrictions, testing how far users will accept biometric scans or ID checks in exchange for access. Under the new policy, unverified users…
