ByteDance agrees to transfer control of TikTok’s US operations to a new majority-American joint venture Deal aims to address US national security concerns through data storage and governance measures Final approval will depend on regulatory scrutiny and implementation of operational safeguards A deal to restructure TikTok’s US business looks likely to head off a long-threatened ban by shifting operational control to American investors while leaving parent company ByteDance with a minority stake. The agreement was first reported by Axios. ByteDance has signed binding agreements to place TikTok’s US operations into a newly formed, majority-American joint venture, with a target closing…

Meta tests a dedicated Instagram Reels app on Amazon Fire TV devices Focused on shared, large-screen viewing of short-form videos Expansion and feature refinement planned before wider rollout Meta has begun piloting an Instagram app designed for television, bringing Reels to Amazon Fire TV devices in the United States and marking a further push to expand short-form video beyond smartphones. This positions Instagram more directly in the living-room viewing battle, where YouTube has already established a strong presence and where attention, advertising and viewing habits increasingly overlap with traditional TV. It is also yet another challenge, in terms both of…

Google experiments with users shaping their Discover feed using natural language prompts The feature aims to improve relevance and control while streamlining content curation Concerns grow over potential impacts on publishers, content diversity and ecosystem health Google is testing a more granular form of personalisation for its Discover feed that allows signed-in users to tell the service, in plain language, what they want to see and what they do not. The test signals a shift toward explicit, AI-driven control of recommendation systems, a change that could alter how audiences encounter news and how publishers compete for attention on one of…

McGrory to rejoin the Boston Globe as editor in January 2026 His return aims to strengthen digital subscription growth and local investigative reporting The newsroom’s structure and digital focus set to evolve amid industry challenges Brian McGrory will return as editor of the Boston Globe in January, the company said on Monday, marking a comeback to the newspaper where he spent more than three decades and previously led the newsroom from 2012 until early 2023. His reappointment offers clues about how this leading metro paper intends to navigate the next phase of digital transformation and local journalism sustainability. Boston Globe…

Young users swiftly evade age checks using fake IDs, faces and third-party accounts Experts warn that verification flaws may lead to misuse and privacy risks The law’s success depends on overcoming technical limitations and ensuring safe alternatives Australia’s world-first ban on social media accounts for under-16s came into force on 10 December 2025, requiring major platforms to remove existing accounts held by younger users and block new registrations. But early signs show how quickly the policy is running into technical and human obstacles. Children have been able to evade checks within minutes by using parents’ accounts, older siblings, VPNs, fake…

Adults in the UK now spend over four and a half hours online daily, a record turn driven by AI and mobile usage Generative AI like ChatGPT dramatically changing search and information consumption Concerns rise over online safety, with increased social media use among young children and new online safety measures impacting traffic UK adults are now spending more than four and a half hours online each day, a record driven by rising use of artificial intelligence and an ever more mobile-first way of living. The finding, from Ofcom’s Online Nation 2025 report, shows how quickly generative AI has shifted…

Julia Beizer departs Bloomberg after eight years to spearhead Microsoft’s AI news products Her move signals a broader trend of media leaders moving into big tech for AI-driven innovation Industry eyes her expertise as platforms race to redefine journalism distribution and monetisation Julia Beizer, chief operating officer of Bloomberg Media, is leaving the company to join Microsoft in a senior role leading its AI news product. Her appointment, reporting directly to Microsoft AI chief executive Mustafa Suleyman, marks another high-profile shift of media leadership into big tech as generative tools become central to how audiences find and use information. Microsoft…

Kamal Ahmed joins as Executive Editorial Director for UK and Europe to boost visibility. Francesca Cassidy is appointed Editor – Features and Fortune 500 C-Suite to focus on insight-driven content. Strategic move aims to deepen connections with Europe’s senior business leaders through journalism and events. Fortune has made a series of senior editorial appointments to strengthen its influence among European business leaders. Kamal Ahmed becomes Executive Editorial Director for the UK and Europe, while Francesca Cassidy takes on the role of Editor – Features and Fortune 500 C-Suite. The hires form part of Fortune’s strategy to grow its visibility and…

Launch of Future Audiences Initiative aiming to foster collaboration between legacy and independent news creators Introduction of News Creator Exchange to support innovative storytelling and audience engagement Focus on building trust, combatting disinformation, and advancing AI adoption in newsrooms worldwide The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has unveiled the Future Audiences Initiative, a global effort to unite established news organisations with independent creators and digital-native publishers. The programme seeks to drive collaboration, innovation and learning across the media spectrum, particularly among those who have lacked access to professional networks and recognition. At its centre is the News Creator…

The Daily Aus achieves financial break-even with 310,000 newsletter subscribers. Pivot from social media reliance to newsletters drives growth and sustainability. Diversified content and trust-driven journalism securing resilience in youth media sector. The Daily Aus, a youth-oriented Australian news outlet, has reached a major milestone by breaking even financially for the first time, marking a rare success story in the struggling digital media sector. Co-founder Sam Koslowski told Mumbrella the company has “totally inverted the revenue mix” over the past two years, shifting from reliance on social media to a strong newsletter-based model. The Daily Aus now claims 310,000 newsletter…