The publisher has relaunched its website and app with a comprehensive redesign focused on transparency, unbiased reporting and user engagement. A lack of trust in the news media is a problem that afflicts almost every market in the world. And steadily the number of organisations addressing it head on are increasing. Straight Arrow News, a relatively new entrant to the US media landscape, has announced a relaunch of its website and app with a major redesign focused on restoring public trust through clarity, balance and transparency. Founded in 2021, SAN positions itself as a counterweight to the perceived bias in…

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 dollar has been distributed. The $125 million deal, announced last August, promised funding for local newsrooms over five years, split between the state and Google. But facing a projected $12 billion deficit, Newsom’s administration now says it must scale back, citing “fewer resources than projected”, in a development first reported…

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 adoption across the organisation, with ongoing training and support. But staff enthusiasm has been tempered by concerns over how the tool is being monitored and managed. Staff were not initially told that individual usage data was being collected. The Insider Union said it was seeking clarification from management over what…

The title is pivoting its podcast strategy towards a more personal and relatable style. The Economist is reshaping its podcast strategy to build a closer, more personal connection with listeners, as outlined by Andrew Palmer, host of its new Boss Class series and author of the Bartleby column. Speaking to Chris Sutcliffe on the Media Voices podcast, Palmer described how the publication is adapting to changing audience expectations by making its audio content more relatable and conversational. The Economist famously has no bylines in the magazine edition – which it stubbornly calls a “newspaper” – and it has long been felt…

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 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 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…