5:07 am - June 11, 2026
Former National World executives introduce Profenx, blending AI tools with creator-led content Company develops a platform to enhance digital content economics and expand through licensing and acquisitions Backed by Jaipur Capital, Profenx aims to reshape publishing with innovative models across global markets A group of former National World executives has…
Rainer Esser asserts AI will enhance journalism’s value by emphasising human connection Calls for news organisations to recognise their worth and partner confidently with tech giants Personal storytelling highlights irreplaceable human element in investigative journalism If you’re invited to speak at a conference, you really don’t want a slot at…
The Times adopts a specialised, multi-team approach to video content production Video is now a distinct editorial discipline, not just repurposed print stories Distribution strategies evolve with dedicated platforms like the new ‘Watch’ tab At WAN-IFRA’s World News Media Congress in Marseille, Solana Pyne, video director at The New York…
CNN sues Perplexity AI over copyright violations OpenAI publishes governance framework aligned with new regulations State versus federal fights intensify over AI regulation jurisdiction Three developments last week underscored how fragmented AI governance has become: CNN sued Perplexity AI over alleged copying of its journalism; OpenAI published a governance framework tied to emerging EU and California rules; and the legal battle over state AI regulation in the US continued to intensify. The disputes show AI policy evolving on multiple fronts at once. Copyright enforcement, safety disclosure requirements and constitutional fights over state regulation are advancing separately, forcing AI companies to…
The Vatican’s encyclical calls for AI regulation based on law, oversight and human judgement Pope warns against autonomous weapons, worker displacement and AI-driven conflict Emphasises the importance of moral language in global AI governance debates Pope Leo XIV has thrust the Vatican into the centre of the global debate over artificial intelligence, using his first encyclical to argue that the technology must be governed by law, oversight and human judgement rather than left to market forces or military competition. Entitled Magnifica humanitas — “Magnificent Humanity” — the document presents AI as one of the defining moral questions of the age.…
Goalhanger, launched by Gary Lineker, expands into backing early-stage media companies Moves include investments in Invisible Media and Backyard Cricket to diversify portfolio Company shifts focus from advertising to subscriptions and live events, reaching over 250,000 subscribers Gary Lineker’s media company is expanding beyond podcast production after helping launch Goalhanger Ventures, a new investment arm aimed at backing creator-led media businesses. The move marks a broader shift for Goalhanger as it seeks to build influence across the wider creator economy, not just podcasting. The company has grown rapidly on the back of hit shows such as The Rest is Politics…
Bezos defends the profitability of journalism as a measure of relevance Changes in Google search algorithms threaten traditional news revenue To succeed, news organisations must focus on delivering value and distinctive reporting Jeff Bezos sometimes makes agreeing with him very difficult. This was the case earlier this week when he said in an interview with CNBC that President Donald Trump was “more mature” in his second term than his first and that Amazon’s commission of the Melania documentary was in no way whatsoever an attempt at “buying influence”. It is profoundly depressing that one of the features of this…
Podcasting is evolving beyond audio-only formats to include video and personality-led shows. Major outlets like The New York Times and The Guardian expand video content to reach new audiences. Monetisation models are diversifying with increased focus on advertising, subscriptions, and creator-led enterprises. News podcasting is moving decisively beyond the old audio-only model, with video, personality-led chat shows and creator-style distribution reshaping how publishers make, package and monetise their work, according to a new Reuters Institute report by Nic Newman. The study, The Changing Shape and New Economics of News Podcasting, argues that the medium is being pulled into a broader…
The CMA approves the $3.7 billion acquisition with a sale of Shutterstock’s editorial arm The move aims to prevent market dominance in UK news imagery The deal highlights industry pressures from AI and digital content shifts Britain’s competition regulator has cleared Getty Images’ $3.7 billion takeover of Shutterstock, but only…
Axios expands local reporting to 35 cities with plans for 100. AI tools like GPT assist in drafting and editing, reducing costs. The company balances automation with journalistic integrity amidst industry scepticism. Axios is betting that artificial intelligence can do something many publishers have struggled to achieve for years: make…
Byron Allen expresses continued interest in acquiring The Washington Post Set to control BuzzFeed and HuffPost through latest deal Envisions broader streaming strategy with BuzzFeed to rival established digital outlets Byron Allen has said he still wants to buy The Washington Post, even as he prepares to take control of…
Examines the American focus on prestigious awards over reader needs Critiques the biased and inward-looking nature of the Pulitzers Argues that abolition could renew journalism’s relevance to the public The difference between American and British journalism is clear in what they choose to display in their newsrooms. Visit any…
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Mediahuis and other major news organisations form SPUR to address AI content use Initiative aims to create standard licensing frameworks for AI and journalism Focus on transparency, traceability, and fair remuneration for news content Mediahuis, the acquisitive Belgian publisher with outlets across Europe, has become a founding member of SPUR,…
MIT Sloan Management Review to cease print publication in 2026 Transition to newsletters, videos, social media and podcasts A strategic response to changing management communication trends MIT’s decision to close MIT Sloan Management Review after 67 years marks the end of one of the most durable business school brand extensions…
Byron Allen’s family office to acquire a controlling stake in BuzzFeed for $120 million The deal includes a shift in leadership and a focus on AI and user-generated content BuzzFeed aims to reinvent itself amid declining revenues and a disrupted digital landscape BuzzFeed has struck a deal to hand control…
James Murdoch is in advanced talks to acquire Vox Media’s New York Magazine and podcast division through Lupa Systems. The deal could extend Murdoch’s media influence into prestigious publishing and podcasts, diverging from his family’s conservative media empire. The potential sale highlights ongoing consolidation and challenges within digital media and…
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Newsweek recovered from debt and declining readership through strategic alliances Key partnerships with Google Cloud and Statista drove significant growth in traffic and trust The revival exemplifies a shift towards collaborative models in legacy media success stories Newsweek’s turnaround under chief executive Dev Pragad has been driven less by internal restructuring than by a series of partnerships that helped rebuild the publisher’s audience, technology and commercial business. When Pragad took over, the company was carrying more than $25 million in debt and struggling with declining readership. Rather than rebuild every capability in-house, Newsweek focused on outside partnerships to supply technical…
The Washington Post begins rehiring staff after massive layoffs in February Some employees returned on a temporary basis to fill critical gaps The move raises questions about the paper’s strategic direction and workforce stability The Washington Post is attempting to stabilise its newsroom after February’s sweeping layoffs by quietly bringing back some of the journalists it had just let go, a sign of how quickly the impact of the cuts became apparent. According to reporting by the Columbia Journalism Review, editors began contacting dismissed reporters in March, asking some to return on what the union calls a “delayed layoff” basis.…
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82% of Americans express concern about AI’s influence on news content Majority support laws for fair compensation and regulation of AI in media Experts warn AI increases disinformation threats, risking journalistic integrity When National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) president Curtis LeGeyt opened the Future of Journalism track at NAB Show New York, he posed a question that has become central to the media’s survival: “How do we preserve, trust, and strengthen local journalism as emerging technologies redefine how news is produced, distributed, and consumed?” A new nationwide poll from OnMessage Inc offered a stark answer: the public is worried, deeply…
Studies show that direct prompts can slightly improve LLM accuracy Cultural and language differences influence optimal prompt tone Clarity and specificity remain crucial for effective AI interactions The way users phrase their questions to AI chatbots could affect the accuracy of the answers they receive, according to new research that adds nuance to the emerging science of prompt engineering. A study entitled Mind Your Tone: Investigating How Prompt Politeness Affects LLM Accuracy tested 50 questions written in five tonal variations using ChatGPT-4o. The findings were unexpected: rude prompts slightly outperformed polite ones. On average, very polite requests achieved 80.8% accuracy,…
Research reveals nearly half of AI-generated news responses contain significant errors Gemini and ChatGPT perform notably worse in sourcing and factual accuracy Experts warn of risks to public trust and democratic processes from unreliable AI news tools Artificial intelligence assistants from some of the world’s biggest tech firms are struggling to tell the truth about the news, according to a wide-ranging new study by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the BBC. The research, conducted with 22 public media organisations across 18 countries and in 14 languages, examined more than 3,000 AI-generated responses to news-related questions. It found that 45%…
X tests new ‘link experience’ to boost external content visibility CEO Elon Musk’s previous policies had alienated journalists and writers Latest changes aim to restore platform’s appeal for professional users and increase engagement When Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022 and rebranded it as X, one of his earliest algorithmic priorities was to keep users on the platform. Posts containing external links — once central to Twitter’s role as a hub for news and commentary — were quietly downranked. For journalists and writers, that shift was seismic: a once-essential distribution channel suddenly turned hostile to their work. X appears to…
The Irish Times has reduced its daily digital output to prioritise quality The move aims to produce deeper, more trustworthy journalism amid a crowded news cycle Editors focus on richer reporting, investigation, and stronger storytelling strategies In an era when newsrooms chase clicks with relentless publishing schedules, The Irish Times has acknowledged that it has adopted a publishing trend that few big organisations talk about publicly, but many practice behind the scenes: it deliberately started publishing fewer stories. The decision, taken two years ago, was rooted in a simple but bold idea: that readers would value depth over speed, substance…
Wikimedia reports an 8% drop in site traffic due to AI-driven search AI tools like ChatGPT now surpass Wikipedia in user engagement Calls grow for ethical regulation to protect open knowledge platforms The Wikimedia Foundation, which runs Wikipedia, has reported a sharp fall in traffic to its site, blaming the surge of artificial intelligence chatbots and AI-generated summaries. Marshall Miller, Wikimedia’s Chief Product Officer, said AI tools that deliver instant answers are changing how people find information. Search engines and assistants increasingly draw on Wikipedia’s content to generate summaries, leaving fewer users clicking through to the site itself. An upgraded…
European Parliament proposes minimum age of 16 for social media access without parental consent Calls for banning under-13s from social media and restricting harmful content and addictive features Aligns with global trends; Australia set to enforce strict social media age limits in 2025 European lawmakers are moving to introduce some of the world’s toughest online child protection rules, proposing a minimum age of 16 to use social media, video-sharing platforms and AI companions without parental consent. The plan, advanced by the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, reflects deepening concern over the impact of digital technologies on children’s…
Daily Wire offers 10,000 lifetime memberships for $1,500 each Members enjoy early content access, memorabilia, and exclusive benefits Initiative aims to deepen supporter loyalty amid ongoing culture wars The Daily Wire has launched a Lifetime Membership to mark its 10th anniversary, giving its most dedicated supporters permanent access to all content without renewals or additional payments. The initiative, limited to 10,000 members, signals the conservative media company’s intention to secure a committed base of long-term subscribers. The membership includes ad-free early access to episodes, live Q&A sessions with Daily Wire hosts, early product and event announcements, and unlimited streaming of…
Reuters Institute reports usage of AI tools in news has doubled in a year, now at 34% weekly Most people distrust AI-generated news, favouring human journalists Transparency about AI’s role in journalism is crucial for maintaining trust Public use of generative AI tools has doubled in the past year, but most people remain uncomfortable with the idea of artificial intelligence creating news, according to a new report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. The 2025 Generative AI and News report, based on surveys in six countries, finds that while awareness of generative AI is now nearly universal,…
CNN’s new All Access tier offers live, on-demand, and written journalism for $6.99/month Includes access to CNN Originals, live events, and subscriber-only reporting A strategic move to deepen CNN’s direct engagement with digital audiences CNN will launch a new digital subscription tier, CNN All Access, on October 28 in the United States, giving subscribers a single destination for the network’s live, on-demand and written journalism. The plan costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year, with an introductory annual rate of $41.99 available through January 5, 2026. The new tier will include access to CNN’s US and international live programming,…
