7:50 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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OpenAI introduces Sora 2, an advanced AI model for video and audio creation Sora app offers TikTok-style short clips with personalised AI-generated Cameos Launch raises industry debates on copyright, authenticity, and societal impact OpenAI has unveiled Sora 2, its latest AI model for video and audio generation, alongside a new TikTok-style app called Sora that places AI-made clips directly into social feeds. The app, initially invite-only in the US and Canada on iOS, will expand gradually as the company manages high computing demands and rolls out safety controls. Sora presents a vertical feed of 10-second videos created with Sora 2,…
Wolfram Weimer proposes a digital levy to tax large tech firms like Google The plan aims to generate revenue and ensure fair contribution to the German media landscape Potential international implications include US trade tensions and a wider European adoption hints Germany’s culture minister, Wolfram Weimer, is preparing to introduce a digital levy aimed squarely at major technology companies such as Google. He said the measure could generate billions in revenue while bringing the platforms under German press law, ensuring they contribute fairly to the country’s media system and do not gain unchecked influence over public debate. Weimer told Redaktionsnetzwerk…
Decline of print media and rise of digital gatekeepers threaten journalism’s survival Political interference and violence jeopardise press freedom in Europe and the UK INMA advocates for legal protection, fair pay, and competition to safeguard journalism Journalism is no longer at risk of decline – it is already in crisis, according to Peter Vandermeersch, former publisher and CEO of Mediahuis Ireland. Speaking at the International News Media Association’s European News Media Conference in Dublin, he warned that the disappearance of print and the dominance of digital platforms have created a perilous moment for independent journalism and, by extension, democracy itself. “What…
Barry Diller advocates for internal innovation and diversification for legacy media Rebranding of Dotdash Meredith to People Inc. signals a shift toward integrated, product-based revenues Emphasising content as a foundation for brand licensing and physical products amid digital disruption Barry Diller, chairman of IAC, has set out his vision for the future of People Inc, the media group formerly known as Dotdash Meredith. Speaking on the Invest Like The Best podcast, he said the July 2025 rebrand was more than cosmetic: it marked a strategy to confront declining traffic from platforms like Google and adapt to the rise of AI-driven…
Quora ranks as the fourth most-cited source in Google’s AI Mode, after LinkedIn, Reddit, and Google AI responses blend multiple Quora answers with sophisticated paraphrasing, prioritising relevance over keyword matching Engagement metrics and content quality influence whether Quora threads are featured in AI-generated answers Google’s new AI Mode is reshaping online visibility, with Quora emerging as one of its most influential sources. Quora, the community-driven platform where users ask and answer questions across every imaginable topic, now ranks as the fourth most-cited domain in Google’s AI-generated answers, behind only LinkedIn, Reddit and Google itself. An analysis by Semrush of 26,000…
Heller shifts Business Insider towards specialised business beats Focus on collaboration aims to combat newsroom silos Emphasis on timely, objective reporting in a competitive landscape A year into her role as editor-in-chief of Business Insider, Jamie Heller is sharpening the publication’s focus on specialised business journalism while pushing for a more collaborative newsroom culture. Heller, who took over in September 2024 after two decades at The Wall Street Journal, told LinkedIn’s Andrew Murfett that her priority is to move away from siloed content production and towards a unified editorial identity. “People did their thing,” she said of the earlier approach,…
Newsweek introduces its most comprehensive visual redesign in decades The overhaul aims to unify print, digital, video and social media platforms under a new aesthetic Strategic rebranding seeks to reinforce relevance and audience engagement Newsweek has unveiled a sweeping redesign and rebrand, described as its most comprehensive visual overhaul in decades, as it seeks to modernise its identity and strengthen its position in today’s crowded media landscape. Branded “A World Drawn Closer,” the redesign unites Newsweek’s print, digital, video and social platforms under a single visual system. The new look includes a refined wordmark, a bold “N” icon, and a…
Google ceases political ads in the EU ahead of October 2025 regulation Meta announces similar halt, citing regulatory burdens Shift signals changing landscape for digital political communication and online transparency Google has pre-emptively ceased accepting political advertisements across the European Union, well in advance of the EU’s Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) regulation taking effect on October 10. Under the new EU regulation, any ad deemed political must be explicitly identified, including disclosing the sponsor, relevant election or referendum, payment amounts and targeting methods. Advertisers must declare whether their campaign falls under the political advertisement definition by responding…
The London Spy halts publication citing burnout and unmet goals Growing new outlets suggest a renaissance in London’s local journalism Subscribers offered partial refunds as the team considers a scaled-back return The London Spy, a newsletter devoted to long-form reporting on the city’s news and culture, has announced it is pausing publication after nearly two years, citing burnout and the difficulty of sustaining the workload. The independent outlet had come close to covering its costs through paid subscriptions – enough for one of the founders to cut back their day job – but said deadlines had begun to dictate the work more…
Future plc launches Collab to unite digital creators with trusted brands High-profile titles like Marie Claire and Who What Wear participate Initiative aims to deliver authentic content through collaboration and innovation Future has launched a new initiative, Collab, designed to bring together the influence of digital creators with the authority of its established media brands. The programme pairs creators with titles such as Marie Claire, Who What Wear, Ideal Home and Homes & Gardens to produce content that speaks authentically to each brand’s audience. Hillary Kerr, senior vice president of Women & Luxury at Future and co-founder of Who What…
