5:39 am - September 15, 2026
B2B publishers excel in redefining their value propositions and embracing change Bold pivots, like Euromoney’s shift from journalism to intelligence services, highlight adaptability AI is viewed as an asset rather than a threat, used to enhance specialised content and customer experience There is a lot to learn from B2B…
Berkshire increases stake in The New York Times to $1.1 billion Rising digital subscriptions and advertising boost publisher’s performance Investment signals confidence in media’s digital transition and subscription model Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has continued to build its position in The New York Times, extending a bet on legacy media…
Macron advocates for a unified European ban on social media use for children under 15 The EU aims to deploy a privacy-respecting age verification app by 2026 Critics highlight challenges in rolling out secure and effective age checks across member states French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing for an EU-wide…
Byron Allen cuts 35% of BuzzFeed’s workforce to improve profitability Restructuring aims to shift focus towards streaming via Local Now Company plans significant cost savings and content realignment Byron Allen has begun a sharp overhaul of BuzzFeed, cutting about 180 jobs and contract roles across BuzzFeed, HuffPost and Tasty in what amounts to roughly 35% of the workforce. The reductions, disclosed in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, are the first major restructuring since Allen’s family office took control of the digital publisher in May. BuzzFeed said the move is designed to simplify operations, lower costs and…
Highlights the importance of integrating AI in newsrooms to foster meaningful change Emphasises the need for journalists and managers to view AI as a tool for value creation Warns of cultural hurdles and stress on verifying information in the AI era Need some summer reading? This week’s newsletter comes in the form of a book review. Not perhaps a suggestion for the sun lounger, but nevertheless one that every journalist should read. It’s called AI in the News Room and it was written by Martin Schori, former head of the AI Hub at Aftonbladet in Stockholm and now the…
Berlin-based startup Beatsquares raises $2 million in seed funding to enhance its AI platform The platform converts editorial content into multiple formats across digital channels Funding will support team expansion and international growth efforts Berlin-based AI startup Beatsquares has raised $2 million (about €1.8 million) in seed funding to expand its platform for automatically repurposing editorial content across multiple digital channels. The round was co-led by IBB Ventures and XTR Capital, with participation from ddvg, Dutch media investor V-Ventures and a group of business angels. It follows a $500,000 pre-seed investment secured in late 2024. Founded in 2024, Beatsquares aims…
Suggestion for industry-focused ‘Festival of Failure’ to promote open discussion of setbacks Critique of current journalism events highlighting repetition and lack of actionable takeaways Advocates for shorter days, more networking, and panels focused on failures to foster growth and innovation “I want to start an uncomfortable conversation: Are there too many journalism events?” So said Marcela Kunova, the owner and operator of journalism.co.uk (JUK), last week. She continued: “I just looked at my agenda and JUK events calendar. It’s gone out of hand. Conferences, festivals, summits, workshops, talks, congresses, study tours, awards. Dozens of great events are clustered between April…
Disney-owned 20th Television partners with Vox Media Studios to develop scripted and unscripted projects Focus on adapting journalism and podcasts from Vox Media brands for Disney+ and other outlets Partnership reflects industry trend of transforming established media content into premium streaming entertainment Disney-owned 20th Television has struck a multi-year first-look agreement with Vox Media Studios, broadening a relationship that will give both companies room to develop scripted and unscripted projects built around Vox Media’s reporting and podcast brands. The deal is expected to feed into Disney Entertainment Television outlets including Disney+, with a particular emphasis on adapting material from New…
Media Concierge Group posts £12.9m EBITDA for first full period post-acquisition Integration of National World (now Iconic Media Group) has gone smoothly, boosting performance Company aims to strengthen local titles while expanding its UK and Ireland publishing footprint Media Concierge Group has said the integration of National World has gone…
Economist launches Economist Play, a $15/month multimedia bundle combining videos, podcasts, and newsletters Strategy aims to reach a younger, gender-balanced audience with mobile-first content Emphasis on newsroom authenticity through faces and voices, moving away from anonymity The Economist has launched a lower-cost subscription bundle built around audio and video, in…
Data shows games and interactive content drive deeper user loyalty. Publishers are overestimating the importance of breaking news for app retention. Investment should focus on habit-forming features to reduce churn and build routines. I used to bristle when I worked at The Sunday Times and a friend said he had…
Der Spiegel refuses to let AI write or rewrite its articles, citing responsibility and trust. Industry faces tension between efficiency and accountability in adopting AI tools. Growing concerns over accuracy, transparency, and the future role of human journalists. Whether journalists should use artificial intelligence to write stories has become one…
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Getty Images strikes a multi-year licensing deal with OpenAI The partnership enhances ChatGPT’s image relevance and trustworthiness Shares rise as Getty aims to monetise its archive amid AI-driven disruption Getty Images has struck a multi-year licensing deal with OpenAI that will allow its pictures to appear in ChatGPT’s search and…
Complaint alleges that OpenAI and Microsoft used nearly 400 newspapers’ reporting without permission Case marks the largest coordinated legal action by local news publishers on AI training issues Suit aims to protect local journalism and challenge the use of copyrighted material in AI development A coalition of local newspaper publishers…
Forbes launches Forbes Creator to leverage social media personalities New platform combines journalistic content with creator autonomy Aims to expand reach, diversify content, and develop commercial opportunities Forbes is deepening its push into creator-led distribution, using social media personalities and specialist voices to widen its reach beyond its own platforms…
Social media and video now the primary news sources globally Trust in news drops to a historic low of 37%, with Americans trusting only 25% News organisations face the challenge of rebuilding trust amidst AI content proliferation Forget the World Cup, for news nerds this week has brought unbridled excitement…
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A debate in Lexington underscores tensions between traditional reporting and AI-assisted news The Kentucky Lantern champions human-made journalism, while Lexington Times utilises AI for coverage The dispute reflects broader challenges facing shrinking local news ecosystems across the US A small but telling dispute in Lexington, Kentucky, has opened a wider argument about the future of local journalism, especially the role of artificial intelligence in newsrooms that are trying to survive with fewer staff and thinner budgets. The spark came when Linda Blackford, editor-in-chief of the Kentucky Lantern, wrote about AI and journalism and stressed that the Lantern’s work is produced…
Bonnier News poised to become majority owner of Irish media group after partnership expansion Deal under review by regulators, with new leadership and board structure upcoming Business Post Group cites significant financial recovery and growth prospects Swedish publisher Bonnier News is set to become the majority owner of Business Post Group, in a deal that will leave founder Enda O’Coineen with a significant minority stake through his Kilcullen Family Office. The transaction marks a further step in a relationship that began in 2023, when Bonnier took a minority equity position in the Irish company. It still requires approval from the…
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Lynn Forester de Rothschild considering sale of her 26.7% stake in The Economist Group Sale could value the company at around £800 million Deal aims to preserve editorial independence amid shifting media ownership landscape British philanthropist Lynn Forester de Rothschild is preparing to sell her family’s entire 26.7 per cent stake in The Economist Group, in what would be the most significant ownership shift for the publisher in a decade. The holding includes around 20 per cent of the voting shares – the maximum permitted for any single shareholder – and could value the group at about £800 million ($1.1…
Bari Weiss, founder of The Free Press, becomes editor-in-chief at CBS News Her appointment sparks controversy, reflecting wider ideological divides within US journalism Weiss aims to restore trust and independence at CBS, navigating a highly polarised media environment Bari Weiss, founder of The Free Press, has been appointed editor-in-chief of CBS News following Paramount Skydance’s $150 million acquisition of her digital media platform. Weiss, 41, will report directly to David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance. The newly created role marks a major shift in the network’s leadership and editorial direction. The move brings one of the most outspoken voices in…
Matt Murray affirms Jeff Bezos’s non-interference during major newsroom restructuring The Post faces staff departures and internal conflict over editorial direction Emphasis on digital innovation and AI while maintaining core journalistic values Matt Murray, executive editor of The Washington Post since June 2024, has insisted that owner Jeff Bezos has shown “zero meddling” in the newsroom’s operations during what he calls a “massive transformation” of the newspaper. In a rare interview with the newsletter Status, Murray said the Post remains committed to its journalistic principles despite sweeping organisational change. “I can say emphatically, Jeff has zero involvement in editorial decision-making,”…
Musk launches Grokipedia, an AI-powered knowledge base challenging Wikipedia The platform offers real-time, conversational updates, blending AI and user oversight Debates intensify over AI accuracy, governance, and the future of online information Elon Musk has announced Grokipedia, an AI-powered encyclopedia intended to challenge Wikipedia’s dominance as the internet’s free knowledge hub. The project is part of Musk’s wider xAI venture and builds on the Grok platform integrated with X (formerly Twitter). Grokipedia aims to replace static, volunteer-edited pages with a dynamic, conversational database that updates continuously and incorporates community feedback. The project highlights a new fault line in the future…
Only 28% of Americans trust the media to report the news accurately Trust among Republicans drops to single digits, while Democrats remain above 50% Younger Americans show especially low confidence in the press, deepening credibility crisis Americans’ confidence in the mass media has plunged to a new historic low, with just 28% saying they trust newspapers, television or radio “to fully, accurately and fairly” report the news, according to Gallup’s latest survey. This marks the first time Gallup’s trust metric has dipped below 30%. That’s down sharply from 31% in 2024 and from 40% five years ago. Meanwhile, 70% of…
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…
