10:04 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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WAN-IFRA appoints JP/Politiken CEO Stig Ørskov as chief executive from early 2026 Vincent Peyrègne, CEO since 2012, will stay on as senior strategic advisor New leadership expected to push innovation, collaboration and press freedom advocacy WAN-IFRA has appointed Stig Ørskov as its next chief executive, succeeding Vincent Peyrègne, who is stepping down after more than a decade leading the global association of news publishers. Ørskov, currently CEO of JP/Politiken Media Group in Denmark and vice-president of WAN-IFRA, will take over in early 2026. Peyrègne, who became CEO in 2012, is credited with stabilising WAN-IFRA’s finances, expanding its membership base and…
Substack now offers in‑app purchases in its iOS app after a pilot with 30,000 creators, speeding checkout and improving paid sign‑ups App Store rules mean Apple handles billing, takes a commission and pays Substack monthly Creators can disable in‑app payments or override pricing, but external web links are tightly restricted and revenue management becomes more complex Substack has switched on Apple in-app purchases across its iOS app, letting iPhone users subscribe to paid newsletters without leaving the app. The rollout follows tests with about 30,000 creators, and industry reports say more than 30,000 publications now have the option enabled. Substack…
Evidence links heavy media exposure to heightened stress Sensory diets can reduce anxiety and restore focus Practical steps for staff and readers include dimming screens, nature sounds and brief walks When people talk about news avoidance, they usually mean it’s something that readers and viewers are doing. But the producers of news are equally exposed to distressing headlines and imagery — and research shows it takes a measurable toll. Psychology Today recently highlighted the idea of a “sensory diet” as a practical way to manage that exposure, and the concept may be as relevant to newsroom staff as it is…
Marcus Rashford interview amassed 1.4m+ streams and 48.8m short‑form views in 48 hours Goalhanger leverages licensed LaLiga clips and cinematic production to boost reach and commercial value Model raises new monetisation opportunities and questions over access to expensive match and archive rights A special episode of The Rest Is Football featuring the Barcelona and England footballer Marcus Rashford has underlined Goalhanger’s rise as one of the most successful challenger brands in news media, drawing more than 1.4 million streams and almost 49 million social views within 48 hours of release. The 40-minute interview — filmed in Barcelona and hosted by…
Reach says Guten cut breaking‑news publish time from nine minutes to 90 seconds Plans to extend Guten into image selection, SEO optimisation and social orchestration across 120+ brands Company stresses human‑in‑the‑loop review, quotation‑fidelity checks and entity‑mismatch safeguards Reach plc is accelerating the rollout of its in-house AI system, Guten, expanding beyond automated redrafts into content recommendation, image selection for search optimisation and orchestration of social channels. In a blog for Amazon Web Services (AWS), Reach data scientists said the goal is to make Guten a central engine across the group’s 120-plus brands. Built on AWS technologies including Amazon Bedrock, AWS…
The adult and gambling sectors treat retention as an immediate, data-driven priority Apply rapid personalisation, habit-forming onboarding and agile pricing to convert early engagement into long-term loyalty Use moment-based offers, constant novelty and community features to make leaving feel like losing more than just content Back in the 1990s, when working with The Economist, I deployed an online order rescue system from a software provider based in Amsterdam. Nothing remarkable about that, you might think, but the technology had interesting origins: it had originally been developed for adult sites. The software opened a new web window with a final…
Corporate name changes to EndeavorB2B to reflect expansion beyond media into events, data and services Leadership says move responds to buyer behaviour across more channels Rebrand aims to unify more than 90 titles, events and first‑party data under a single commercial platform Endeavor Business Media has rebranded as EndeavorB2B, saying the change better reflects its expanded role across marketing services, events, research and content. The new identity is intended to present a single platform for connecting specialist buyer audiences with data-driven marketing solutions. Chief executive Chris Ferrell said the company has evolved since its 2017 launch through a series of…
Google is testing “Preferred Sources” in Search Labs Users star outlets to boost their presence in the Top Stories carousel Rollout targets English searches in the US and India Google has introduced a “Preferred Sources” feature in Search, allowing users to boost the visibility of news outlets they trust in the Top Stories carousel. The tool, now in Search Labs testing, adds a star icon beside the Top Stories header, enabling users to search for and add any number of outlets they want to see more often. It is being rolled out for English-language searches in the US and India,…
New editorial director will dismantle sections like The Hive and Hollywood Daily and pivot away from aggregation and trade reporting Hiring and design changes aim to unify print, digital and live events, but staff cuts and key departures are expected The shift tests whether a consolidated, auteur-driven approach can sustain digital reach and revenue for a legacy title Vanity Fair is shutting down several long-running verticals, including The Hive and Hollywood Daily, as part of a wider editorial overhaul under new global editorial director Mark Guiducci. The changes, which include new creative hires but also staff cuts, mark a shift…
Yomiuri Shimbun files ¥2.17bn lawsuit against Perplexity copied about 120,000 articles to power chat answers The newspaper alleges the AI start-up copied about 120,000 articles to power chat answers Case will probe 2018 Copyright Act exception for machine learning Japan’s largest newspaper is suing Perplexity, accusing the AI search startup of copying more than 119,000 articles to train and power its chatbot. Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings said it filed the claim on August 7 in Tokyo District Court, seeking about ¥2.17bn ($15m) in damages and an injunction to stop Perplexity from reproducing or distributing its content. The suit, brought by three…
