2:48 am - September 16, 2026
The New York Post and TMZ collaborate on a new daily video franchise called “The Lowdown”. The series features four one-minute segments combining journalism and entertainment reporting. Aims to expand digital reach and capitalise on fast-paced celebrity and headline news. The New York Post has entered into a new video…
Publishers must focus on proving value, trust, and usefulness in an AI-saturated landscape Transition from advertising reliance towards subscriptions and circulation income Emphasis on audience segmentation, relevance, and experiences to strengthen brand loyalty At the Indian Printers Summit 2026, organised by WAN-IFRA, speakers returned repeatedly to a single point: in…
21% of UK adults have used AI tools for news in the past year ChatGPT is the most widely used AI news source at 13% Trust in AI-generated news remains lower than human journalism One in five adults in the UK are now using AI tools such as ChatGPT to…
Reach announces strategic move towards digital subscriptions and original content Revenue drop highlights need for a new publishing approach Content strategy based on exclusivity, expertise, and emotive storytelling The surest catalyst for change in a news organisation is a crisis. When things are going well – or at least not too badly – there is always the temptation to defend what you have, rather than risk something new. At the World Cup, England showed how limiting a strategy that can be. But when your back is against the wall, you don’t have a choice – you have to do…
South China Morning Post revamps print and online platforms with a focus on analysis and visual appeal Introduction of AI tools enhances digital research and user experience Repositioning reflects long-term strategy of adaptation and globalisation in media The South China Morning Post (SCMP) has unveiled a redesign of both its print newspaper and digital platforms as it seeks to keep pace with changing reading habits and an increasingly AI-driven media environment. The revamp is aimed at making the title feel more useful to readers who want fast updates on screens and deeper context in print. Chow Chung Yan, the paper’s…
People Inc reports 11th straight quarter of digital revenue growth, driven by licensing and AI collaborations Company advocates for fair compensation from Google over search content use Transition towards less traffic-dependent revenue streams aims to power future growth and diversification People Inc said its digital business extended its run of growth in the second quarter of 2026, helped by higher licensing income, AI-related partnerships, events and social media products, even as core traffic remained under pressure from changes in search. The company reported its 11th straight quarter of digital revenue growth, with digital adjusted EBITDA rising 18% year on year…
Hearst acquires Disney’s half-share in A+E Global Media for $1.2 billion Move marks Disney’s strategic shift from linear television to streaming and sports A+E continues expansion under Hearst, strengthening international content reach and multiplatform growth Hearst has agreed to buy The Walt Disney Company’s half-share in A+E Global Media for about $1.2 billion in cash, giving the privately held media group full control of a television business that includes A&E, Lifetime and the History Channel, according to Reuters. The sale, announced this week, is expected to complete in September. Once the transaction closes, A+E Global Media will sit entirely within…
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…
Prince Harry and six others failed to prove unlawful information gathering by Daily Mail Court rules claims of systemic phone hacking and bugging are unsubstantiated Verdict marks a major win for Associated Newspapers and shifts legal climate for press scrutiny Prince Harry and six other high-profile claimants have lost their…
Sky agrees to a £1.6 billion takeover of ITV’s media and entertainment division. The deal aims to create a stronger UK rival to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and YouTube. Completion is expected in the second half of 2027, subject to approval. Sky has agreed a £1.6 billion takeover of…
Associated Press plans new production hub in India to focus on video and photo content US-based visual journalism teams face layoffs as part of strategic realignment Union criticises outsourcing and warns of job losses in the US and globally The Associated Press is pressing ahead with plans to build a…
CMA insists on sale of Shutterstock’s editorial assets, leading Getty to withdraw from the deal Merger collapse highlights contrasting approaches to AI-driven content markets Getty faces financial pressure following the deal’s termination amid regulatory hurdles Getty Images is set to walk away from its $3.7 billion tie-up with Shutterstock after…
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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 discovery results, in a move that could give the AI chatbot access to a more authoritative pool of visual material. The partnership is aimed at improving the quality and relevance of image-rich responses inside ChatGPT, while keeping the arrangement limited to display rather than model training. Getty said OpenAI will…
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 and draw in younger audiences who increasingly consume news and entertainment through creator feeds rather than legacy publisher channels. The initiative, called Forbes Creator, was unveiled this month as a social-first network built around video, podcasts and live experiences. Forbes says the project is intended to combine its journalistic brand…
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A recent FIPP webinar sparked a vital conversation about the impact of AI on journalism and publishing. What role should AI play in publishing? A recent webinar hosted by FIPP – the global media network – offered a thoughtful and timely space to explore this often fraught question. Under the guidance of Alastair Lewis, FIPP continues to demonstrate leadership in convening open, forward-looking industry discussions on how technology is reshaping the media landscape. This session, like many it has run, encouraged a range of perspectives and highlighted just how important it is that publishers are equipped to understand and…
Zuora report shows strong growth for subscriber businesses – but rising costs risk driving users away. Businesses built on subscription models are continuing to outgrow the wider market, according to the latest Subscription Economy Index from Zuora. The report found that subscription-based companies achieved an 11% revenue growth advantage over the S&P 500, based on data from more than 600 firms. The findings suggest that recurring revenue models remain resilient in uncertain economic conditions. A separate survey commissioned by Zuora and conducted by The Harris Poll found that 68% of US adults used a subscription service for the first time…
Former MSNBC host builds fast-growing independent outlet with big-name contributors and ambitions beyond Substack. Mehdi Hasan’s independent media platform Zeteo has generated more than $3.5 million in revenue in its first year, making it one of the fastest-growing ventures on Substack. The former MSNBC host launched the newsletter on April 15, 2024, and now claims a following of around 400,000 subscribers, including over 40,000 paid members. Hasan told the Los Angeles Times that within four months of launch, Zeteo had already signed up 31,000 paying subscribers. Many now pay $500 annually, putting projected revenue between $3.3 million and $3.9 million.…
Tech titans spark backlash with anti-copyright stance amid AI copyright battles. Jack Dorsey has called for the complete eradication of intellectual property law – and Elon Musk agrees. The former Twitter and Square CEO made the blunt demand in a post on X, prompting an immediate “yes” from Musk in support. Their comments, made without much context, land as lawsuits mount against AI companies for using copyrighted content to train their models. OpenAI – co-founded by Musk – is at the centre of several of them. Musk’s endorsement of Dorsey’s stance gave the idea far more reach and weight. The…
Newsrooms recognised for innovation in storytelling, subscriptions and tech-driven journalism. WAN-IFRA has announced continental winners of its 2025 Digital Media Awards, highlighting innovative journalism and technology-led projects across both Europe and South Asia. From AI-powered tools to gamified engagement strategies, the awards celebrate how newsrooms are evolving to attract audiences, drive subscriptions and uphold editorial excellence. In Europe, Reuters took top national honours for Best Data Visualisation with its investigative project “Buildings wrapped in solid gasoline,” which exposed the dangers of flammable cladding and linked the Grenfell fire in London to wider regulatory failures. Regional recognition in the same category…
Tools support summaries, data analysis and reader comments – with human oversight built in. The Financial Times is using artificial intelligence to generate article summaries and support its journalists, as part of a broader effort to boost reader engagement and experiment with new ways of presenting information. Speaking at WAN-IFRA’s Frankfurt AI Forum, Liz Lohn, the FT’s director of product, AI and editorial tech, said AI-generated summaries are helping readers get to key facts faster – but also encouraging them to stay and read more. “Good summaries can actually help draw readers into the article,” she said. Rather than placing…
Jonathan Roberts says storytelling still matters – but the rules of distribution are changing fast. Artificial intelligence is reshaping digital publishing and Dotdash Meredith is among the companies moving quickly to adapt. In a recent interview with The Media Copilot, the company’s Chief Innovation Officer, Dr Jonathan Roberts, outlined how the publisher is balancing AI adoption with editorial integrity, and why human storytelling still matters in an increasingly automated environment. Home to titles including People, InStyle and Investopedia, Dotdash Meredith has built a reputation for data-driven strategy. It has developed its own ad tech platform, D/Cipher, aimed at the post-cookie…
New feature aims to help users manage screen time without blocking access. YouTube is developing a new feature that will allow users to set daily time limits for watching Shorts, its short-form video offering. The feature, discovered in the latest beta version of the YouTube app, is designed to help users regulate their screen time amid growing concerns over the addictive nature of endless scrolling. According to Android Authority, users will be able to specify how many minutes or hours they want to spend on Shorts each day. Once the limit is reached, the app will pause the continuous scroll…
Preferences vary widely across age, income and political lines, with many seeking content that reflects their own views. A new study published in the International Journal of Communication has found that while many people say they want impartial news, large sections of the public actually prefer journalism that reflects their own beliefs. The findings suggest that assumptions about audience preferences – long held by newsrooms and media academics – may not reflect the full picture. The research, led by Camila Mont’Alverne of the University of Strathclyde and Richard Fletcher of Oxford University, analysed data from 80,000 participants across 40 countries,…
Dotdash Meredith invests in mobile product aimed at younger, visually-driven audiences. People Magazine has launched its first standalone app, marking a significant new direction for Dotdash Meredith since acquiring the brand in 2021. The app, released on Thursday, features a TikTok-style interface and offers original, swipeable content designed to appeal to younger users. Unlike previous mobile efforts, which were linked to a now-cancelled TV show, the new app delivers a distinct editorial experience. It includes multimedia storytelling exclusive to the platform, not available on the website or in print. “It’s not just a new platform – it’s a new product,”…
