2:27 pm - 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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Building subscriptions with other publishers and services offers a strategy to enhance subscriber engagement and diversify offerings. Last week Axios reported that The New York Times has been exploring subscription partnerships with other American publishers, as it has done with international publishers. The initial talks with The Ankler, which covers the entertainment industry, haven’t come to anything but it is clear that the publisher is keen to build its bundle even further. Its latest quarterly earnings report revealed that nearly half (46%) of the NYT’s 11m subscribers are signed up to their bundle or multiple products from their suite…
CEO Barbara Peng outlines the publication’s strategy to capture a younger audience and enhance its distinctiveness. Business Insider is experiencing “meaningful growth in subscriptions after implementing an AI-powered paywall, according to Barbara Peng, its CEO. In an interview with Oliver Darcy, she said the publication is intent on maintaining its appeal to a younger demographic while expanding its impact and reach over the next five years. “We want Business Insider to be the go-to destination for business, tech, and innovation journalism,” said Peng. “We’re known for our conversational and to-the-point style, and I think that’s why we attract a younger…
Major digital news publishers in India have initiated a legal challenge against OpenAI, alleging improper use of copyrighted content, as the landscape of AI-generated content faces heightened scrutiny. Digital news publishers in India, including the digital units of billionaires Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, have initiated a legal challenge against OpenAI, alleging the improper use of copyrighted content by the company, according to legal documents seen by Reuters. The lawsuit involves prominent media outlets such as Adani’s NDTV, Ambani’s Network18, The Indian Express, and the Hindustan Times. These publishers are requesting to join an ongoing legal action brought against…
Yann LeCun, Meta’s chief AI scientist, urges European leaders to enhance funding for artificial intelligence to bridge the investment gap with the United States. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Yann LeCun, Meta’s chief AI scientist, called for increased investment in artificial intelligence from Europe and described recent US funding initiatives as potentially unrealistic. His comments, made during an interview with AFP, highlighted the significant disparity in investment strategies between Europe and the United States. LeCun, considered one of the pioneers of AI, specifically referenced a $500 billion funding plan announced by former US President Donald Trump aimed at…
Less safe for users, less safe for brands? The industry reacts to Meta’s contentious policy pivot. Mark Zuckerberg’s seeming full embrace of Donald Trump’s presidency at this week’s inauguration has drawn further attention to his volte face on content moderation on Meta’s platforms and the disbanding of internal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) teams. According to Meta’s global business head, Nicola Mendelsohn, its moderation and policy shifts won’t change anything for the digital advertising ecosystem. Yet with fact-checkers scrapped in favour of X-like community notes and revised hateful content rules set to permit more discriminatory language, there are growing concerns…
In a multimedia news environment, publishers will be keenly watching CNN’s shift to non-linear formats. CNN announced a significant restucturing this week as part of a new strategic plan from its CEO Mark Thompson. About 6 per cent of the CNN workforce, equating to around 200 jobs, will be cut as the company pivots to adapt to evolving audience consumption behaviours. Simultaneously it is recruiting for hundreds of new positions through a forthcoming $70 million investment from parent company Warner Bros Discovery. In his memo to employees, Thompson stressed the necessity of evolving in response to “profound and irreversible shifts”…
Recurly’s latest State of Subscriptions report highlights a significant decrease in subscriber acquisition rates Recurly’s ninth annual State of Subscriptions report highlights a notable decline in subscriber acquisition rates, emphasising the importance of retention strategies in the subscription-based content market. The subscription management firm’s report draws from an extensive analysis of data derived from millions of consumers, providing valuable insights into the transformation of the subscription economy. According to the report’s authors, it aims to furnish merchants with “strategies and one-of-a-kind solutions for overcoming the industry’s ever-evolving challenges to drive growth.” Research findings reveal that subscriber acquisition rates have decreased…
The youth-focused publisher wants to become a ‘global entertainment powerhouse’, according to its CEO. Lad Bible Group continues to prosper in a challenging publishing landscape, with its revenue tripling from £30 million in 2020 to £90 million in 2024, predominantly fuelled by advertising. As brands hesitate to invest in news, the group’s audience has grown by 19% in the first nine months of the year, surpassing 503 million. In an interview with Digiday, CEO Solly Solomou discussed the company’s strategies for sustaining this momentum and achieving its target of £200 million in revenue. “Last year marked a good step towards…
Anna Bateson, CEO of Guardian Media Group, outlined a positive future for the paper as it navigates choppy waters. The Guardian’s digital reader revenue will exceed £100m this year, having grown from around £4m a decade ago, according to the UK title’s chief executive Anna Bateson. Overall more than 60% of the company’s revenue now comes from readers, whether from print sales, subscriptions or contributions. Speaking to The Drum, as part of their excellent News Horizons series with Mark Challinor, Bateson emphasised the paper’s commitment to enhancing the global reach and digital presence of The Guardian. It now has a…
Music AI raises $40 million in Series A funding to advance ethical AI solutions for the music industry, amid growing concerns over copyright issues. Music AI, a company focused on developing artificial intelligence solutions for the music and audio sectors, has successfully secured $40 million in a Series A funding round. This funding round was led by Connect Ventures, a joint venture between Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and New Enterprise Associates (NEA), along with Brazilian investor monashees. Other contributors to the funding included Kickstart, Samsung Next, Toba Capital, Valutia, Pelion, and several notable figures from the music industry, including songwriter…
