4:24 pm - September 14, 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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The industry faces existential questions about purpose and value Traditional notions of a “paper of record” are increasingly outdated Successful organisations will innovatively redefine their role and revenue streams This first appeared in our weekly newsletter Editor’s picks. Sign up here I’ve been turning to existential questions in recent days. Why are we here? What are we doing? Who will miss us when we’re gone? To be clear, I’m not asking these questions about the human race – though they feel more apposite at the moment – but news providers. I think my introspection has come because I’ve been…
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman urges tech firms to focus on hiring recent graduates skilled in AI Industry leaders see young, AI-native workers as vital for future innovation and leadership Despite automation trends, companies emphasise the importance of training entry-level staff for long-term success Steve Huffman wants companies to stop overlooking recent graduates — and start hiring them for their fluency with artificial intelligence. The Reddit chief executive argues that a cohort raised alongside large language models offers a competitive advantage, at a time when companies are reworking products and workflows around AI. His view reflects a wider shift in Silicon…
dpa partners with Google to foster collaboration between newsrooms and digital creators The programme aims to enhance fact-based reporting and experiment with new formats Participants will showcase findings at a Hamburg event with practical industry recommendations Deutsche Presse-Agentur has launched a programme to connect traditional newsrooms with digital-first creators, aiming to test new formats and reinforce fact-based reporting on social platforms. The initiative — Creator x News, supported by Google — was announced at a Berlin conference and will bring media organisations and journalistic creators into structured collaboration. It reflects a wider shift as audiences increasingly encounter news via social…
Axios embraces AI as a core part of its growth and innovation strategy The company is automating tasks and reducing staff amid rapid technological change Leadership emphasises maintaining journalism quality through exclusive reporting and expert insights Axios is accelerating its use of artificial intelligence as it seeks to expand its reach and output, with executives making clear the technology will also reshape staffing and workflows across the company. In a memo to staff, chief executive Jim VandeHei described AI as central to a “moonshot” ambition to make Axios “the most useful news organisation in America”. He pointed to a surge…
Highlights the importance of audience teams in newsrooms Critiques their ongoing marginalisation despite proven value Advocates for promoting audience specialists to leadership roles This first appeared in our weekly newsletter Editor’s picks. Sign up here I have long believed that op-ed columnists should be given five years in the job and then be sent out to pasture or other assignments. My experience is that after that long in the job – and to be honest, probably sooner – they aren’t saying anything new. The necessity of producing a cogent argument on a topic 40-plus weeks a year means they…
Axios cuts 11 newsroom roles to focus on deep subject expertise Company aims to build a ‘newsroom of the future’ blending human skill and AI Shift reflects broader trend towards niche authority in digital media Axios has cut 11 newsroom roles as it pivots away from general assignment reporting towards specialist journalists with deep subject expertise. The move underscores a broader shift in digital media, where publishers are betting that authority and niche knowledge, rather than scale , will drive audience growth and revenue, particularly as artificial intelligence reshapes how news is produced and consumed. The layoffs affect staff across…
Dow Jones aims for $1bn in annual earnings within five years amid shift to digital and AI-driven products The segment’s revenue now 82% digital, with a focus on subscriptions and data services Growth driven by AI licensing, risk and energy intelligence, and enterprise news News Corp said Dow Jones, the parent of the Wall Street Journal, could generate $1bn in annual earnings within five years, as the company shifts further towards digital subscriptions and professional data products. The target, presented at an investor briefing on March 16, implies growth of about 70 per cent from fiscal 2025 levels and caps…
Jamie Stockwell set to start as vice president of news at USA TODAY in March 2026 Will focus on impartial reporting, innovation, and expanding audience reach Brings extensive experience from The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Axios Local USA Today has appointed Jamie Stockwell as vice president of news, the company said, adding that she will take up the role on 30 March 2026. The hire places Stockwell alongside senior vice president Monica Richardson as USA Today seeks to expand its national reach and modernise newsroom operations. “USA Today has a powerful mission and a unique place in…
Notus recruits nine seasoned journalists including seven from The Washington Post Move highlights shifts in Washington’s media landscape with talent leaving traditional outlets Organisational rebrand plans suggest ambitions to rival established national newspapers The nonprofit political newsroom NOTUS has hired nine journalists, including seven from The Washington Post, in a move that underscores growing competition between legacy news organisations and well-funded startup outlets and further emphasises the issues at the beleaguered Post. The hires, announced Monday in an internal memorandum from the Allbritton Journalism Institute, bring a cluster of veteran reporters and editors to the newsroom founded last year by…
Teenage use of TikTok and Snapchat declines but persists in some groups Platforms remove millions of underage accounts but face enforcement hurdles International interest grows as Australia’s approach influences other countries’ policies Two months after Australia introduced the world’s first nationwide ban preventing under-16s from holding accounts on major social media platforms, early data suggests teenage use has fallen but not disappeared. A report from parental control software maker Qustodio found activity among 13- to 15-year-olds on TikTok and Snapchat declined between November and February, though more than one in five teenagers in that group continued to use the apps.…
