All articles tagged with #digital news
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced it will cease its print edition to focus entirely on expanding its digital news operations, aiming to reach more people and protect its journalism, after initially delaying the transition in 2023 due to insufficient digital subscription growth.
OpenAI has suspended access to its generative-AI video tool, Sora, after a group of artists publicly released the tool and criticized the company for exploiting them for PR purposes. The artists, who were part of an early access program, accused OpenAI of using them as unpaid labor for testing and feedback, while offering minimal compensation. OpenAI defended its program, stating participation was voluntary and aimed at supporting artists. The protest highlights ongoing tensions between tech companies and creators over the use of AI in the arts.
The New York Times has relaunched its 'Needle' election predictor during a tech workers' strike at the paper. The Needle, which forecasts election outcomes based on partial results, is operational despite the strike by the Times Tech Guild, which represents over 600 tech employees. The union went on strike after failing to secure a new contract, accusing the company of unfair labor practices. The Needle's operation depends on stable computer systems maintained by striking engineers, and the Times has assured it will only run the Needle if these systems are reliable.
The Messenger, a digital news outlet, is shutting down less than a year after its launch, despite hiring hundreds of journalists and aiming to reach 100 million readers monthly. The collapse comes amid widespread layoffs in the media industry, with the outlet's strategy of generating internet traffic from social media platforms and search engines facing challenges. The company's founder, Jimmy Finkelstein, cited economic headwinds and the inability to raise sufficient capital as reasons for the closure, leaving staff devastated and without severance.
The Messenger, a startup digital news website launched in May, is shutting down due to financial difficulties, leaving employees without severance and health coverage. The outlet, which promised non-partisan news coverage, failed to secure sufficient capital to reach profitability. The decision comes after reports of potential shutdown and failed attempts to secure new revenue. The closure adds to a string of recent media layoffs, including those at The Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Time, Sports Illustrated, Tech Crunch, NBC News, and Business Insider.
A Pew Research Center fact sheet reveals that half of U.S. adults get news from social media, with Facebook being the most popular platform for news consumption, followed by YouTube. Demographic and partisan differences exist in regular news consumers on various social media sites, with women making up a greater portion of regular news consumers on platforms like Nextdoor and Instagram, and Democrats or lean Democrats being the majority of regular news consumers on many sites. The fact sheet provides insights into the state of news, information, and journalism in the digital age, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Elon Musk announced on Twitter that he will be rolling out a micropayments platform next month that will allow media publishers to charge users on a per-article basis with one click. This will enable users who would not sign up for a monthly subscription to pay a higher per-article price for when they want to read an occasional article. However, the idea of news publishers charging readers by the article is not a new one, and many micropayments-for-news startups have come and gone without gaining much traction. The biggest problem is Elon Musk's credibility with mainstream publishers, given his recent attacks on the media.