Latest Exclusive Tech Reporting from E&P
Over the past few months, news organizations have grappled with changes at Google that have led to a dramatic drop in organic search traffic. Publishers have been forced to navigate what appears to be seismic shifts in how Google doles out traffic, with the integration of artificial intelligence (which remains unintelligent and error-prone) causing panic attacks across the industry.
Randall Lane, the chief content officer at Forbes Media and editor at Forbes magazine, penned a June 11, 2024 column — “Why Perplexity’s Cynical Theft Represents Everything That Could Go Wrong With AI” — citing a dispute with major AI developer, Perplexity. E&P followed up with Lane to better understand what happened and to seek his advice to other news media publishers grappling with the copyright-AI conflict.
In the generative AI space, primarily dominated by tech developers like OpenAI, Microsoft and Google, Perplexity.ai seeks distinction. E&P spoke with the company’s chief business officer, Dmitry Shevelenko, in late July, a day after the company revealed its new Perplexity Publishers Program.
There is growing angst in the news media community about how their products — the journalism they create, at no small expense — are being used to train the Generative AI Large Language Models (LLMs). They wonder whether copyright law will protect them, whether they should sue over copyright violations or agree to license and compensation terms offered by AI developers. E&P sought to understand these dilemmas better, so we asked news media publishers and advocates how they think these relationships will come to pass.
Remember when we said more people use VR headsets in the U.S. than subscribe to a newspaper? That number will continue to grow in 2024 and beyond. It’s time to dive deeper into what that means for local media publishers.
If we were to tell you that more people have VR headsets in the U.S. than those who subscribe to a newspaper — print and digital subscriptions combined — would you consider it a viable new frontier? The reality is extended reality (XR) — the catch-all term encompassing virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality — has slowly grown under the radar.
In recent months, the amount of organic search traffic Google has been sending to publishers has fallen off a cliff. Newsrooms nationwide — from Boston to Seattle, from the Jersey Shore to Southern California — have watched their formerly reliable search traffic numbers and page rankings plummet. The big question is — why? Well, it’s complicated.
Tech Talk
The landscape of local television is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by technological advancements and changing viewer behaviors. As cable and satellite subscriptions continue to decline, local news stations face consolidation, network affiliate programming transforms, and new opportunities emerge for innovative content delivery. These trends not only challenge traditional broadcasting models but also open up avenues for news publishers to reimagine their roles in serving local communities. E&P's Guy Tasaka explores four key predictions that outline the future of local TV and strategies for thriving amidst this disruption.
News Media Today
The pace at which generative AI is overtaking the tech world is causing a wave of anxiety to ripple through the world of journalism. What is the advice from Will Oremus, who covers AI and technology for The Washington Post, and other tech experts? Proceed with caution.
Local television is experiencing significant changes, including the push from networks to move top shows to streaming platforms, audience declines, and the rise of free ad-supported streaming TV. These changes have resulted in a decline in retransmission fees, increased pressure to produce varied content, and a shift in revenue models. Despite these challenges, local content still has value, and local broadcasters can engage with their communities in new ways, pivot their business models, and find new revenue streams.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is proving both a blessing and a bane for news publishers. On the one hand, generative AI technologies promise productivity gains for newsrooms when used responsibly and transparently. However, it also has the potential to create a minefield of misinformation for the public and for journalists to navigate.
Tech Talk
In this month's column, E&P columnist Guy Tasaka shares some thoughts on what the future local media website looks like and how local media publishers can thrive in the new environment. As you read his thoughts, consider that any local presence that has the legacy trust can take this playbook and run with it. It could be the two largest television stations in the market, the public media company, the big university or the local chamber of commerce. There are no swimlanes anymore, and local media 3.0 will be a winner-take-all race.
AI is now powering an upheaval of the search economy that could devastate news publishers desperately needing good news. For the first time since it became the world’s largest search engine in 2000, Google’s dominance in the search market is facing a serious threat. One of the challengers, Perplexity, shoots back short, AI-generated responses to direct questions. Is it perfect? No. Is it pretty useful? Of course. But it comes at a terrible cost to publishers.
Tech Talk
Your website is where all your focus needs to be in 2024 and beyond. It is the connection to your local audiences — both consumer and business. It won’t go away, so how do we make it the best and most profitable it can be?
