Technology AI, Science and New Things
Despite a run of elections in 2024, news publishers are gloomy about their prospects. Fewer than half the editors and media leaders surveyed by the Reuters Institute for its Digital News Report say they are confident about the year ahead. Two thirds say they’re worried about a sharp decline in referral traffic from social media sites, while roughly half feel that new licensing deals with AI companies are unlikely to reap fair rewards for publishers. The NYT has decided to tackle the threat of generative AI head-on by launching a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI. Others can’t afford to be so litigious. According to the survey, publishers view channels such as WhatsApp (62 per cent), formats such as video (64 per cent), and better explanation of complex stories like Gaza and Ukraine (67 per cent), as alternative ways to combat declining ad revenue and news fatigue.