Welcome to Twipe’s Weekly News Digest!
In this edition of Twipe’s Weekly News Digest, we cover the latest developments in digital journalism, including Semafor’s promising debut and the industry’s cautious optimism. We also discuss the impact of Google’s core update on news publishers, YouTube’s efforts to combat misinformation, and how ChatGPT interacts with publishers’ online content. Here are our top 5 stories of the week:
1. Semafor: A New Horizon in Digital Journalism
Semafor, led by Ben Smith, marks its first anniversary as a unique digital news outlet that separates news from analysis. With substantial funding and a global expansion plan, it competes with other digital journalism platforms like Artifact, Threads, and The Messenger.
Read the full article from Twipe’s Future of News blog
2. Cautious Optimism in the News Media Industry
Despite challenges, over half of news executives surveyed for the World Press Trends 2023 are optimistic about the future. Print revenues remain strong, accounting for more than half of total revenues. A survey shows that 46% of publishers are using generative AI.
Read the full article from WAN-IFRA
3. Impact of Google’s Latest Core Update on News Publishers
Google’s recent core algorithm update has significantly affected the search visibility of news publishers, with half of the 70 leading publishers experiencing a decline in their visibility score. Notably, five brands owned by Reach witnessed the largest falls.
Read the full article from PressGazette
4. YouTube’s New Watch Page for “Authoritative” News Sources
YouTube has introduced a new watch page that showcases content from “trustworthy” news sources, especially during critical events like elections or natural disasters. This effort aims to prevent false information and give users reliable news content. Additionally, YouTube has launched the “Shorts Innovation Program for News,” which provides financial grants and support to newsrooms for exploring short-form news formats.
Read the full article from Nieman Lab
5. ChatGPT’s Online Version: how are publishers dealing with it?
OpenAI’s ChatGPT now offers an online version allowing real-time access to information, marking a significant shift from its previous limitation to data available only until September 2021. This feature, however, has sparked concerns among news publishers, with several opting to block ChatGPT from accessing their sites due to the potential for bypassing paywalls.
Read the full article from Reuters Institute
