“AI reporters” are covering the events of the day in Northwest Arkansas

Thursday, August 15, 2024

“AI reporters” are covering the events of the day in Northwest Arkansas OkayNWA’s AI-generated news site is the future of local journalism and/or a glorified CMS. By Andrew Deck.

What We’re ReadingBloomberg / Julia Love and Davey AlbaGoogle’s search dominance leaves sites little choice on AI scraping →“You drop out and you die immediately, or you partner with them and you probably just die slowly, because eventually they’re not going to need you either.”Daily Kos / David NirDaily Kos Elections is becoming an independent subscription-based site called The Downballot →“First things first: We’re doing this all with the blessing of Daily Kos, from founder Markos Moulitsas on down … Newsrooms across the country have faced cutbacks as advertising revenues have plummeted, and Daily Kos is no exception. At the same time, we know that so many people have come to count on the service we provide. We want to be sustainable for years to come.”Poynter / Tom JonesBiden renews calls for the release of freelance journalist Austin Tice, a dozen years after he was abducted →“Tice, a Marine veteran, was covering the Syrian civil war as a freelance journalist when he disappeared on Aug. 14, 2012.”Columbia Journalism Review / Kevin Lind1968 all over again? Reflections on a year of political upheaval — from journalists who were there →“In Chicago, in 1968, it was electric. You knew it was the story and, to quote one of the sayings at the time, the whole world was watching.”AP News / MARK BANCHEREAU AND BABACAR DIONESenegal’s media outlets staged a blackout to bring attention to press freedom concerns →“The Senegalese Council of Press Distributors and Publishers, an organization representing both private and public media companies, claimed that the government had frozen banks accounts belonging to the media outlets, allegedly for owing back taxes, ‘seized production equipment’ and ‘unilaterally and illegally terminated advertising contracts.'”WIRED / Marah EakinNBC sent 27 influencers to Paris. But the athletes (and Snoop Dogg) were the ones who went viral. →“The hope was that their presence would engage members of Gen Z and Gen Alpha and get them interested in the Games. Mostly, that didn’t pan out.”Twitter / Max TaniWNYC is reducing staff by 8% “at minimum” through layoffs and buyouts →In a memo this afternoon to staff, New York Public Radio CEO LaFontaine Oliver said “without swift action, we will soon face significant questions about our ability to continue to serve New York.”CNN / Betsy Klein, Camila DeChalus, Way Mullery, and Curt MerrillInside the Gen-Z operation powering Kamala Harris’ TikTok →“Our job in the campaign is to make the windmill. It is the vice president’s job to make the wind.”AP NewsThere’s an apostrophe battle brewing among grammar nerds. Is it Harris’ or Harris’s? →“While AP style has evolved on many fronts over the years, there are no immediate plans to change the guidance on possessives, said Amanda Barrett, AP’s vice president for news standards and inclusion.”The Hollywood Reporter / Caitlin HustonCrooked Media union members ratify contract with wage increases and AI “protections” →“Crooked will give at least 30 days’ notice before using AI in any way that materially impacts bargaining unit employees. By March 31, 2025, Crooked will develop a public-facing AI policy.”

Nieman Lab / Fuego

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