GB News rolls out AI sport bulletins | Most-viewed publisher election Tiktoks
Plus Prince Harry's trial against The Sun has been scheduled for January and the editors of PA Media and The Observer have announced they are steppoing down
Welcome to your daily newsletter from Press Gazette on Wednesday, 17 July, 2024.
Was 2024 the UK's first Tiktok election?
Based on Press Gazette's first look at the publisher content which made waves during the election I'm doubtful the platform had a big influence on voting decisions.
Tiktok is essentially an entertainment platform and the most-seen videos were slip-ups and comedy moments. The most-watched publisher video we could find did involve Boris Johnson talking about policy, but judging by the comments I think most were sharing it because he looked like Boris Becker after a three-day bender.
Today we also report on the latest from the High Court which continues to deal with the problem of a highly litigious prince who does not want to settle anything. The civil courts are set up to decide damages in cases where parties can't reach an agreement. But Prince Harry doesn't want to make peace, he wants to have his day in court and cause as much trouble for publishers as possible.
Harry's cases against The Sun and Mail grind on, with the former now scheduled for an eight-week trial early next year.
We also have an intriguing development in the wacky world of AI. GB News says it will employ the technology to both read and write sports news bulletins on its radio station. What could possibly go wrong?
And yesterday two titans of the news business announced they were stepping down: Observer editor Paul Webster and PA Media's Pete Clifton.
The latter really has put in a shift after a decade as editor of the UK's national news agency PA.
I recall once facing a tricky ethical dilemma when Press Gazette and PA had the only reporters covering an inquest and we faced a request to omit an important detail from our coverage. It was a heartbreaking case and I was tempted to concede.
But Clifton stood firm. The deceased was a person of interest, they had a reporter in the hearing, and PA had to cover what was going on.
As an agency which is the eyes and ears of the public at courts up and down the country, how could he do otherwise?
New from Press Gazette
GB News Radio on the gbnews.com website. Screenshot: Press Gazette
GB News Radio rolls out AI-generated sports news bulletins
“This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of our AI rollout.”
From bearded Boris to ‘woman pulling faces’: Who won the general election on Tiktok?
Here Press Gazette lists some of the most watched Tiktok videos relating to the 2024 UK general election campaign published by leading news publishers.
Harry versus The Sun: Eight-week trial expected to start in January 2025
Mr Justice Fancourt said both sides would say in December which of the cases, which also currently includes a claim by former Labour Party deputy leader Lord Watson of Wyre Forest, would be heard in the January trial.
Pete Clifton to step down after ten years as editor of PA
“I’ve decided that after 10 years at the helm, and an eye-watering 43 years in journalism, I’m ready to ease off slightly from full-time work and have more opportunities to make merry.”
Observer editor Paul Webster to retire after six years in job
“I look forward to enjoying the paper as a reader, and I am absolutely confident it will maintain its long-standing traditions of fearless reporting, trenchant commentary and fine cultural coverage, and its unbending commitment to progressive liberal values and freedom of expression.”
News in brief
Apple has struck a deal with Taboola that will see the content recommendation business power native advertising in Apple News and Apple Stocks. Press Gazette reported previously on evidence that Apple was planning a move into the online advertising market. (Axios)
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has won the right to publish a serial rapist's name in what has been labelled an "important decision" because it shows anonymity for others in the family court can be preserved while not allowing perpetrators to hide behind it. (TBIJ)
News UK has put out a statement saying it is "committed to serving our readers who prefer that format and our print advertisers" after Rupert Murdoch suggested print newspapers will last another 15 years "with a lot of luck". (The i)
Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr has told Axios that conservatives no longer need to “bend the knee” to Rupert Murdoch in order “to survive in the Republican Party”. (Financial Times)
US congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has told a Times Radio reporter that the media are "the cause of our country being divided" and "the cause of President Trump almost being assassinated. You’re the cause of everything wrong in America. You should report the news. Not lie". (Times Radio)
Ozy Media founder Carlos Watson has been found guilty of fraud. Witnesses testified about fake contracts and misleading earnings claims at the digital media company, as well as the infamous phone call when another Ozy co-founder, Samir Rao, tried to convince Goldman Sachs staff he was a Youtube executive. (The New York Times)
MSNBC host Joe Scarborough criticised the network yesterday for not airing his show, Morning Joe, on Monday. CNN previously reported the show was pulled in case a guest made inappropriate remarks about the Trump assassination attempt, which MSNBC denies. (Axios)
Previously on Press Gazette
Australian publishers say ‘catastrophic’ if Meta follows through on news ban
Footballco unveils post-cookies ad targeting solution, ‘FC Precision’
Most Britons want online journalism ad-funded, but don’t like the ads they see
Dale Vince libel claim against Daily Mail publisher thrown out by High Court
Update: Family court reporting pilot widens to include private family disputes
Media payments and freebies for Labour ministers: David Lammy tops the table
Press Gazette live
Our flagship event the Future of Media Technology Conference and Awards takes place on 12 September on the Hilton Bankside hotel in London. It provides publishers with a masterclass on the big technology themes impacting our business and is also an unrivalled networking opportunity.
Full agenda and booking details here.
Latest podcast
Setting goals for US expansion with Footballco’s first North America CEO
Goal, Indivisa and Mundial publisher Footballco was reaching 30 million people in the US without having any meaningful boots on the ground.
But at the start of 2024 Jason Wagenheim arrived as its first CEO for North America, bringing lessons that sports publishing can learn from lifestyle after a long stint at Bustle Digital Group.
Wagenheim told Press Gazette UK editor Charlotte Tobitt about how he is approaching Footballco’s two-year runway ahead of the World Cup being held in the US, Canada and Mexico in 2026 as well as the value of going deeper – well beyond traditional match reporting – in an age of algorithms and generative AI.