Global slams BBC podcast ads plan | Top 50 US news sites | Kent journalism centre to close
Plus your news diary for the week ahead
Welcome to your daily newsletter from Press Gazette on Monday, 25 March, brought to you in association with MHP Group - hosts of the 30 To Watch: Journalism Awards. The awards, which are in their 13th year, celebrate the best and most influential journalists in the UK aged 30 and younger. Nominate or enter the awards today.
Bonkers conspiracy theorists on social media were stopped in their tracks by the Princess of Wales's impressive video message to the nation on Friday night, which was filmed by the BBC a couple of days earlier.
The mainstream media has stuck to the facts in recent months and, in the UK at least, refrained from publishing pictures that invaded Kate's privacy while she recovered from an operation. But Kate 'truthers' have had a field day on Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter and the US tech giants have yet again profited from lies and misinformation.
In Tom Stoppard's 2006 play Rock and Roll a character refers to the "casual cruelty" of newspapers. It feels like that role, in UK society, is perhaps being replaced by the US tech platforms that coarsen debate and can fuel manic levels of misinformation.
Meanwhile, a BBC plan to start carrying advertising on some of its UK podcasts has led to alarm - while the corporation has further irked LBC by using licence fee revenue to advertise against its commercial rival and so appear above it in search results.
Our top-50 news websites ranking for the USA in February is published today and has a new entrant in the form of fast-growing environmental title The Cool Down. It offers a more positive take on climate change and the environment focusing on practical advice and solutions.
Sad news from Kent where the Centre for Journalism is closing amid fears that Russell Group universities offering a more academic (rather than practical) approach to journalism education have helped squeeze it out of the market.
And your news diary for the week ahead includes the first anniversary of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich being detained in Russia.
No evidence has yet been offered to support the espionage charge against him and his pre-trial detention has been repeatedly extended.
New from Press Gazette
Top 50 news websites in the US: Climate news start-up The Cool Down enters ranking in February
Visits to the site of news magazine Newsweek, which has expanded its rankings content and consumer guides in the past year, were up 130% year-on-year to 69.1 million, making it the fastest growing news site in the top 50.
Global slams BBC plan to carry advertising on UK podcasts
Global chief strategy officer Sebastian Enser-Wight told the Lords Communications Committee last week for its future of news inquiry that the company was “outraged and really surprised” to hear the plan.
Centre for Journalism closing so University of Kent can sell building
“This is a loss for public service journalism and for efforts to widen access to the profession.”
News diary 25-31 March: One year since WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich detained in Russia
A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda this week, from the team at Foresight News.
From our partner
Applications for MHP Group's 30 To Watch: Journalism awards are open.
Returning for their 13th year, the free to enter awards celebrate the best and most influential journalists in the UK aged 30 and younger. Entries are invited across ten categories: City & Business; Culture, Entertainment & Lifestyle; Health; International Affairs; News & Investigations; Personal Finance & Consumer Affairs; Politics; Production; Science, Environment & Technology and Sport (new for 2024).
You can enter or nominate via this short form.
Deadline for entries is 19th April.
News in brief
Sunday Mirror editor Gemma Aldridge has been named executive editor (weekends) of the Mirror meaning her remit now covers “all weekend content across Mirror print and digital platforms as we build our brand into the future”. (Press Gazette)
The Society of Editors is "pleased" about new Liberal Democrat guidance to election candidates that newspaper-style leaflets should be clearly identifiable in connection with the party on the front. But the Society says it "remains strongly opposed" to newspaper mimicry overall. (Society of Editors)
BBC journalists and presenters have been advised to challenge on-air guests who accuse someone of transphobia. A briefing said: "We need to consider the framing of stories, the language we use, the tone of coverage, the context we provide..." on sex and gender-related stories. (Deadline)
The NUJ has said National World should give its journalists a 7% pay rise following the publication of its 2023 results showing 5% revenue growth. "Brutal job cuts have meant journalists across newsrooms are in fact doing more with less," the union said. (National Union of Journalists)
After Gannett and McClatchy moved away from using AP content, the agency has signed a both-ways content sharing agreement with non-profit the Texas Tribune. (AP)
More than 100 social media research, advocacy and watchdog groups have signed an open letter to Meta calling on it to keeping Crowdtangle going until 2025, citing its importance in this historic election year. (Nieman Lab)
The Financial Times is testing a chatbot called Ask FT trained on its article archive, initially with 500 of its FT Professional subscribers. (The Verge)
The Sky News Climate Show has ended. (The Sun)
Journalists have gone for a swim at Brighton beaches around the world to mark it being one year this week since Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in Russia. He loved the beach at Brighton in the UK and in his native New York. (The Argus)
Latest podcast
Podcast 67: Magazine ABCs winners and losers with Nada Arnot of The Economist
Press Gazette editor-in-chief Dominic Ponsford discusses the latest UK magazine industry circulation figures with reporter Bron Maher.
They pick out the winners and losers from the latest crop of results and also hear from Economist executive vice president Nada Arnot about how the title’s cut-price daily edition Expresso achieved lift-off in 2023. She also explained why she is bullish about The Economist’s headline (print and digital) circulation figures returning to growth in this election year.
Also on Press Gazette
Reach creates 120-strong audio and video content team called Studio
‘Profitability is versatility’: CEO says video-led future bright for The Independent
News agency boss and Press Golfing Society stalwart Joe Wood dies aged 94
FT US journalists in dispute with management over call for extra $4k
Google’s new Sandbox advertising system could be ‘the end for a lot of publishers’
Press Gazette live
Entries are now OPEN for the Future of Media Awards 2024 (which celebrate the best journalism-based digital products). Check out the full list of categories here. Note: These awards are free to enter.