Inside Apple ad block plans | Tiktok tips for success
Plus the BBC pays out again over Martin Bashir and Ofcom's chief executive defends regulator's approach to politicians presenting news
Welcome to your daily newsletter from Press Gazette on Wednesday, 15 May, brought to you today in association with Desk-Net, the tool for planning content in fast-paced newsrooms. Track progress, allocate assignments, and integrate with your tech stack. Discover how.
"As flies to wanton boys are we to the Gods, they kill us for their sport."
Unless he had a time machine, Shakespeare was not writing about the relationship between news publishers and US tech giants. But he could have been.
Apple controls 30% of the UK web browser market via its Safari browser. In news media/democracy terms that means 30% of access to almost everything.
So publishers are justifiably alarmed by reported plans for it to aggressively block the visibility of advertising on their websites and roll out AI-driven article summarisation. No-one has been consulted and no-one is picking up the phone at Apple.
We have taken a closer look at what the planned changes to Safari mean for news publishers.
Meanwhile, Martin Bashir is the gift that keeps on giving for the legal professional as the BBC has made yet another payout over his unethical behaviour in the 1990s.
A former royal chauffeur has been paid substantial damages for slander over comments made by Bashir to the late Princess Diana which he believes led to his dismissal. It is the first time I can recall a UK publisher making a payout for slander.
Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes
And as Tiktok becomes an increasingly important platform for news, we share some insider tips from its head of publisher operations on how professional content creators can succeed on the platform. As a side note, the mere fact Tiktok has a head of publisher operations is intriguing and a testament to how important it sees the news industry.
Content planning built specifically for the newsroom (sponsored)
Coordinating content in an ever-changing, fast-paced environment is challenging. Are you publishing the right stories at the right times for the right audiences? Desk-Net helps you get that information at a glance.
How can Desk-Net support your content planning?
Track the progress of your content, where and when it's published, including tasks. View multiple days or issues side by side, even across channels with different publication schedules.
Allocate and send assignments directly from the tool.
Integrate seamlessly with your media tech stack.
Over 200 newsrooms such as The Times, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Haymarket, and many more use Desk-Net to plan their content.
New from Press Gazette
No consultation from Apple on plans to block publisher ads and summarise articles
No UK publishers, and no one outside of Apple, has yet seen the tech giant’s new “web eraser” and AI text summary tools, but they are likely to be launched on Apple devices later this year, sources tell Press Gazette.
BBC makes ‘substantial payout’ to Diana chauffeur over Martin Bashir slander
According to his law firm Carter-Ruck, Steve Davies recently learned of the comments because they were repeated in season five of Netflix drama The Crown, a fictionalised version of the royal family’s history.
Why 'more isn't always more' for publishers on Tiktok
“Really focus on the quality, because if you post twice a week, but each video does 5-10 million video views, your engagement and also your follower base is going to grow much faster than posting 20 videos a week that are driving 5-10,000 video views."
Ofcom bosses defend ‘degree of flexibility’ over politicians presenting on GB News
“I think a lot of people would like us to draw bright lines here and to say ‘this, that and the other is not allowed’, or ‘this language is not allowed’, or ‘these presenters are or aren’t allowed’, but it’s an incredibly important principle in law and for Ofcom that we are a post-broadcast regulator, we do not censor in advance.”
News in brief
Google has begun rolling out AI-generated summary responses to search engine queries in the US. (The Guardian)
Rolling Stone has reportedly told lifetime subscribers they will cease receiving print copies of the magazine from June, and will instead be sent e-copies going forward. (CNN)
UK staff working on the Nature portfolio of science journals are balloting for industrial action in a dispute over pay. It is owned by international publisher Springer Nature whose final pay offer is 5.8%. (NUJ)
The Lords Communications and Digital Committee has called for changes to anti-SLAPP bill, saying it currently suggests intent to cause “harassment, alarm or distress” can be legitimate in “properly conducted litigation” and also doesn't sufficiently cover threatening letters. (Parliament)
A group of current and former politicians from nine countries, including ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, have demanded to be called as witnesses in the trial of Hong Kong’s imprisoned media mogul Jimmy Lai. (BBC News)
CNN's Washington DC bureau chief Sam Feist is joining non-profit public affairs network C-SPAN as chief executive. (C-SPAN)
Following its sale from Buzzfeed to e-commerce company Ntwrk, Complex has named former editorial creative director Aria Hughes as its editor-in-chief and Noah Callahan-Bever as chief content officer, a role he previously held before leaving the company. (Variety)
A group of Republican operatives are launching a new outlet, Washington Reporter, to compete with Punchbowl News and Politico. (Axios)
This week on Press Gazette
How Birmingham Live became the biggest online local newsbrand in Britain
Less than half of journalists using generative AI for work, survey
New Yorker latest to be faced with ‘incredibly complex’ task of reporting Lucy Letby case
How BBC World Service’s 310 exiled journalists fight censorship and harassment
An interview with a Congressman trying to save US local news
Daily Mail publisher ‘denies under oath’ Prince Harry hacking claim
Latest podcast
Podcast 70: The Atlantic’s winning subscription strategy with CEO Nicholas Thompson
The Atlantic has become profitable after years in the red and marked the major milestone of reaching one million subscribers, it announced in April.
CEO Nicholas Thompson joined Press Gazette to discuss the subscription strategy behind The Atlantic’s recent success, how advertising fits in, the search for an elusive third revenue stream, and what goals he might set for the business next.
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.