News Corp chief urges UK to get tough with big tech
And Total Politics CEO Mark Wallace explains why his stable for specialist titles targeting politicians are staying free
Good morning, and welcome to your Future of Media newsletter on Thursday, 20 June.
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Today we publish an exclusive plea from News Corp’s top executive in Australia urging the next UK government to take up the challenge of regulating big tech.
Keir Starmer showed steel when he was Director of Public Prosecutions, albeit in a misguided direction at times (when he tried, and failed, to lock about more than 20 Sun journalists who signed off payments to public officials).
Barring a massive surprise, he will soon be Prime Minister Starmer and uniquely equipped, thanks to the Digital Markets Act, to take a global leadership position on regulating big tech.
News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller explains why it is time for Google, Facebook and others to sign up to a social contract in the countries they operate in.
Another executive looking beyond the election is the CEO of Total Politics group Mark Wallace. He explains why the publisher of titles including The House and Conservative Home does not need to charge readers for content and why high-quality journalism is essential to the business model nonetheless.
We’ve picked out the key themes which you need to know about including news avoidance and the continuing rise of social media as the key way in which younger readers are accessing publisher content.
New from Press Gazette
Message from Australia: New UK government facing battle with Google and Facebook
“It is time for nations to take on the Silicon Valley sovereigns and end their contempt for repeated requests to behave differently and their regard that huge fines are simply the cost of doing business.”
How Total Politics is making un-paywalled political journalism pay
Total Politics CEO Mark Wallace explains why, whoever wins on 4 July, Total Politics will be well placed to sell access to its influential audience.
Global news media trends for 2024: Full round-up of coverage from Reuters Digital News report
Trust, the rise of news influencers, the decline of direct traffic to publisher websites. Read all our coverage of the latest Reuters Institute mega survey of news consumption trends.
Previously on Press Gazette
Mystery Barclay loans drive Telegraph to record £245m loss despite underlying profitability
Daily Mail launches ‘blockbuster’ video strategy aimed at home TV viewers
Tories have slight lead versus Labour… on BBC general election push notifications
Has Rishi Sunak already lost support of The Sun? Press general election bias tracked
Our latest podcast
How Total Politics is making un-paywalled political journalism pay
Amid an election widely expected to have a dramatic outcome, Press Gazette sat down with Mark Wallace, the chief executive of Total Politics Group, to find out how the company makes free political journalism pay.
Press Gazette asked how the Politics Home, Conservative Home and The House publisher is faring since incorporating in its new form in 2022, and finds out how the business has found a way to hedge against political cycles by selling services to both sides of the aisle.
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