Warnings on 'catastrophic' Meta news ban | Footballco unveils post-cookie ad tech
Plus research shows Brits want their news free but hate the ads they're shown, and Labour donor Dale Vince's claim against Daily Mail publisher thrown out
Welcome to your daily newsletter from Press Gazette on Tuesday 16 July, 2024, brought to you this week in association with Conscent, a full stack solution across subscriptions, gamified engagement, analytics and billing and invoicing for news publishers.
Their latest white paper, Looking Beyond Paywalls to Drive Subscription Growth, is available to download now.
Happy birthday to the News Media Assocation, which today celebrates its tenth anniversary.
The trade association for UK local and national news publishers was formed out of the merger of the Newspaper Society (born 1836) and News Publishers Association, formerly the Newspaper Proprietors Association (founded 1904), so actually embodies three centuries of institutional history.
And over the next year it faces probably the biggest test it has ever faced, the battle to force Meta and Google to the negotiating table, backed up by the newly passed Digital Markets Act.
The tech giants together make around £20bn a year in UK advertising revenue (my estimate — please let me know if I am wrong, Meta and Google PR teams!). That's around ten times the entire professional news industry combined (websites, magazines and newspapers).
If publishers were able to strike deals broadly similar to those done in Australia they can expect an extra £200m a year to flow into their coffers.
The challenge is that Google and Meta are likely to fight dirty, and could further downgrade or even ban news on their platforms if pushed into a corner.
Today we report from Australia where some publishers say Facebook's threatened news ban would be catastrophic for their businesses.
We also reveal the latest cookie-killer technology unveiled by a major publisher, Footballco's FC Precision.
And a new report sets out the challenge for news publishers by revealing that most Britons want to read free, ad-funded journalism online and accept that they need to share personal data with advertisers if this is going to be sustained. But they find the advertising they are seeing irrelevant and annoying, suggesting that much of today's cookie-based advertising technology is not working.
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Picture: Shutterstock/mundissima
Australian publishers say ‘catastrophic’ if Meta follows through on news ban
Broadsheet Media, which publishes the culture and community news website Broadsheet and has 65 full-time employees, said it estimated it would lose up to 52% of its revenue if Meta no longer distributed news.
Footballco unveils post-cookies ad targeting solution, ‘FC Precision’
“This wealth of data and insight means we’re in a great position now or whenever Google decides is the right time to remove third-party cookies”.
Most Britons want online journalism ad-funded, but don’t like the ads they see
The vast majority of respondents (87%) said they would rather exchange some of their personal data than pay money to view content online.
Dale Vince libel claim against Daily Mail publisher thrown out by High Court
Vince sued Associated Newspapers Limited over an article that he claimed falsely suggested he was the subject of harassment allegations.
News in brief
A pilot scheme allowing journalists to report on cases at family courts in England and Wales has been expanded to include private law. It means private family disputes may now be reported on at 19 courts, provided all identities are kept anonymous. (Press Gazette)
In a rare interview Rupert Murdoch has said he thinks print newspapers will end in 15 years: "You get on a train… you see anyone with a paper? You see no one. Now they're reading all the facts on their phones". He also said AI "will put people out of work". (Sky News Australia)
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has now said of the BBC licence fee: "I’m coming to it with an open mind... the firm intention is to secure the future of the BBC and ensure it can continue to thrive and do its vital work into the future.” (Broadcast)
Ofcom has found a TalkTV show guest presented by ex-SNP leader Alex Salmond on 2 April 2023 was not in breach of rules “requiring news and current affairs to be presented with due impartiality” in a discussion about the SNP. The investigation launched last year.
The BBC has responded to complaints over Laura Kuenssberg's "congratulations, I suppose" interview with Lib Dem leader Ed Davey on election night, saying: "The host’s questioning and delivery was in line with the fundamental part of her role as a presenter and journalist." (BBC)
King Charles has sent a message to News Media Association members to mark its tenth anniversary. He said publishers play an "important role... in underpinning democracy, holding power to account and serving as an antidote to misinformation".
AP photographer Evan Vucci's picture has become the defining image of the Trump assassination attempt. Poynter writes: "Vucci’s photo will create a reality more real than reality, transforming the chaos and messiness of a few moments of peril onstage in Pennsylvania into a surpassing icon.”
Since Google's November 2023 core update it has favoured user-generated content over professional content, with Reddit and Quora surging up rankings. What can publishers do? Start your own discussion board and become so good you get cited on Reddit and Quora, says Search Engine Land.
Scotland's The National has apologised for publishing "lazy stereotypes" about the English on its pre-Euros final front page. It said: "We have listened to feedback, reflected on our decision-making and have reached the conclusion that we got this one wrong." (See the offending front page here)
What's On Netflix says its Facebook page has been taken down for an alleged breach of community standards and it has been unable to contact anyone to help. "Having this page offline is damaging to our business." (What’s On Netflix)
Previously on Press Gazette
Media payments and freebies for Labour ministers: David Lammy tops the table
News media job cuts 2024 tracked: Staff at CNN, LAist and BDG latest affected
Long Lead: The award-winning journalism bet made by a high-stakes poker player
Telegraph sale: DMG Media blames ban on foreign investment as it exits race
Future of Media Awards shortlist 2024: ‘Lighting the way to sustainable future for journalism’
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.