Brandon Mercer

It's easy to think about AI within the context of a CMS. Of using AI to optimize writing, editing, and SEO workflows. The more exciting choice is putting AI in the hands of reporters early on in the process. Over the weekend we published a deep look at how immigration is being portrayed in political ads this election cycle. It's an absorbing read--with editing and reporting from multiple desks across the newsroom. It's also the debut of one of our AI-powered reporting tools: Haystacker. We carved out a lane in our roadmap for "Ambitious Journalism"--this is what it looks like. https://lnkd.in/eTteMFxY

67

14 Comments

For today's Wide Shot newsletter, we return to the question of whether streaming is a good business and, more precisely, for whom? We address cable giant John Malone's recent assessment (categorically "no") and take a look at the state of Netflix, Disney, Paramount and others who participated in the streaming war. Who's winning? Who's still losing money? What's the next stage of the streaming business? (Oh, we also get into JOKER 2's box office travesty). #entertainmentbusiness #hollywood #streaming

2

A week doesn't go by without another layoff announcement in public media. The reasons are always inherently local -- but there are broad themes that play out in all of them: * The ever-shrinking traditional public broadcasting audiences * A glut of digital content from all sorts of non-traditional creators * Overly ambitious growth plans triggered by the Trump Bump. In my latest column for Editor & Publisher (E&P) Magazine, I try to remind folks that cuts, however necessary, aren't a strategy -- and that years of hard work are ahead of us if we're to reinvent #publicmedia. https://lnkd.in/eAWtpMat

34

20 Comments

Language in the Press Forward "Closing Local Coverage Gaps" program FAQ warms my heart: Using LION: Local Independent Online News Publishers' definition of sustainability as a framework, we will prioritize outlets that are intentional about their editorial impact, operational resilience, and/or financial health. We will support organizations that have a clear plan for how they will use this investment as a foundational step toward developing and maintaining a long-term business model. https://lnkd.in/eGKFYhGz #impact #localnews #sustainability

65

1 Comment

💥 This email will self-destruct in 48 hours. 💥 There’s nothing wrong with telling a journalist that they need to respond by a certain deadline if they’re interested in your story. We spend so much of our time trying to accommodate journalists, but you need to be respectful of your own time, too. If you don’t set a clear deadline for when a response is needed, you could sit around forever waiting for a reply that will never come. If the journalist doesn’t reply in time, move on to the next person on your list. Don’t let a lack of response from someone cause you to miss out on telling your story.

5

DOS Won't Hunt -- Recording Schedule through December   Interested panelists, please contact me directly via email, not just with comments on this post: [email protected]   Note to public relations teams: please only pitch panelists you have CONFIRMED will be available on those dates. This is a video podcast recording. Only the panelists will be in the session. Here are the topics I plan to cover on the podcast in the weeks ahead. All recordings will be on video, panel discussions, at 12 pm ET on the recording dates below.   December 6 – What Enterprise IT Predictions Actually Mattered in 2024? Every year sees prognostications about what tech will take off, evolve, and transform the enterprise world. What expectations did your organization start 2024 with and how has that played out? Did anything hold water? Did surprises in tech emerge during the year eclipse the predictions? Is it better for organizations to not chase predictive trends or does that mean giving up a competitive edge? December 13 – The Cloud You Want vs the Cloud You Need: Are enterprises able to tailor their cloud resources to fit their operational needs? How does that compare with ambitions? Cost? Usage? Are more organizations cloud-first? Are we ever going to see an all, cloud-first world where EVERYTHING exists in the cloud? Does that dream no longer seem real?   December 20 – Cyber Threats and the Holidays: Do retailers still face high levels of cyber risk in a world fraught with ransomware attacks year-round? Do bad actors focus their attention more on targets they strike when an opportunity arises, which might not have anything to do with the holiday shopping season? Or are there still Cyber Grinches out there who are making a concerted effort to strike as transactions fly faster than reindeer? December 27 – Infrastructure Resilience: Y2K 25 Years Later. What have we learned about maintaining our infrastructure, a generation after putting in the work to correct the Y2K bug? How has computer infrastructure been rethought? What “rules” and “norms” that were part of legacy tech no longer apply in the time of cloud, edge, and all else beyond we are exploring?

23

While not as clear-cut as roads, clean water, and air, the democratic value to society of public interest journalism is, in my book and many others, a public good, writes Daily Maverick's Styli C.. "The recent tsunami of bad news about the news has raised an interesting question. Are we seeing the effects of a market failure playing out, or are we seeing the death of an industry that failed to innovate and keep up with the times?" #journalism #publicinterest #news #publishing

5

Standards are neither easy or trivial, nor should they be. But unlike proprietary or point solutions - they deliver interoperability, and generate quantifiable (often exponential) value for years to come. HAND (Human & Digital) appreciates all the smart, dedicated people who make metadata standards & ecosystems possible.

18

1 Comment

An article written by Robert Nemeth documenting our Media and Journalism Research Center experience in funding media outlets in autocracies has now appeared The Fix Media. More on this topic to come soon. #capture #mediacapture #journalism #funding #support https://lnkd.in/dVNFm7Za

20

This article highlights the challenges reporters face when seeking comments from companies and public figures. The phrase “did not respond to a request for comment” is becoming increasingly common in journalism. This trend raises questions about the impact on journalistic integrity and the changing landscape of media communications. https://lnkd.in/e33AuQRy

5

We've talked about the >10 reasons why News is in trouble: Locally, Nationally, & Globally, and why we at Prohaska Consulting are working on fixing 3 of them thru our industry initiative The Rebranding of News with a larger next phase & announcement coming in the fall. Several reasons focused on Local are highlighted well here by our friend Howard Homonoff from Grant Thornton (US), with thanks for the mention. https://lnkd.in/enN6n-2j

18

2 Comments

After many years in the biz, I can attest everything here is true. Journalism is much more than a career. It's a noble profession and a contact sport that isn't for the faint of heart. And remember that news doesn't happen in newsrooms so get out of the office as much as possible! #journalism #reporters Southern California News Group https://lnkd.in/gzcY4tu5

7

A new newsletter that we Media and Journalism Research Center have written for Journalism Funders Forum as part of our great cooperation with Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association. With may thanks to our expert Robert Nemeth. Interviews with media leasers, research on relevant topics, and several articles about funding independent journalism. #journalism #newsmedia #media #funding #research #newsletter

4

This Pew Research Center study of news influencers tells you everything you need to know about the fragmentation of the news ecosystem and the challenges that mainstream organisations have in engaging an under 30s audience. #DigitalNews #newsjournalism #socialmedia

10

3 Comments

Big media have been going for sensationalism and clicks. It turns off readers. Small news media are filling the gap and getting it right. #newsmedia #investigativejournalism #solutionsjournalism #businessmodels #credibility #newsavoidance

28

4 Comments

The topic of corrections comes up a lot in comms. There’s some new research on this that is kind of interesting. Here is an excerpt from an article summarizing the findings: “…people generally trust journalists when they confirm claims to be true but are more distrusting when journalists correct false claims. Some linguistics and social science theories suggest that people intuitively understand social expectations not to be negative. Being disagreeable, like when pointing out someone else’s lie or error, carries with it a risk of backlash. We reasoned that it follows that corrections are held to a different, more critical standard than confirmations. Attempts to debunk can trigger doubts about journalists’ honesty and motives. In other words, if you’re providing a correction, you’re being a bit of a spoilsport, and that could negatively affect how you are viewed.” #mediarelations #psychology #sociology #PR

13

Good article on the value of original quality content and risks of GenAI’s generics & distortions today when AI volume is everywhere online. The image simulation is cool example!

10