Economic News

AI and McClatchy

by

Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Riddhi Setty, 9/17/26

Headline: “McClatchy’s Post-Layoff Future”

Subhead:   “AI is clearly part of the plan moving forward,” Ariane Lange, an investigative reporter at the Sacramento Bee, said. “It’s been part of the plan for quite some time.”

“Over the summer, journalists at McClatchy battled with management over the company’s plans to use artificial intelligence—and union members, organized in several regional guilds, largely seemed to be making headway. In July, newspapers in Washington State and Idaho ratified a union contract with significant AI provisions, including ones preventing the company from using AI to replace staff, using AI to impersonate journalists, or disciplining members for a chatbot’s mistakes. . .”

Then, last week, McClatchy laid off more than ninety unionized media workers across seventeen publications. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/analysis/mcclatchys-post-layoff-future-artificial-intelligence-ai-labor-union.php

Spiteful Media Exit?

by

Article in The Wrap by Lucas Manfredi, 9/16/26

Headline:  “Paramount Preps California Exit Amid State AGs’ Warner Bros. Merger Battle”

Subhead:  “The David Ellison-led media giant has informed AG Rob Bonta and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ offices of the plans”

“Paramount has informed the offices of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Attorney General Rob Bonta that it is preparing to leave the state amid a legal battle over its $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

“A Paramount spokesperson had no comment when asked about the plans, while a spokesperson for Bass told TheWrap she is ‘focused on protecting and fighting for jobs in L.A., including critical jobs in the entertainment industry that have been a vital part of Los Angeles’ economy.’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/business/paramount-david-ellison-california-exit/

Some Rt. Media Questioning . . .

by

Article in Media Matters by Sage Hodil, Hanne MacDonald & Reed McMaster,9/11/26

Headline:  “Why are some right-wing media figures pouring cold water on Trump’s sudden call to send Americans $5,000?”

Subhead: “While some call it ‘bold,’ others in right-wing media are saying that Trump’s $5,000 midterm idea is ‘flagrant bribery’ that ‘would simply be inflationary'”

“Right-wing figures are divided on President Donald Trump’s claim during his September 9 speech at the GOP midterm convention that the government will send $5,000 to every American adult if Republicans maintain control of Congress, with some arguing ‘we can’t afford’ the ‘inflationary’ payments and equating them to ‘flagrant bribery,’ while others claimed Trump’s plan is ‘creative’ and ‘a bet on the future.’. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/why-are-some-right-wing-media-figures-pouring-cold-water-trumps-sudden-call-send-americans

Newsroom AI Casualties

by


Article in The Wrap by Tess Patton, 9/10/26

Headline:  “McClatchy Guts Newsrooms Nationwide Months After Controversial Push to AI”

Subhead: Papers in Miami, Kentucky and the Pacific Northwest saw as much as 30% of their staff cut on Thursday”

“McClatchy Media hit its newsrooms nationwide with significant layoffs on Thursday, with some newspapers gutted by a third of their staff.

“The layoffs came just months after the company’s push into AI with a controversial editorial tool that led to widespread revolt among staffers, as previously reported by TheWrap.

“The 168-year-old newspaper owner houses Pulitzer Prize-winning local outlets like the Bee, the Miami Herald and the Charlotte Observer, among many others. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/journalism/mcclatchy-newspapers-layoffs-ai-tool/

Corporate Reporting & McMansions

by

 

Article in FAIR by Wilson Korik, 8/31/26

Headline:  “Corporate Media Worried Second Homes of ‘Blue-Collar’ Millionaires Might Be Taxed”

“. . .instead of accurately reporting on a modest wealth tax and fraud prevention measure, some corporate media took the opportunity to fabricate a reality in which the number of New Yorkers subjected to the tax was vastly overestimated, conjuring up a large mass of working- and middle-class New Yorkers who would have to deal with an opaque, complex exemption process. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://fair.org/home/corporate-media-worried-second-homes-of-blue-collar-millionaires-might-be-taxed/

Media Jobs Drought

by

Article in The Wrap by Casey Loving, 8/28/26

Headline: “Longtime WNBC Investigative Reporter Reveals Network Eliminated Her Position, Cites Changing Media Landscape”

Subhead: ” ‘ No, I’m not retiring,’ Sarah Wallace says while teasing her next move”

“After parting ways with New York-based news station WNBC, longtime investigative journalist Sarah Wallace wants to clear the air: She’s not retiring.

“Instead, the seasoned journalist, whose resume boasts 19 Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award, revealed in a direct-to-camera social media video on Friday that her position was entirely eliminated from the company, citing the changing media landscape as the cause for her career change. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/journalism/longtime-wnbc-investigative-reporter-position-eliminated/

Blocking Media Mega-Merger

by

Article in Free Press by Staff, 8/27/26

Headline:  “Block the Merger Coalition Urges State AGs to Hold Strong in Antitrust Suit, Launches No Concessions Platform”

“WASHINGTON — The Block the Merger Coalition is launching a new public-facing petition thanking the 12 state attorneys general who sued to block the dangerous Warner Bros. merger and calling on them to hold strong in their suit. That includes rejecting empty concessions from Paramount before the March 2027 trial.

“Any unenforceable concessions the Ellisons propose in a backroom are a losing proposition, assert the organizers behind http://NoParamountConcessions.com. They ask state AGs to uphold the antitrust laws so workers in the entertainment industry, consumers and the general public get their day in court. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.freepress.net/news/block-merger-coalition-urges-state-ags-hold-strong-antitrust-suit-launches-no-concessions

NYT Spinning the Wheel?

by

Article in Status by Oliver Darcy, 8/25/26

Headline:  “The Times’ Kalshi Gamble”

Subhead: “News that The Athletic is in talks with Kalshi on a potential partnership has prompted unease inside the broader New York Times Co. over the reputational risks of getting into bed with the controversial company, staffers tell Status.”

“. . .One of those partners, I am told, is Kalshi, the controversial prediction markets company, where users can bet on topics ranging from elections to finance to culture—and yes, sports. According to Front Office Sports, which first broke the news, The Athletic and Kalshi are in “advanced talks” to strike up an agreement, . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.status.news/p/the-athletic-kalshi-new-york-times-sports-betting

Consolidating Media Costs Jobs?

by

Article in The Wrap by Lucas Manfredi, 8/19/26

Headline:  “Paramount-WB Deal Could Cost LA 4,500 Film and TV Jobs and $2.8 Billion, Study Finds | Exclusive”

Subhead:  “Over 5,800 indirect or induced jobs from related small businesses could also be at risk over the next three years”

“. . .If the two companies merge, the decisions they make about where to
film their shows could dramatically affect how much production stays in California, CVL and DEO said. The high cost of living in L.A. County and California, combined with stronger incentives out of state and abroad, also contribute to work shifting out of the state and country. . .”

Read the full article at:

https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/deals-ma/paramount-warner-bros-deal-job-losses-los-angeles/

Should AI Pay Journalists?

by

Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Issie Lapowski, 8/13/26

Headline:  “Axios Wants to Save Local News with AI”

Subhead:  “At the end of the day, if someone’s going to pay you for content, you say: Well, how much are you going to pay me?” Jim VandeHei, the chief executive, said of his company’s deal with OpenAI. “If that payment feels like it’s a fair transaction price, you say yes.”

“. . .Every media company faces existential questions about the rise of AI, especially this one: How should newsrooms get paid for the information AI spits out and the models that were trained on journalists’ work? The New York Times has sought to answer this question in court. Some (including the Times) have struck licensing deals. . .”Axios Wants to Save Local News with AI

Read the full article at:

https://www.cjr.org/feature/axios-wants-to-save-local-news-with-ai-jim-vandehei-tech-newsletters.php