Big tech and AI poses existential threat to journalism, warn editors

Editors believe that the anti-competitive practices of big tech pose an existential threat to journalism in the UK, a News Media Association survey of UK editors has found.

New research from the NMA, published in an article here, shows that editors have grave concerns over the business practices of the tech platforms, with 90 per cent of editors believing that Google and Meta pose an existential threat to journalism.

Speaking on the issue Katie French, regional group editor at Newsquest, said: “While tech platforms have greatly enhanced our way of life by allowing unrestricted access to information and increased connection, they have severely impacted the business of news, and news brands such as my own have not been fairly compensated.

“My titles have more readers than ever before in their history thanks to the global and national audiences our online content is exposed to. However, we receive very little in the way of fair remuneration for the rich and high-quality service our content provides even by hosting our content or signposting readers to our stories through search engines.

“Our very presence is giving credibility to these platforms that otherwise would be filled with clickbait nonsense and unregulated information.”

The poll also found that 86 per cent of editors agreed that the BBC’s plans to cut its local radio provision and expand its online local news content in competition with local newspaper sites will damage independent local journalism in the UK.

This comes after much criticism from the local news media industry that the BBC’s plans would take much-needed readers and revenue away from local news brands and force them to compete with the might of the licence fee model.

Read the full article by clicking here.