The Weekly Bulletin | May 16, 2023

Hi SODP community,

Let’s recap on what’s been happening last week, the new content, industry updates, tips, and more.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Last week’s Google I/O 2023 keynote speech managed to set off fresh AI alarm bells in the publishing community that I’m not convinced were justified.

We’ve seen various warnings about the dangers and opportunities of AI in the months since ChatGPT launched. Some publishers are investing in dedicated AI teams while others mutter darkly about taking legal action against AI developers over plagiarism.

However, VP Engineering at Google Cathy Edwards’ update on how Bard would shape search results in the near future clearly hit a fresh nerve, with one Forbes contributor likening it to a nuclear bomb being dropped on digital publishers.

I watched Edwards’ showcase myself and, hopefully without sounding blasé, I’m much less concerned. I’d recommend taking the time to watch the segment for yourself before continuing. Go on, it’s not that long and I’ll wait, I promise.

Bard’s ability to answer broad queries by “reading” live articles has stoked fears that Google’s users will no longer have a reason to click through to the original articles. The comparison that’s made is Wikipedia and its sources — plenty of people use Wikipedia, only a fraction click on the sources.

I don’t buy that comparison for a few reasons. Let me use Edwards’ presentation to illustrate my point.

Questions, But No Answers?

Looking at the question and the subsequent answer a couple of things popped out to me from the get go.

There’s one question with two influencing factors. Which park is better for a family with a) children under three and b) a dog. Bard not only fails to answer the question but also one of the influencing factors.

The search query is looking for a recommendation, but the AI gives none. Instead, it tries to address the influencing factors. However, with no information available on activities for kids under three, Bard fudges its answer by reviewing generic children’s activities. The AI is able to provide some basic information about dog accessibility.

How much did this snapshot answer the original search query? Very little, I’d argue. It has begun the process of establishing filters. For example, if the family absolutely loves their dog and is looking for a walk, then Bryce Canyon it is. But if they love their dog and want to camp, then they’ll go for Arches.

The Bard snapshot is far from a definitive answer and serves as a starting point for the research journey. This means that as searchers use Bard they’ll be able to more quickly home in on the articles that actually have the content they want to read, rather than skim over.

Bard synthesizes its answers based on the information contained in the articles it reads, but it doesn’t have the capacity to extrapolate from there. And when AI does have the ability, how many readers will inherently trust a machine’s recommendations on holiday or food destinations? After all, it takes a body to understand the world.

We could discuss audience value and metrics such as scroll depth at length, but I’m not sure there’s a need. These AI-generated snapshots aren’t enough to replace a high-quality, personal review of natural parks and this extends to other aspects of the publishing world. Personal experiences will trump fact machines. After all, how many families huddle around Wikipedia in an evening instead of the latest reality TV series?

So, what does this all mean for publishers? Evolve or die, I’d argue. Meet audience needs by creating high-quality content that AI simply doesn’t have the frame of reference to produce.

SODP POSTS

SUPERDESK REVIEW FOR 2023

The digital revolution has increased pressure on media organizations to scale up their publication frequency, complicating editorial workflows in the process.

Media organizations are expected to produce content on a 24-hour cycle and constantly provide multiple websites with a stream of breaking news. Needless to say, this pressure has created a need for software that streamlines editorial processes.

That is where Superdesk comes in: a platform that markets itself as a digital newsroom.

Superdesk is an open-source, headless content management system (CMS) designed to replicate all the editorial workflow of a physical newsroom in a browser-based platform. The news management system can be used to organize and monitor incoming content, edit it and then publish it across as many channels as necessary — including websites, social media accounts and Superdesk’s integrated publishing portal called Newshub.

SEE MORE

JOB BOARD

➡️ Admiral: The Visitor Relationship Management Company is growing and now seeking a Controller, Operations and HR Manager to join the team. SEE MORE

➡️ The New York Times seeks Social Staff Editor (NY, NY) to promote articles, photographs and interactives to new audiences, and deepen its engagement with the existing ones. SEE MORE

➡️ The Park Record Newspaper is looking for a digital engagement editor who can develop and execute strategies for its website, newsletters and more. SEE MORE

NEWSLETTERS WE RECOMMEND

➡️ The Knowledge 🧭 is a newsletter helping creators and professionals to think deeper and work smarter. SEE MORE

➡️ Write On is the newsletter that makes you a better copywriter. SEE MORE

➡️ The Website Flip you get websites for sale in your inbox. Save hours searching through broker listings. Get 10+ websites & aged domains for sale weekly. SEE MORE

MEMBER PROFILE OF THE WEEK

Each week, we’ll introduce one of the community members – either one of the newest additions or those who’ve been actively contributing to discussions. Feel free to give them a shoutout on our Slack channel or connect on LinkedIn.

This week, our member of the week is Mohit Pathria, Founder of Gizmo Story.

Mohit, we’d like to acknowledge and celebrate the effort you’ve been putting into reigniting the publication, wishing you best of luck!

COMMUNITY BUZZ

INDUSTRY NEWS

➡️ Vice files for bankruptcy and agrees to sell its assets to some lenders, including Fortress and Soros Fund, for ~$225M; assets and liabilities are $500M to $1B. READ MORE

➡️ Austin Russell, the CEO of electric vehicle technology company Luminar Technologies, has entered an agreement to acquire an 82% stake in Forbes. READ MORE

SOCIAL MEDIA DISCUSSIONS

➡️ Lily Ray on LinkedIn

SEE THE FULL POST

These are the highlights for last week.

Until next!

Andrew Kemp and the editorial team at SODP