News

Best practices for verifying UGC photos

The process of verifying user-generated content (UGC), particularly photos, has long been “more art than science,” as NPR’s Andy Carvin, who curates UGC from the Middle East on his 96,000-follower Twitter feed, said in 2011. But a recent study was able to identify fake photos with 97 percent accuracy, suggesting that technology will soon allow journalists to streamline the UGC verification process to the click of a button.

Free trial pays off for Ekstra Bladet freemium content

Seven weeks from launch, the 40% conversion rate from Ekstra Bladet’s free trial shows that some readers are willing to pay for quality content on tabloid (or so called ‘boulevard’) news websites.

Trinity Mirror doubles digital staff, perhaps to woo Sun readers

Trinity Mirror announced plans to recruit 25 digital editorial staffers, doubling the size its new media department in a bid to become “digital first.”

Wall Street shows faith in news publishers’ digital future

The willingness of some of the traditional news industry’s top players to take risks and experiment with their digital offerings is contributing to their recent success on the stock market. While circulation figures continue to fall and ad revenues diminish, some of the US’s most prominent news titles are reporting healthy rates on Wall Street.

Three years into The Times’ paywall, CEO says revenue’s worth lost reach

News UK Chief Executive Officer Mike Darcey said The Times’ strict, nonporous paywall has brought enough revenue to make it a success, three years since its introduction.

Jordanian online press freedom is threatened as 254 unlicensed news sites are blocked

On Tuesday 2 July the Jordanian government announced it had blocked 254 news websites that had failed to obtain a government license. This move follows a controversial change to the Press and Publication Law in 2012 dictating that online news sites must register with the government, a policy that independent watchdog organisation Freedom House fear will “risk curbing their independent reporting and analysis.” Among the blocked sites are those for Al-Jazeera, Time Out magazine and AmmanNet.

News Corp turns to mobile in an attempt to make its news titles profitable

Robert Thomson, chief executive of the newly created News Corp, has been unveiling the company’s mobile-first strategy in the hope of convincing investors that there is a future beyond print for the now independent branch of Murdoch-owned news titles and publishers.

Newspapers’ TV purchases may backfire comeback plans

Tribune Co., owner of eight newspapers including the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and the Baltimore Sun, announced its intended purchase of Local TV LLC’s 19 television stations on Monday. The $2.7-billion deal, which will make the company the country’s largest commercial TV station owner, trails Gannett Co.’s $2.2-billion purchase of Belo Corp.’s 20 TV stations in early June.

Hailed as the ‘fastest growing news site ever’ Upworthy looks to develop advertising strategy

Upworthy, the news aggregator that seeks to make viral hits out of serious issues, is about to capitalise on its status as the “fastest growing news site ever.” According to Forbes, Upworthy is ready to start working with advertisers through a sponsored content programme that will enable marketers to promote their messages alongside the site’s curated collection of what it deems to be the most important political, social and cultural important images and videos on the web.

Brazil: More turn to independent media after newsroom layoffs

Developments in the Brazilian news industry have given weight to the Pew Research Center’s theory that cutting journalism investments will kill readership. Following mass media layoffs, it appears citizens are increasingly turning to independent news sources for coverage of the soccer riots.