| ByNews publisher Reuters created its own manipulated video in order to train its journalists in how to spot fake content before it gets shared widely.Over the course of a few days, Reuters and a specialist production company created a so-called “deepfake” video of a broadcaster reading a script in a studio. Reuters then shared the video with its user-generated content team of around 12 producers asking if they noticed anything odd about it. Several people with knowledge of the manipulation spotted it had been manipulated, noticing a mismatch between audio and lip-synching, as well as...…| ByNews publisher Reuters created its own manipulated video in order to train its journalists in how to spot fake content before it gets shared widely.Over the course of a few days, Reuters and a specialist production company created a so-called “deepfake” video of a broadcaster reading a script in a studio. Reuters then shared the video with its user-generated content team of around 12 producers asking if they noticed anything odd about it. Several people with knowledge of the manipulation spotted it had been manipulated, noticing a mismatch between audio and lip-synching, as well as...WW…

| ByCivil Media Company is a startup that aims to support a network of high-quality news outlets through the sale of cryptocurrency. Now, it’s trying to apply the blockchain that underpins digital currency to protect that journalism.Today the company is announcing a two-part deal with The Associated Press. The AP will license its content to the newsrooms in the Civil network (there are 14, and they include startups like ZigZag and Block Club Chicago), as it does with other news outlets. The other part involves the AP and Civil working together on a blockchain based-technology that will let...…| ByCivil Media Company is a startup that aims to support a network of high-quality news outlets through the sale of cryptocurrency. Now, it’s trying to apply the blockchain that underpins digital currency to protect that journalism.Today the company is announcing a two-part deal with The Associated Press. The AP will license its content to the newsrooms in the Civil network (there are 14, and they include startups like ZigZag and Block Club Chicago), as it does with other news outlets. The other part involves the AP and Civil working together on a blockchain based-technology that will let...WW…

| ByFacebook has hired one of its own harshest critics, Jesper Doub, CEO of German media giant Spiegel Online, to head up a new news media partnerships team that focuses specifically on news publishers and media owners. His job title will be director of news partnerships for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and he will recruit a team, the size of which isn’t yet known.Doub will be based in Facebook’s German headquarters in Hamburg and work alongside Patrick Walker, Facebook’s director of media partnerships for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, according to sources. Walker will now...…| ByFacebook has hired one of its own harshest critics, Jesper Doub, CEO of German media giant Spiegel Online, to head up a new news media partnerships team that focuses specifically on news publishers and media owners. His job title will be director of news partnerships for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and he will recruit a team, the size of which isn’t yet known.Doub will be based in Facebook’s German headquarters in Hamburg and work alongside Patrick Walker, Facebook’s director of media partnerships for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, according to sources. Walker will now...WW…

Last week, Digiday reported that several publishers’ direct-sold advertising businesses were experiencing a slow start to 2023, with their first quarter ad revenues pacing as much as 10-25% behind forecasts. But the programmatic side of the business isn’t necessarily in a better place. While publishers’ sales teams are busy tracking down clients to get them into sales meetings, the programmatic open marketplace is in a tough spot also. Three mid-size to large-size national publishers told Digiday that their RPMs (revenue earned per 1,000 page views) are down between 20-55%, while two...…Last week, Digiday reported that several publishers’ direct-sold advertising businesses were experiencing a slow start to 2023, with their first quarter ad revenues pacing as much as 10-25% behind forecasts. But the programmatic side of the business isn’t necessarily in a better place. While publishers’ sales teams are busy tracking down clients to get them into sales meetings, the programmatic open marketplace is in a tough spot also. Three mid-size to large-size national publishers told Digiday that their RPMs (revenue earned per 1,000 page views) are down between 20-55%, while two...WW…

There’s an old ad-tech adage that bad actors follow the flow of ad dollars, but will the same soon be true for generative AI? As the popularity of large language models leads to AI creating large volumes of text, images and video content, the question is increasingly focusing on whether advertisers will end up funding low-quality content — even unintentionally.One new report shows just how quickly questionable websites are publishing AI-generated content and monetizing it. Earlier this week, researchers at the news reliability rating service NewsGuard released an in-depth look at how...…There’s an old ad-tech adage that bad actors follow the flow of ad dollars, but will the same soon be true for generative AI? As the popularity of large language models leads to AI creating large volumes of text, images and video content, the question is increasingly focusing on whether advertisers will end up funding low-quality content — even unintentionally.One new report shows just how quickly questionable websites are publishing AI-generated content and monetizing it. Earlier this week, researchers at the news reliability rating service NewsGuard released an in-depth look at how...WW…

| ByOn Wednesday, June 10, the entire Digital Trends staff — approximately 130 people — spent three hours in a virtual town hall meeting. The company’s executive staff spent the bulk of that time fielding numerous questions and concerns from staffers, regarding the claims of a discriminatory workplace culture that past and current employees were airing on Twitter over the past two weeks.The tweet that had kicked off all of the online allegations was a of DT’s chief operating officer Chris Carlson dressed up as a Black racial stereotype during a company-wide “Gin and Juice”-themed party back...…| ByOn Wednesday, June 10, the entire Digital Trends staff — approximately 130 people — spent three hours in a virtual town hall meeting. The company’s executive staff spent the bulk of that time fielding numerous questions and concerns from staffers, regarding the claims of a discriminatory workplace culture that past and current employees were airing on Twitter over the past two weeks.The tweet that had kicked off all of the online allegations was a of DT’s chief operating officer Chris Carlson dressed up as a Black racial stereotype during a company-wide “Gin and Juice”-themed party back...WW…

Generative AI •   •Ivy LiuS4 Capital’s Media.Monks is developing an AI tool to produce fan content and highlights targeted at Gen Z, but it’s not the only agency out there applying the hot tech to short-form video.Media.Monks’ software-defined production solution uses AI and machine learning to identify highlights from live broadcasts to create custom highlights based on audience interests and affinity groups based on its data. The service aims to help rights holders, brands and broadcasters expand their tailored content to reach younger audiences that want personalized...…Generative AI •   •Ivy LiuS4 Capital’s Media.Monks is developing an AI tool to produce fan content and highlights targeted at Gen Z, but it’s not the only agency out there applying the hot tech to short-form video.Media.Monks’ software-defined production solution uses AI and machine learning to identify highlights from live broadcasts to create custom highlights based on audience interests and affinity groups based on its data. The service aims to help rights holders, brands and broadcasters expand their tailored content to reach younger audiences that want personalized...WW…

Awards •   •Micro-personalization with AI, e-commerce technology, privacy compliance and partnerships proved the driving factors for success in this year’s Digiday Technology Awards shortlist.As the judges’ choices illustrate, the submissions that came in a cut above demonstrated brands’ passion for balancing data privacy and highly effective personalization — adopting technologies and integrating with partners to achieve both. The most-entered category this year was Best AI Tool. Typeface, a major standout in the category, is a generative AI application helping...…Awards •   •Micro-personalization with AI, e-commerce technology, privacy compliance and partnerships proved the driving factors for success in this year’s Digiday Technology Awards shortlist.As the judges’ choices illustrate, the submissions that came in a cut above demonstrated brands’ passion for balancing data privacy and highly effective personalization — adopting technologies and integrating with partners to achieve both. The most-entered category this year was Best AI Tool. Typeface, a major standout in the category, is a generative AI application helping...WW…

After years of fierce debate, much handwringing, and political point-scoring (not to mention delays), it seems Google Chrome is now on course to pull support for third-party cookies by the end of the year. However, many out there still need to be convinced the eventual implementation still won’t run past the Dec. 31, 2024 deadline. Ergo, it’s worth clarifying a few facts on the current state of play. The Trade Desk has proven a prominent critical voice of Privacy Sandbox, and in June, Jeff Green told Digiday it would be a “strategic mistake” to push ahead with its trajectory. The gut...…After years of fierce debate, much handwringing, and political point-scoring (not to mention delays), it seems Google Chrome is now on course to pull support for third-party cookies by the end of the year. However, many out there still need to be convinced the eventual implementation still won’t run past the Dec. 31, 2024 deadline. Ergo, it’s worth clarifying a few facts on the current state of play. The Trade Desk has proven a prominent critical voice of Privacy Sandbox, and in June, Jeff Green told Digiday it would be a “strategic mistake” to push ahead with its trajectory. The gut...WW…

It has been a little over nine months since MediaMath’s Chapter 11 filing, proceedings that surely rank as one of the biggest financial shocks to the system in the, albeit short, history of ad tech.The demand-side platform’s demise was significant on several fronts, with some considering it a line in the sand that demarcated critical changes in the sector that occurred in recent years.   Firstly, MediaMath’s widely held status as the first DSP in digital media—at one point, it was also valued at $1 billion—indicates that success in the sector is not solely dependent on innovative...…It has been a little over nine months since MediaMath’s Chapter 11 filing, proceedings that surely rank as one of the biggest financial shocks to the system in the, albeit short, history of ad tech.The demand-side platform’s demise was significant on several fronts, with some considering it a line in the sand that demarcated critical changes in the sector that occurred in recent years.   Firstly, MediaMath’s widely held status as the first DSP in digital media—at one point, it was also valued at $1 billion—indicates that success in the sector is not solely dependent on innovative...WW…