News/Media Alliance files amicus brief in news publisher suits against OpenAI and Microsoft

This morning, the News/Media Alliance filed its amicus brief in the multi-district litigation (MDL) in which over a dozen news publishers have sued OpenAI and Microsoft for using their content without permission to train AI systems and power real-time AI answers (RAG). The News/Media Alliance is joined in this brief by cosigners National Newspaper Association, the National Press Photographers Association and ProPublica.

Opinion | Here we go again: Meta’s new rules put local news at risk

Meta’s proposed commercial terms could allow it to scrape and use publishers’ website content, potentially for AI products, without specific permission or compensation. This column by Dean Ridings, president and CEO of America's Newspapers, argues that publishers should not have to surrender rights to their journalism simply to maintain a presence on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta pledges to consult publishers before finalizing its new terms

Meta will complete “a full consultation” with news industry leaders before implementing its controversial new terms — even if it means another delay, an executive for the social media company announced Oct. 28.

America’s Newspapers welcomes Newspack into membership

Newspack is a project of WordPress.com, with support from the Google News Initiative, the Knight Foundation and The Lenfest Institute. It is an open source technology and services platform that is home to more than 300 independent news organizations around the globe.

$21 million investment fund aims to help local news businesses grow

The new Fund from Social Finance, supported by anchor funders the MacArthur Foundation and Knight Foundation, along with Press Forward, will invest in local news organizations across the United States.

After nearly a century of family ownership, Lorain County Printing and Publishing has reached an agreement to sell The Chronicle-Telegram and The Medina Gazette to MediaNews Group, the nation’s largest private operator of newspapers, according to John Cribb, Cribb & Associates, who represented the Hudnutt family, owners of LCPP.

Macon native Micah Johnston named editor and publisher of The Telegraph

The Georgia Trust for Local News announced that Micah Johnston, a proud Macon native and graduate of Mercer University, will step into the newly created role of editor and publisher of The Telegraph newspaper. 

Shellie Murdaugh will focus on coverage of Jasper County as The Island News expands its footprint.

Joseph F. D’Angelo, former chairman and president of Hearst’s King Features Syndicate and an early leader in the field of entertainment syndication, died Oct. 13 in Palm Harbor, Florida. He was 96.