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Google now pays more than 400 publications to license their articles for experimental AI features in Google News, including AI story previews and custom audio briefings. The deal terms are undisclosed, and the pilot pays a flat licensing fee rather than per use in AI answers.
- The pilot has grown to over 400 publications, including CNN, the Financial Times, Axios and Forbes, plus US local papers like the Texas Tribune and Post and Courier.
- Licensed content feeds AI-generated story previews on Google News publisher pages, which carry a note saying the copy "may include mistakes."
- Google says the pilot does not pay based on how much content feeds an AI answer; that per-use model belongs to a separate programme covering AI Overviews, AI Mode and Gemini.
Henry Farrell argues that social media's real danger isn't fake news but algorithmic distortion of how we perceive other people and public opinion. When journalists and political figures rely on Twitter's skewed representation of the public to inform their work, these distorted views get reinforced across institutions and industries that shape culture.
- The main danger of social media isn't fake news brainwashing people—it's algorithms distorting our perception of what others actually think, warping our mental map of society.
- Journalists, academics, and political staffers are especially exposed to Twitter's skewed picture of public opinion, then embed that distortion into their reporting and analysis, amplifying it society-wide.
- Entertainment and other industries use similar algorithmic sorting, creating the same kind of distorted signals about audience preferences—so the problem isn't unique to political discourse.
- This creates a feedback loop where the institutions meant to help us understand society are all working from the same algorithmically-mangled data, undermining the ability to solve collective problems.
A former colleague reflects on working with Dan Eggen, from pitching stories together to surviving sudden layoffs at The Washington Post. He highlights Eggen’s sharp editing skills, enthusiasm for journalism, and his legacy as a mentor before his recent passing.
- Dan Eggen was laid off from The Washington Post after nearly 30 years, then died shortly after landing at The Star.
- His editing instincts drove notable stories, like tracing a model triumphal arch on Trump's desk and joking that a proper map could defuse the Greenland dispute.
- His nearly three-decade career ranged from local oddities (bats, dog waste) to Pulitzer-winning 9/11 coverage and deep investigations into political money.
- He was known for mentoring and encouraging colleagues, many of whom now hold prominent journalism positions worldwide.