This week, we hear from Sherri Smith, Editor in Chief of Laptop Mag, one of Future plc’s tech titles. She talks about her role working across Future’s sister titles, why Laptop Mag is broadening its reach to gaming and audio, maintaining editorial integrity with reviews, and how the title will future-proof itself as technology evolves. She also explains how testing, product launches and reviews are continuing amidst the coronavirus crisis. Smart bidets have their first ever mention on the podcast.
In the news roundup the Media Voices trio discuss whether it’s appropriate (or even good business sense) to impose a paywall on coronavirus content, whether platforms like Google and Facebook donating money to counter misinformation is a sop, and rattle through news in brief to find some cheerful topics.
See the full transcript here.
Don’t forget our live episode this Thursday!
News in brief:
- Coronavirus keyword blocking is set to cost UK publishers up to £50 million
- Less than four years since its launch The Outline is effectively going on an extended hiatus with all of its staff being laid off, due to what its parent company calls the unprecedented impact of COVID-19
- Bauer Media in New Zealand is closing down as a result of coronavirus making its business models invalid
- News Corp is suspending print editions of 60 local newspapers in Australia as advertising revenue slumps
- Free UK newspaper The Evening Standard has announced pay cuts and furloughs after an ad slump – the publisher relies on ads for 80% of its revenues. However, it’s now facing a legal battle as staff weren’t made aware before the announcement, which breaches UK employment law
- The Big Issue is to go on sale in supermarkets for the first time in an effort to make money for vendors left without income. Sainsbury’s and McColls are giving 50% back to vendors
- The Chicago Reader has published a colouring book to raise funds for the paper and more than 50 local artists who have contributed drawings to the effort
- The clone wars continue – YouTube is reportedly working on a TikTok rival called ‘Shorts’ which will sit within its existing video app
- NYT is pivoting to publishing – books, that is. It sees potential in expanding its book division, with 10 books based on its journalists work planned for the rest of the year
- According to a World Economic Forum report, young people aged 16-34 are twice as likely to pay for news as those over 55 in Germany, the UK and the US, but this is interesting as it contradicts some other findings
- Time’s CEO Edward Felsenthal has pledged that none of his 275 staff will face layoffs for at least 90 days because of Salesforce’s Mark Benioff, and they’re also continuing to hire and invest
- Glamour and Grazia in the UK have both released covers celebrating women on the NHS frontline who are sharing their stories
