Ken Herts

Proven paths to survival for metro newspapers. The Wash Post ought to follow these. theconversation.com/as-jeff-bezos-… via @ConversationUS

In Graphic Detail: How AI search is changing publisher visibility digiday.com/media/in-graph…

Traffic down at U.S. news sites last month. Google answers instead of links is one reason. From Press Gazette: In August, just five of the top 50 sites had year-on-year growth but in September 18 had an increase in visits compared to a year earlier. pressgazette.co.uk/media-audience…

ProPublica Names Dana Chiueh and Aaron Brezel as Lenfest AI Engineering Fellows propublica.org/atpropublica/p…

Declines in traffic to news sites likely due to google searches returning answers rather than links, and high news interest a year ago due to elections. pressgazette.co.uk/media-audience…

I pledged a paid subscription to Second Rough Draft dicktofel.substack.com/?utm_medium=em…

Top news websites in U.S., from SimilarWeb data, compiled by @pressgazette

Announcing MIF’s New Executive Director: Abby Rapoport mediaimpactfunders.org/announcing-mif… #mediaimpactfunders

A peek beneath the hood of Lookout Eugene-Springfield’s launch lenfestinstitute.org/solutions-reso…

Check out @Newsday's thoughtful approach to cause marketing. The idea was powerful: help businesses connect with causes that matter to them. Read how they built it (and what your team might take from it): 🔗 brandedcontentproject.com/post/how-newsd…

ProPublica Joins Lenfest Institute AI Collaborative and Fellowship Program propublica.org/atpropublica/p…

The Philadelphia Inquirer, founded on June 1, 1829, is in the new media seat in the White House pool tomorrow. The Inquirer is the third-longest continuously operating paper in America.

@joshtpm I think the NY Times headline works, but I'd substitute Illegally deported for wrongly deported. It gets at the administration's violation of the law, the lawlessness, which is different than just doing something wrong.

When you graduate from 4chan and land your first job at the White House

Another important newspaper changes it's ownership structure, becoming a publicly supported non-profit. I hope it can grow like the Philadelphia Inquirer has, under Lenfest Institute ownership. seattletimes.com/opinion/a-news…

@WallStreetApes States need local news organizations to report on the spending, so people will know and pressure their representatives. They don't need some young computer hacker to cut things at random.

Every state needs a DOGE Idaho resident breaks down what their government is spending their tax dollars on - A luxury sports car fleet, costing more than $720,000 - $1.65 million for a California style drug needle exchange program - $2.2 million for the Pride Agenda, to the Arts Commission (sponsors Pride events) - $15,000 per year to various Pride events - $20,000 to Boise Pride Festival - $25 million in DEI for Internet: Affordable Internet for minorities - $15 million in Government advertising spent in 2 years This is just a small sample of what’s being funded. Imagine this multiplied by every state. Why are we paying taxes?

From this morning’s @PhillyInquirer:

@SundaeDivine @JeffBezos Sounds like they're trying to create the pre-Murdoch WSJ editorial page.

I shared this note with the Washington Post team this morning: I’m writing to let you know about a change coming to our opinion pages. We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others. There was a time when a newspaper, especially one that was a local monopoly, might have seen it as a service to bring to the reader’s doorstep every morning a broad-based opinion section that sought to cover all views. Today, the internet does that job. I am of America and for America, and proud to be so. Our country did not get here by being typical. And a big part of America’s success has been freedom in the economic realm and everywhere else. Freedom is ethical — it minimizes coercion — and practical — it drives creativity, invention, and prosperity. I offered David Shipley, whom I greatly admire, the opportunity to lead this new chapter. I suggested to him that if the answer wasn’t “hell yes,” then it had to be “no.” After careful consideration, David decided to step away. This is a significant shift, it won’t be easy, and it will require 100% commitment — I respect his decision. We’ll be searching for a new Opinion Editor to own this new direction. I’m confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America. I also believe these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinion. I’m excited for us together to fill that void. Jeff