"The question sounds hyperbolic - but is it? In 2015, we were an industry holding hands with Big Tech, in an often sketchy yet mutually beneficial situationship. Platforms used our content to retain users, and newsrooms used those platforms to build audience and brand awareness and to secure millions of page views that helped bring in revenue. Ten years later, things are different."
"Ten years later, things are different. We got dumped. Newsrooms still optimize stories for search, hit publish, and push them out to the platforms. But now, we only hope the AI overviews and the anti-news social algorithms that amplify harmful, racist ideas don't relegate our work to the void. In 2025, we no longer have assurances that many people, let alone the specific communities we serve, will see our journalism online."
"And the ground is still moving under us. Publishers are reporting a 55% drop in search traffic. There's talk about "Google Zero" - the moment when AI news overviews take over completely, and Google stops sending users to outside websites altogether. Some of these fears may be overblown, as newsrooms are actively preparing for life after search. Google Zero is not destiny. Still, for many publishers, this scenario would in fact be an extinction-level event."
News publishers that relied heavily on search and social platforms now face severe audience loss and the prospect that AI-generated overviews could eliminate referrals. Publishers report roughly a 55% drop in search traffic and fear a "Google Zero" moment when search engines stop linking to external sites. Platforms previously amplified journalism and drove pageviews and revenue. Local, mission-driven newsrooms that prioritized listening, human connection, in-person presence, and diversified distribution retain stronger direct reach. Strategies emphasize algorithm-proofing through community engagement, offline events, newsletters, and alternative funnels to ensure journalism reaches intended audiences without relying on Big Tech.
Read at Nieman Lab
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]