What I've Been Reading Digest

On the ground reporting struggles in search

Plus: Wan-Ifra's Local Day and how universities (and local media) need to put down deep and meaningful roots

Oct 8 •

Substack becoming a media giant

Plus: 'Shoring up' local news in the UK + the social video battleground

Oct 1 •

Lessons from the Press Gazette Future of Media Conference 2025

A guest editor for this What I've Been Reading digest as Jacqui covers the fight with AI, Google battles and an Irish subscriptions powerhouse + an…

Sep 17 •

and

Jacqui Merrington

Lessons in launching a newsletter

Local stories people (especially politicians) don't like, a new look Blog Preston and Reach redundancies

Sep 10 •

A chill in the air...

Plus: Publishers large and small outline positions on Google ahead of CMA review + insights on the average week in the UK

Sep 3 •

Nextdoor pins stemming inactive users challenge on partnership with local news and journalists

Plus: Detailed mapping of local news provision in the US (and lessons for the UK) + up for an award for The Lead North

Jul 16 •

Journalism education funding campaign in the UK gathers pace

Plus: A reminder in the value people place on trusted local information (alongside news) and when to go or no on innovation and new projects in…

Jul 9 •

Journalism education v the government

Plus: A handbook for 'good journalism, better societies' in practice while keeping the lights on

Jun 25 •

WhatsApp Channels moment in the spotlight to arrive

Plus: Social media usage for news fragmentation continues + all the learnings from the Publisher Newsletter & Podcast Summits

Jun 18 •

Personality, usefulness and building a community drive newsletter success

Some learnings from the Publisher Newsletters Summit and Awards

Jun 11 •

Google Discover on desktop appears imminent

Plus: BBC director-general signals stronger linking to local sources + FullFact's custom gen-AI tool helping to police the internet and media

May 21 •

Narrative journalism isn't dead, despite the surge of AI 'slop' content

Plus: A big media watchers newsletter and website merger + lessons from Canada on how local media can be supported

May 7 •

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