Abram Brown

Richard Feynman on the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something. Reminded me of what Yan LeCunn said about LLM's intelligence #AI and real intelligence. 

30

2 Comments

If you worked as a journalist for a long time you know how to do sales - every pitch to your editor was a mini-sale. If you published articles on a CMS you know how to do real-time QA on the fly (Dude, I know). If you've ever appeared on a podcast you're halfway to learning audio production. TLDR; you have way more many job skills than you know you have.

6

2 Comments

Column: Still undecided on Propositions 418 and 419? So am I! Here are the factors I’m considering in deciding whether to vote yes or no on RTA Next, from the bird-in-hand to the too-long term of the plan. https://lnkd.in/gW2m92nF

5

3 Comments

"Speed is the disease of the digital age. In today’s newsrooms, pressure to publish stories at an increasingly fast rate often means that reporters are able to uncover only basic information and complete a surface-level analysis. Twenty years ago media experts were already warning that working at high speeds encourages journalists “to fall back on well-worn themes and observations—interpretive clichés.” In today’s world of digital media, this effect has been compounded." https://lnkd.in/g7gGAzKS

29

1 Comment

In this latest article from EOS at Federated Hermes Limited’s Q2 Public Engagement Report, Dana Barnes, Navishka Pandit, Velika Talyarkhan and Michael Benedict Yamoah, PhD highlight some of the key votes from the North American, European and Australian proxy seasons. The article includes a look at German automaker AGMs, child safety proposals at #tech companies, and how US shareholder proposals have fared in a changing regulatory landscape. #AI #corpgov #HCM #stewardship #ESG #climatechange #remuneration #digitalrights #tax #ShareholderRights #InvestorProtection

7

The media landscape is shifting fast... and that creates both risks and opportunities for comms teams. After more than 25 years in national newsrooms, Dan Townend has seen gatekeeping move from editors’ desks to algorithms. Google updates and AI summaries can wipe out traffic overnight. But there’s a flip side. Original reporting, fresh insight and genuinely useful content are being rewarded again. In the newest edition of Off the Record, Dan breaks down what’s really happening inside the media industry (from legacy platforms to new tech) and what it means for comms pros. His weekly analysis of the media sector will be available every Thursday. Link to read the piece in comment section below 👇

56

1 Comment

This week's post: On a fascinating idea to try to ground LLMs in — if not truth, at least in sourcing — and what that could mean for journalism and public interesting information. Plus, structured journalism. https://lnkd.in/epjz3bAv

17

Lately, when I tell people that I am a writer, the conversation inevitably turns to artificial intelligence. People want to know if AI will replace journalists and take over everything from writing newspapers to books. I don't think it will, and here's why. It’s what I write about this week https://lnkd.in/e2F-a2Aa

2

Alrighty, I've been reading many of these, so my turn to chime in. I worked at WTOP News for nine years, filed stories for CBS Radio as a reporter, used their content when I was a producer. I'm disappointed but not surprised. People consume news on social media through their phones. People also don't need traffic reports as much due to Waze and Google Maps. So the question becomes: what makes a radio outlet unique with content that's not available elsewhere. WTOP News and other local affiliates are in good shape, in my opinion, despite the loss of WCBS 880 in NYC. You can't get hyperlocal coverage of Montgomery County, MD or Fairfax County VA without WTOP. It doesn't exist. Julie Ziegler preaches the same message Jim Farley did years ago: local, local, local. CBS Radio News didn't have that on a national level. Now what they brought that the market may miss are the quality stories from the stringers, like I was, across the country. An important story in Detroit that matters in Philadelphia, but the national news doesn't cover. That's what we'll miss. On Bari Weiss: I don't wish her ill will. If CBS News Radio was operating deep losses, then it's a necessary business decision while painful. However, all her slashing and slashing of costs will amount to a bunch of nothing UNLESS she replaces it with new MONEY-MAKING content. Anyone can cut costs with a scalpel or sledgehammer. What's her idea to make CBS News profitable? We wait and see...

11

6 Comments

I'll admit: as someone who came up in the age of traffic, it's really hard not to look at Page Views. But if that's the only metric you're using to evaluate success in 2026, then you haven't been listening to your data or audience development teams. The good news is that the next generation of analytics and distribution tools are being built by product people inside and outside of newsrooms. The distro nerds like me are experimenting and building in this new landscape. https://lnkd.in/e-5QiUyW

146

9 Comments

I'm writing a story about Bilt, the company that offers credit cards for rent payments, and its transition to the Bilt 2.0 card. Customers have reported that their rent payments aren't going through and even losing money on the transactions. Bilt has proven difficult to reach, with many customers unable to speak with a real human or get their claims addressed promptly. If you or anyone you know is having problems with the Bilt card, please reach out to me at whicks@bizournals.com. This is a story for the San Francisco Business Times.

16

Atlanta Journal-Constitution's shift is bold. Copycats risk missing the point. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced it will publish its last print edition at the end of this year and move fully digital. I sat in on a newsletter session led by the AJC folks at the ONA conference a couple years ago, and it was clear they’re doing some really innovative work. Like all of us, they see their future in digital, and they’re leaning into it. It will be fun and educational to watch how they navigate this new era. Print, though, is still a significant piece of revenue for many publishers. Too often, the push to “go digital” has meant tripping over print dollars to chase increasingly competitive digital dimes. I’ve also worked in newsrooms that chased the “digital first” mantra, but without the resources to sustain it. Some management teams seemed to believe that cutting back print also meant you could cut into newsrooms — but that simply doesn’t hold up. If anything, strong digital products demand more investment in local reporting, not less. Atlanta may thrive with an all-digital strategy — they seem to have a plan. I agree there’s still plenty of opportunity for print in that market. By stepping away, AJC is leaving money on the table that smaller, more nimble publications may be glad to scoop up. It could even open the door to a renaissance for community print publications in Atlanta’s wake. For many of us, the future will continue to be a mix of print and digital. I believe we can do both well — and continue to make a strong business case for it. My hope is that this moment in Atlanta doesn’t spark a wave of companies rushing to go “all digital” without the same kind of vision and investment. AJC appears to know where it’s headed. Too many others, sadly, don’t — and digital-only without a real plan won’t get them there.

3

This is a good -- and important -- read. No doubt AI is here to stay, but it is up to us to figure out how to best use it as the tool that it is.

4

Interesting data table courtesy of eMarketer citing YouGov data on the types of apps consumers from different generations have downloaded. Members of Gen Z and Millennials are more likely than Gen X and Baby Boomers to download social media, music, gaming and entertainment apps. Noticeably higher percentages of Gen X and Baby Boomers download messaging/email, weather, navigation/travel and news apps. #mobileapps #appdownloads #genz #millennials #youngadults #genx #babyboomers #socialmedia #music #streamingaudio #spotify #entertainment #gaming #videogames #news #digitalnews #messagingapps #email #travel #weather #weatherapps

3

SCOOP in Bloomberg News: The long awaited Artificial Intelligence Action Plan from the Trump Administration is expected to ease AI regulation and expand energy sources for data centers, while urging Congress to consider federal legislation to preempt state oversight of the emerging technology. The proposal is set to be published in the coming days, following a directive this year to formulate a comprehensive framework outlining key initiatives designed to accelerate development in the US. Trump is expected to sign several executive orders to enact some of the policies outlined in the plan, according to people who were briefed by administration officials. More details from Oma Seddiq and I below https://lnkd.in/eR5qh-TZ

6