David Kaplan

https://lnkd.in/eDRkxUU9 Local news is under strain as shrinking resources and expanding news deserts weaken democratic accountability. AI poses new risks by diverting audiences and generating generic content, yet it can also help journalists process civic information and improve efficiency. Experts warn that AI must support, not replace, human reporting, and call for collaboration and government support to protect local journalism’s quality and diversity.

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Antenna Land published a two-part report today examining the FCC record around DRM and ATSC 3.0. One story looks at what broadcasters are asking regulators to allow. The other looks at what federal TV piracy prosecutions over the past decade show. https://lnkd.in/e4tvh5Rz #ATSC3 #NEXTGENTV #FCC #BROADCAST

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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

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There’s a gap between what’s being said publicly and what’s in the FCC record. Broadcasters argue encryption is needed to keep sports on free broadcast TV. But recent filings also tie it to control over distribution and revenue, while league commissioners continue to emphasize reach. #FCC #NextGenTV #Broadcasting #SportsMedia https://lnkd.in/enfd9MGn

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My latest, with Siddharth Philip and Joe Lovinger: Air-traffic controller might just be America's toughest job. And in the wake of a deadly crash and worrisome radio failures, there's a spotlight on it like never before. We spoke to those who do this work proudly, but are buckling under the long hours and high stress, about the challenges of recruiting, training and retaining more staff. It won't be easy. Story linked in comments. #ATC #airtraffic #TRACON #airports #aviation #flying #safety #FAA #DOGE #DC #newark #CPC #careers #work #futureofwork #retirement

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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. 

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big question Olga Usvyatsky and Francine McKenna address in Dina Bass' Bloomberg article: How long do high-speed and AI GPU chips last? - Call it the chip-replacement cycle: Fortunes were won and lost in the electronics bubble of the go-go 60s by ignoring/exaggerating how long first gen corporate computers would go between replacements, see the rise and fall of Saul P. Steinberg's Leasco https://lnkd.in/ecb2p_hQ

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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

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The News Media Help Desk is a cool new one-stop-shop for journalists and media organizations, providing free, centralized support hub that helps local newsrooms with digital strategy, tools, and hands-on services to become more sustainable. It is a project of the Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) and the Local Media Consortium (LMC), funded by the Knight Foundation. They have built and are building all these useful things: • A Learning Center with curated case studies, how‑to guides, and explainers that show what’s working in other newsrooms (product, audience, revenue, AI, etc.) • Tools Scorecard: A database where publishers can compare third‑party tools (e.g., analytics, transcription, fundraising, AI video editing) based on features and pricing. •Digital On‑Demand Services (DODDS): A consulting marketplace that matches newsrooms with vetted experts who provide “fractional” services at below‑market rates (e.g., product, data, audience, tech implementation). • Ongoing guidance: A monthly newsletter and evolving resources that respond to current newsroom needs (e.g., security, immigration coverage, stress and trauma). They were already on my radar to reach out to as a possible collaboration partner (they already partner with Pete Pachal of The Media Copilot). But then Leah Becerra beat me to it when she reached out to me. Today, they published an expanded version of the five learnings for news publishers in my post “Why News Publishers Are Split Between Optimizing for AI Scrapers and Fighting Them.” I have to admit: I think they improved my version. I am very happy with the kick-off and looking forward to continuing this collaboration . Check out their post https://lnkd.in/g9yJhCe4 and check out out what else they have on offer. It's all free.

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#RSAC 2025 is expected to continue the focus on AI from the conferences of prior years, but with a new emphasis this time on the emergence of agentic capabilities. Along with GenAI and AI agents, other key topics will include: - The evolution of security operations - Protection against intensifying attacks targeting the cloud and email inboxes - The ongoing push for consolidation and “platformization” and - The uncertain economic outlook Here’s where you’ll find all of CRN’s news coverage from RSA Conference 2025 ⬇️

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Advice that I wish I knew sooner: Participate in professional development opportunities with your direct reports. I attended this Microsoft First Fridays: AI for Communicators FREE webinar and it was incredibly valuable to my small but might comms unit. I watched this with a direct report, and I gotta say... Learning alongside your reports is really important. The "ah ha" moments and the rapid fire Slacks back and forth with them about what we were learning was incredibly valuable! I think it shows an example of how it’s important to never stop learning or being curious.

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I took over the Tampa Bay Times Sunday subscriber newsletter for a little craft chat. How should a writer use physical description in a story? There are two cues to remember. Read on for a fun example from Christopher Spata. https://lnkd.in/eP4dG_KD

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Testimony from Eddie Cue, Apple’s SVP of services reveals that April saw the first dip in Safari web searches, and the company sees AI-powered search as inevitable. https://lnkd.in/ehRnFKmA

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Forbes Google And Pollster Scott Rasmussen Will Use AI To Survey Americans’ Political Views: A collaboration between the tech giant and a polling nonprofit will gather five to 10 people each from every congressional district to answer questions about the nation’s most pressing issues. If it works, it could upend the fraught world of political polling. https://lnkd.in/eRy_JPp9 #google #ai #polling — Reporter: Richard Nieva Editor: Katharine Schwab and John Paczkowski Design and illustration: Samantha Lee Art direction: Fernando Capeto

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Very pleased to see that Congress did the right thing, killing an AI moratorium that would handcuff 50 states from protecting their people. Any innovative technology should come with responsibility, especially one as transformative as AI.

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Another sad, if telling, milestone in the dramatic media (r)evolution is around the corner with the announced closure of the CBS News radio service after almost a century in operation. So ends a “storied” supplier of news and information that went on air in 1927, and which featured such journalistic luminaries as Edward R. Murrow. When it wraps up its final broadcast on May 22, the 700 stations it services across the United States will have to seek their content elsewhere. The long-term viability of all news outlets has long been an open question. A number of my past posts have documented sharp swings in preferences, evolving consumption patterns and corresponding declines. While print has probably taken the brunt of a changing economic and technological landscape, neither radio nor TV has been immune. In fact, not even online-only channels have survived the cull. The demise of award-winning, digital-first, digital-only Buzzfeed News (https://bit.ly/3ACrl3c) proves that cultivating and keeping a loyal audience in an era of frenetic competition for attention and ad spend is a near-impossible task. Why does any of this matter? We’re all news consumers to some degree. We therefore need access to a variety of reliable and reputable sources to triangulate various narratives and perspectives for an accurate picture of the unfolding world we live in. Deliberately false reports—now fueled by AI-generated fabrications—have severely disrupted our ability to get a sound understanding of a rapidly shifting reality. As established purveyors of news and current affairs with a commitment to journalistic standards and a claim on credibility wither, what remains is…? Given present uncertainties and foreseeable realities, cultivating your (and your organization’s) media literacy is absolutely essential. Learning how to think critically and to double-check what you take in from today’s “information firehose” isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s non-negotiable.

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