The shift from content-as-commodity to audience-as-asset is probably the most under-discussed pivot in newsrooms right now. RAG systems essentially commoditize the news itself since any one source can substitute for another, but what can't be replicated is that granular understanding of what a community actually needs. I've seen local newsrooms struggle with this exact thing because they're still optimizing for pageviews when they should be mapping audience segments and their info gaps. The school system example really lands because it shows how personalization isn't about fancy tech, it's about knowing which parent cares abou budget cuts to art programs versus which one needs updates on special ed services. The licensing deals might fund operations short-term but they're basically trading future leverage for immediate cash.
Certainly not all content will be a commodity, but even then it's likely its value will be chained to an audience need; regardless of how AI/content evolves, audience knowledge and engagement should be key assets to develop.
The shift from content-as-commodity to audience-as-asset is probably the most under-discussed pivot in newsrooms right now. RAG systems essentially commoditize the news itself since any one source can substitute for another, but what can't be replicated is that granular understanding of what a community actually needs. I've seen local newsrooms struggle with this exact thing because they're still optimizing for pageviews when they should be mapping audience segments and their info gaps. The school system example really lands because it shows how personalization isn't about fancy tech, it's about knowing which parent cares abou budget cuts to art programs versus which one needs updates on special ed services. The licensing deals might fund operations short-term but they're basically trading future leverage for immediate cash.
Certainly not all content will be a commodity, but even then it's likely its value will be chained to an audience need; regardless of how AI/content evolves, audience knowledge and engagement should be key assets to develop.