The takeaway?
Paywalls are annoying—but they work.
Even if most readers leave or try to avoid them, the tiny fraction who subscribe are far more likely to do so because they hit a paywall.
No wall, no conversion.
And what about actual subscriptions?
Only 0.21% of readers subscribe after hitting a paywall. That’s 1 in every 500 visitors.
Still, this is 50x higher than the subscription rate of visitors who never encounter a paywall.
🔗 www.inma.org/blogs/reader...
🚪 57% of users leave the site immediately.
🛑 11.5% find a way around the paywall.
🔐 5% log in to their subscriber account.
📰 20.5% click to another free article on the site.
One big question for publishers using paywalls: What do readers actually do when they hit one?
A new study looks at over 270,000 visits to paywalled pages to find out how readers respond.
🔗 papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Young audiences are a big driver here — many are ditching traditional TV in favor of video podcasts.
There are risks when this shift happens on algorithm-driven platforms like YouTube. The trend is clear:
📉 Traditional TV is losing ground.
🎙️ Mics & video thumbnails are taking over the screen.
Major media figures and organizations in the U.S. are now entering the video podcast space, aiming to claim territory on this rising frontier.
www.vanityfair.com/news/story/e...
In recent years, the growing popularity of video podcasts has triggered two major shifts in digital media. Let’s break it down 🧵
1️⃣ First, YouTube has become the most-used podcast platform in countries like the U.S., surpassing long-time leaders like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
There are so many important parts of our modern history that are gone, and the trend of remakes, remasters and reboots make it worse. Because the Ship of Theseus won’t be the same after you strap a jetboat engine on it and a pair of railguns.
#gamestudies
TL;DR:
– Trump wanted to rename the Gulf of Mexico
– AP refused
– WH banned them
– A judge intervened
– Trump team still ignoring the court
Wild times for journalism in the U.S.
#PressFreedom #Trump #Media #AP #GulfOfMexico
This isn’t just a petty naming dispute.
It’s a clear warning sign about press freedom, executive power, and how far a government might go to control public narratives — even by renaming geography.
But here’s the twist: despite the ruling, AP journalists are still being denied entry into White House press events — defying a federal court order.
🧵 apnews.com/article/trum...
AP took the matter to court. A federal judge ruled in favor of AP, ordering the White House to restore access to its journalists.
🧑⚖️ www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
The response from the White House?
AP journalists were banned from all press briefings and events. A direct retaliation for refusing to follow the naming order.
One of the loudest rejections came from Associated Press (AP).
As a global news outlet, AP said it would not adopt the new name and would stick with Gulf of Mexico.
📰 www.wired.com/story/online...
Early in his term, Trump demanded that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the "American Gulf" 🇺🇸 — and ordered all federal agencies & media to use the new name.
It sparked jokes, confusion, and serious pushback.
Trump vs. Associated Press: The Gulf of... What?
Trump administration’s rocky relationship with the press just hit one of its weirdest episodes — a naming fight over the Gulf of Mexico.
NYT copyright lawsuit against OpenAI can proceed! 📰⚖️ Judge rejected OpenAI's motion to dismiss, allowing core copyright claims to move forward over alleged unauthorized use of NYT content for ChatGPT training. Win for NYT & publishers challenging AI data scraping.
Future research will explore public trust, adoption of personalized services, and the link to disinformation risks, shaping policies for a more informed digital society.
🔗 Full article: doi.org/10.1057/s415...
The research also underscores the ethical & socio-political risks of algorithmic personalization, urging stronger media literacy policies & regulatory oversight.
A major finding: Trust and perceived control over personalized content vary significantly between different social groups, highlighting the need for targeted education programs.
The study introduced an innovative fuzzy logic system to measure collective knowledge, revealing demographic disparities in digital media literacy.
Based on data from 1,213 Czech respondents, the study found significant knowledge gaps about how personalization works, who controls it, and its societal impact.
📢 Algorithmic Personalization & Media Literacy – Key Findings
A new study analyzed public awareness of algorithmic personalization in digital media, using a novel information model to assess knowledge across social classes.
AI's Unexpected Media Impact
A surprising development in media: Afrikia, a new publication dedicated solely to AI advancements in Africa, has launched.
👉 afrikia.info
While opening access sounds good in theory, it also raises concerns about credibility, transparency, and potential media manipulation.
What do you think—genuine democratization or a strategy to reshape media narratives? 🤔
The administration presents this as democratization—an effort to create a more inclusive media landscape. But there’s another side to the story.
Who will get priority access? Will this shift be used to sideline professional journalists in favor of more favorable voices?
Now, political influencers, podcasters, and "new media" creators can apply to attend these briefings by simply filling out a form.
On the first day alone, 7,400 applications were submitted. www.dailywire.com/news/white-h...
Traditionally, White House press briefings have been attended by accredited journalists from established news organizations. But starting this week, things are changing.
The "Influencer Era" in the White House
The relationship between the White House and the press is shifting, influenced by Trump’s past media strategies and the rising impact of podcasts in political discourse. But no one expected this latest move.
These findings underscore the need for deeper research on the link between political ideology and misinformation. What do you think? 🤔