Author | Lightnews

Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Aug 22

I usually forget to share my stuff on Bluesky, but I should flag this one that I'm particularly proud of: what happened when we found out about a 'freelance journalist' called 'Margaux Blanchard' who had got published in Wired and Business Insider pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/d...

Wired and Business Insider remove 'AI-written' freelance articles

Wired and Business Insider have removed freelance articles over concerns they were written by AI under a fake name.

pressgazette.co.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · May 27

Interesting to see Reach papers the Express and Daily Star use a blurred image of an injured Liverpool supporter but The Guardian and The i Paper use the same photo uncensored www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Newspaper headlines: Liverpool 'glory' descends into 'horror'

The aftermath of a car ploughing into crowds at the Liverpool FC victory parade dominates Tuesday's papers.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · May 23

News: Management at the New Statesman and sister titles including Press Gazette have signed a union recognition agreement after years of negotiation. www.nuj.org.uk/resource/nuj...

NUJ celebrates recognition at the New Statesman and Progressive Media Investments

The NUJ has secured recognition at the distinguished political magazine the New Statesman and the global publisher Progressive Media Investments (PMI).

www.nuj.org.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · May 21

Vittles in print: profitable, twice a year, the culmination of a long-held ambition - although print is "now countercultural" and can have "misplaced sense of prestige". ‪Great interview with @jonathandnunn.bsky.social‬
pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/m...

'Print is new counter culture' says Vittles founder as newsletter launches in print

Interview with Vittles magazine founder Jonathan Nunn who first launched the food brand on Substack in 2020 and has now gone into print.

pressgazette.co.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Apr 30

Hybrid, so part London and part remote

Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Apr 28

We're hiring at Press Gazette!

We're looking to hire either a junior reporter up for learning all about the world of media, or a more experienced person who can work part-time with me & Dominic Ponsford.

Feel free to send me any Qs. You can get all the info here: pressgazette.co.uk/media-jobs/p...

Press Gazette is recruiting a reporter/feature writer

Job advert for someone to join Press Gazette team.

pressgazette.co.uk

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Reposted by Charlotte Tobitt

Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · Apr 14

This is wild, fascinating and genuinely important. pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/d...

Virtual reality: The widely-quoted media experts who are not what they seem

Press Gazette investigation into the widely-quoted national media experts who either do not exist, or whose credentials have not been checked.

pressgazette.co.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Apr 3

My favourite thing about this piece by Colin Freeman is the emphasis on how great local newspapers were/are as a place to start for young journalists. "Yet like many in my trade, I regard my days on local papers as the most useful in my career." www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-...

The sad decline of the local paper

King Charles praised local news – but the industry, which once covered everything from councils to courts, is fading fast. Can it be revived?

www.spectator.co.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Mar 4

Aside from the financial results themselves, really interested to see Jim Mullen highlight the customer experience on Reach sites.

He says they are rolling out a new website platform which is tripling page loading speed pressgazette.co.uk/media_busine...

Cost cuts and growing digital revenue boost Reach profits for 2024

Reach results 2024: Cost cuts and digital growth helped Reach grow profits for 2024 as overall revenue declines.

pressgazette.co.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Feb 21

Three incredibly striking front pages today:

1. Daily Mail taking a massive stand on AI ahead of the Govt consultation closing.
2. The Sun: "paedo spotted spluttering on vape"!
3. New York Post calling out Trump and Putin.

I have seen all three of these praised today: the power of print lives on!

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Feb 14

It's a tough choice but here is my favourite of Tom's commandments: "And here is another thing to remember every time you sit down at the keyboard: a little sign that says "Nobody has to read this crap.""

Press Gazette @pressgazette.co.uk · Feb 14

Former Guardian science editor, letters editor, arts editor and literary editor Tim Radford - who once wrote 25 'commandments for journalists' - has died aged 84. https://buff.ly/41fhcY4 The commandments are here and still relevant today: https://buff.ly/2IZqhK5

Tim Radford, former Guardian science editor, dies aged 84

Tributes paid to journalist remembered for infectious enthusiasm for science and talent for turning a phrase

buff.ly

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Reposted by Charlotte Tobitt

Neil Thurman @neilthurman.bsky.social · Feb 13

@charlottetobitt.bsky.social covers our new paywalls study at @pressgazette.co.uk.

Fully study:

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

We dug into millions of visits to paywalled articles at 21 news websites to see what prevented & prompted visitors starting & finishing the subscription journey.

Press Gazette @pressgazette.co.uk · Feb 13

And how best to get people to subscribe in the first place? New research suggests less can be more on paywalled websites https://buff.ly/4hGjjtR

Giving readers less can lead to more subscribers, new research

Showing a standfirst or intro below the headline of a paywalled article "significantly decreases" the odds of visitors clicking subscribe.

buff.ly

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Feb 3

Fascinating interview with Will Hayward who left Wales Online to relaunch his newsletter on his own and said it has proved a financial "no-brainer".

Publishers are going to have to reckon with the fact a lot of their top talent could earn more on their own

pressgazette.co.uk/newsletters/...

Will Hayward says quitting Wales Online to launch Substack was financial 'no-brainer'

Former Reach Welsh affairs editor Will Hayward has said going solo via Substack has proved to be a financial “no-brainer”.

pressgazette.co.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Jan 30

For a few years now the Mail has been slowly combining its print and digital operations, in part getting rid of duplicated work between Mail Online and the papers. This is believed to be the final stage. Double-digit job cuts (so 99 or fewer) expected. pressgazette.co.uk/news/mail-do...

Major job cuts at Mail titles in final stage of digital-first transition

The Mail plans to make up to 100 job cuts as it brings its print and online teams "fully together to create a dynamic digital-first newsroom"

pressgazette.co.uk

Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Jan 29

New Adrian Chiles classic just dropped: "I have lost all faith in zips" www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I have lost all faith in zips | Adrian Chiles

The only thing worse than spending a fortune on a coat you don’t really need is spending a fortune on a coat you don’t really need, then damaging it, then discovering that no one wants to fix it, says...

www.theguardian.com

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Jan 28

Enjoyed outgoing Daily Star editor Jon Clark's entire quote about his departure: “It’s been fun.”

Big shake-up as new Daily Star editor-in-chief will be focused on online for the first time, with the print editor reporting to him.
pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/n...

Daily Star editor Jon Clark to leave amid new digital-first strategy

Daily Star editor-in-chief Jon Clark is stepping down as a "more digitally-focused structure" comes into place.

pressgazette.co.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Jan 24

An absolutely remarkable judgment. Court of Appeal says judge was "unfair" to the media including because he said "with such vehemence… that the journalists had been guilty of inaccurate, unfair and irresponsible reporting" and was sarcastic about a Dispatches prog pressgazette.co.uk/news/journal...

Sara Sharif murder case judges to be named after 'unfair' treatment of journalists

Journalists have won their appeal to be able to name three judges who dealt with schoolgirl Sara Sharif's case in the family court.

pressgazette.co.uk

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Reposted by Charlotte Tobitt

Press Gazette @pressgazette.co.uk · Jan 22

News UK admits ‘unlawful activities’ at Sun in settlement apology to Prince Harry pressgazette.co.uk/news/prince-...

News UK admits 'unlawful activities' at Sun in settlement apology to Prince Harry

Sun publisher News Group Newspapers has admitted "unlawful activities" took place at the newspaper in a legal settlement with Prince Harry.

pressgazette.co.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Jan 15

Fascinating to discover the tech world is currently obsessed with using the Chatham House Rule

“There’s no clear reason why we’re using it,” he said. “I haven’t noticed people saying spicier stuff.” sfstandard.com/2025/01/11/c...

Why is every Bay Area event imposing Chatham House Rules?

An archaic English gag rule is enforcing silence everywhere in the Bay Area, from health conferences to AI salons to dinner parties.

sfstandard.com

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Dec 20

In which I give some analysis of the Tortoise-Observer deal, share our biggest British Journalism Awards winners, shout out some women in journalism.. oh and also reveal my sister-in-law is obsessed with Gavin & Stacey and that I have a soft spot for a Netflix rom com (One Day and Nobody Wants This)

The Media Club @themediaclub.com · Dec 20

Ofcom puts the breaks on Radio 2 Extra, Tortoise grabs The Observer, Gregg-gate latest plus TV for 2025. The @radiotimes.bsky.social's Caroline Frost and @pressgazette.co.uk's @charlottetobitt.bsky.social join @mattdeegan.com.
Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpbU...
Listen: pod.fo/e/293df1

Tortoise Takes The Observer | The Media Club

YouTube video by The Media Club with Matt Deegan

www.youtube.com

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Dec 20

Thanks Umar!

Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Dec 18

See the full stories on Press Gazette here:

Tortoise-Observer deal signed and Lucy Rock named print editor pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/n...

Media Concierge to take over National World, promising to invest in local news pressgazette.co.uk/news/media-c...

Tortoise-Observer deal signed and Lucy Rock named print editor

Tortoise Media has formally signed the deal to buy The Observer and appointed Lucy Rock as the brand's editor (print).

pressgazette.co.uk

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Dec 18

Big day for media takeover news in the UK: The Observer and Tortoise make their deal official, while the 3rd-biggest regional publisher National World agrees a takeover by marketing business and Irish local publisher Media Concierge.

Both are expected to take effect in Q1 (spring for The Observer)

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Dec 12

Billy Bragg sang at the Guardian/Observer picket line today! He cracked out protest song Which Side Are You On?

@gonuj.org @nujofficial.bsky.social Pic credit: Mark Thomas

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Charlotte Tobitt @charlottetobitt.bsky.social · Dec 12

British erasure! 😅 if you type 'The Times' into Bluesky search, The New York Times comes up above The Times & Sunday Times

(Yes, I know it will be because the NYT has so many more followers)

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