Reporting on Gaza, Axel Springer partners with OpenAI in landmark deal, and at least 63 journalists killed in Israel-Gaza war

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Media Confidential. Reporting on Gaza: bravery, brutal facts and the need for context. Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber hear Israeli and Palestinian perspectives on how the war in Gaza is being covered and on the continuing fight to control the media narrative.

Global news publisher Axel Springer partners with OpenAI in landmark deal. As part of the deal, when users ask ChatGPT a question, the chatbot will deliver summaries of relevant news stories from Axel Springer brands including Politico, Business Insider, Bild and Welt. Those summaries will include material from stories that would otherwise require subscriptions to read.

Journalist casualties in the Israel-Gaza war. As of 14 December, 63 journalists and media workers were confirmed dead: 56 Palestinian, 4 Israeli, and 3 Lebanese.

OCCRP and the Gabo Foundation launch groundbreaking project that unites investigative journalism and fiction filmmaking. Floodlight aims to establish long-term collaborations between investigative reporters and film and television producers, scriptwriters, and directors. Journalists can help adapt their extensive reporting about organized crime and corruption into new formats to reach more audiences, while filmmakers can draw on a wealth of content and expertise across subjects to inform their projects.

Leaked documents provide fresh evidence about the source of payment to journalist’s assassin. In October 2008, a motorbike packed with explosives detonated in a parking lot outside the Zagreb office of Nacional, a weekly magazine known for its sensational headlines and exposés of political and business scandals. The scooter had been placed next to a car used by the publication’s founder, Ivo Pukanić. He was killed instantly when it exploded, along with a colleague.

Content from our partner McKinsey & Company

As we head into the new year,
what are the big priorities for chief executives in 2024? Based on their work with CEOs over the years, McKinsey’s Homayoun Hatami and Liz Hilton Segel present eight big issues that leaders should keep in mind, including some of the year’s most talked-about topics such as generative AI, the energy transition, building geopolitical resilience, and more.

A third of Irish journalists have been sued in the last five years, survey reveals. A report reveals threat of defamation action and online abuse are among the biggest worries in the journalistic profession.

Norway’s biggest daily doubles audio audience with AI-voiced articles. Norwegian daily says text articles read by an AI voice have similar listen rates to its podcasts.

‘I’m not just covering the news – I’m living it’: Gaza’s citizen journalists chronicling life in war. Plestia Alaqad went from Instagrammer to reporter after her footage of Israel’s assault on besieged enclave went viral.

Spyware deals, China’s border encroachment, toxic cough syrup: 2023’s best investigative stories in India. A new generation of digital journalism sites, despite limited resources available for investigative journalism, have still done stories exposing the powerful people associated with the government. Here is a list of such stories.

Hungary: condemnation of passing of Sovereignty Protection Act. New law will be harnessed to further harass and pressure independent media.

Japan’s SmartNews was growing fast in the U.S. What went wrong? Former SmartNews employees point to failed product launches and far-right obsession of former CEO.

Image credit: screenshot of homepage of podcast Media Confidential