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This article was originally published in Medians' 10 Links newsletter, sent every other Monday at 2pm. Sign up here!
- FREEDOM (Medians) — Yesterday, Viktor Orbán lost the election. Hungarians notably punished years of progressive weakening of press freedom. Elsewhere in Europe, his method inspires certain authoritarian and far-right leaders. What does the "Orbán method" consist of and could it be exported elsewhere, notably to France?
- ARCHIVING (Poynter) — "Saving local news means saving its archives" sums up this Poynter article's message, which reminds us why preserving local information (physical and digital) is essential. These archives have tended to fade away without proper attention; yet preserving them and making them accessible is a meaningful gesture (and appreciated) toward your community.
- FORMAT (Medians) — For many newsrooms, their website remains the storefront and primary channel for distributing their work. For others, this space is being reclaimed after years of dependence on social media. But how do you go about it? Here are three concrete examples of website redesigns created to align with an editorial vision and community, while strengthening (at minimal cost) technological independence.
- PLATFORMS (User Mag) — In the United States, lawsuits against tech giants for their harmful effects on young people are multiplying, and the first convictions are coming down. Decisions that are welcomed, but which also raise questions. Journalist Taylor Lorenz calls for caution against the instrumentalization of these debates and their consequences: web access restrictions, censorship risks…
- PLATFORMS (The Conversation) — Specifically, among the avenues being considered and already implemented in some countries: banning social media for minors. A measure that raises questions because of its broad scope: are social networks inherently harmful? Should we instead target the business models imposed by certain large platforms, and allow more virtuous alternatives to emerge ?
- DIGITAL (New York Times) — Is there life after smartphones? The youngest generation, born with them, are also the ones most eager to break free: « dumbphones, digital detox, blocking tools… A path often made difficult by the omnipresence of these devices that have become an implicit norm, yet one that appeals to many.
P.S. Evidence of interest in this topic, The Guardian is offering its readers a five-part email series to help them disconnect from their phones, with advice and exercises to try each week.
- INDEPENDENCE (France Culture) — Nine billionaires control more than 80% of press titles in France: a concentration that continues to accelerate. Facing this imbalanced landscape, independent media outlets manage to exist. But the emergence of true "galaxies", combining media, publishing houses or polling institutes, makes legal framework reform increasingly urgent.
- FUNDING (Le Monde) — The controversy over the allocation of CNC aid to content creators, stoked by the right and far right, brought down the scheme. The 3 million euros that were planned will ultimately not be distributed, including to certain independent media that had previously been able to benefit from this aid, facing "an unprecedented level of hostility".
- AI (CJR) — Users of AI tools like ChatGPT prefer responses that align with their views… and the companies developing them have caught on. The result: "flattering" models, tailored to our tastes and opinions. As these tools become sources of information, a risk emerges: news presented differently depending on user profiles, even to the point of twisting the meaning to better satisfy them.
- TOOL (SlowLLM) — Does it depress you but you don't know how to convince your loved ones/colleagues not to use these tools all the time? Make them much less effective with SlowLLM, a browser extension (or even an entire network for the most motivated) that will significantly slow down Claude or ChatGPT.
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ANNOUNCEMENT : Want to launch or professionalize your media outlet? The next edition of our "Create a Media" training will run from May 5 to 27. On the agenda: masterclasses, workshops, and meetings with media founders and alumni. Discover all the details on our page and register before April 15!
