News/Media Alliance files amicus brief in news publisher suits against OpenAI and Microsoft

This morning, the News/Media Alliance filed its amicus brief in the multi-district litigation (MDL) in which over a dozen news publishers have sued OpenAI and Microsoft for using their content without permission to train AI systems and power real-time AI answers (RAG). The News/Media Alliance is joined in this brief by cosigners National Newspaper Association, the National Press Photographers Association and ProPublica.

Opinion | Here we go again: Meta’s new rules put local news at risk

Meta’s proposed commercial terms could allow it to scrape and use publishers’ website content, potentially for AI products, without specific permission or compensation. This column by Dean Ridings, president and CEO of America's Newspapers, argues that publishers should not have to surrender rights to their journalism simply to maintain a presence on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta pledges to consult publishers before finalizing its new terms

Meta will complete “a full consultation” with news industry leaders before implementing its controversial new terms — even if it means another delay, an executive for the social media company announced Oct. 28.

America’s Newspapers welcomes Newspack into membership

Newspack is a project of WordPress.com, with support from the Google News Initiative, the Knight Foundation and The Lenfest Institute. It is an open source technology and services platform that is home to more than 300 independent news organizations around the globe.

Paxton Media Group acquires Louisiana State Newspapers

Paxton Media Group has acquired the publishing and printing operations of Louisiana State Newspapers, bringing together two longstanding, family-owned newspaper companies. The transaction includes 14 community publications and a printing facility serving the Acadiana region of Louisiana.

Americans are more likely than they were a year ago to trust information from national and local news organizations, according to a new Pew Research Center survey conducted in September 2026. Trust has increased modestly among supporters of both major political parties and across age groups.

The new Fund from Social Finance, supported by anchor funders the MacArthur Foundation and Knight Foundation, along with Press Forward, will invest in local news organizations across the United States.

The Island News adds veteran reporter to its staff

The Island News [Beaufort, South Carolina} has added another veteran reporter to its staff. This one has worked for The Island News previously. Tony Kukulich, most recently of The Post & Courier, will cover Beaufort County, with much of his focus, though not necessarily all, on the area south of the Broad River.

The Houston Chronicle has named Trevor Brown as its AI newsroom developer, a new position that combines technical know-how with journalistic judgment to help the newsroom innovate responsibly. 

The Georgia Trust for Local News announced that Micah Johnston, a proud Macon native and graduate of Mercer University, will step into the newly created role of editor and publisher of The Telegraph newspaper.