Big Technology Podcast The Social Media Era Of News Is Over — With Ben Smith
7 snips
Mar 1, 2023 
Ben Smith, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Semafor and author of "Traffic," shares insights on the evolving media landscape as traditional news takes a backseat to social media. He discusses how news engagement is shifting, the rise of newsletters and podcasts, and the impact of social media’s decline on news consumption. Smith also dives into the implications of Elon's Twitter, AI in journalism, and Trump's lasting influence heading into the 2024 election. It's a timely exploration of modern journalism's challenges and transformations.
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BuzzFeed's Social Media Strategy
- BuzzFeed's initial model was built entirely on social media distribution.
- This approach, successful from 2012-2016, later faced user fatigue and platform changes.
Social Media's Decline in News
- The social media age of news is ending, marked by declining platform relevance and user disillusionment.
- Consumers now seek curated, less chaotic news sources.
Dual Decline of News on Social
- The decline of news on social media was driven by both consumer sentiment and platform decisions.
- Consumers expressed concerns about social media news while still engaging with it.
