The Media Copilot

Bill Gross, Founder and CEO of ProRata, discusses how AI should financially support creators and the importance of standardizing compensation models. Annelies Jansen, Chief Business Officer at ProRata, dives into RAG-based knowledge graphs and the ethical implications of AI-generated attribution. Meanwhile, Mark Howard, COO of Time, talks about the challenges of licensing, vectorizing archives, and preparing for AI marketplaces. They explore the balance between innovation, consent, and the need for transparency in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

AI has turned verification into a newsroom survival skill.Please support the sponsor of this podcast: PodPitch.com is a software that thousands of people use today to book podcasts with a 4% booking rate. It’s the most updated podcast email database and it comes with a custom-trained AI that learns YOUR voice and applies what works from more than 10 million previous pitches to optimize your own reply rate. Now one comms pro has the power of a 10-person team.Join Golin, Weber, Edelman, Finn, Broadhead, 5W and more in seeing a live demo today.Click here now to book time to check out PodPitch: https://new.podpitch.com/mediacopilotIn this episode of The Media Copilot, Pete Pachal talks with James Law, Editor-in-Chief of Storyful, about how newsrooms verify social and user-generated video in an era of AI, deepfakes, and viral misinformation.Law explains how verification evolved from the Arab Spring, when social media footage became central to breaking news, to today’s flood of viral clips and AI-generated video designed to look like real eyewitness content. He breaks down Storyful’s verification workflow, why metadata still matters, and how every clip is checked for date, location, and source.They also discuss the limits of AI detection tools, the rise of “harmless” synthetic videos that erode trust, and why authenticity and transparency matter more than ever for newsrooms.What We Cover- How Storyful verifies video at scale- Why AI detection tools fall short- The role of metadata and raw files- The growing trust problem in digital media- Why authenticity outperforms polish on social platformsAbout the GuestJames Law is Editor-in-Chief at Storyful.🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaw21/ 🔗 X: https://x.com/JournoLawJ 🔗 https://storyful.com/about/📩 Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe to The Media Copilot on Substack, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app. On YouTube?  Tap the Like button and Subscribe to the channel. For more AI tools and resources built for media professionals, visit MediaCopilot.ai.Produced by Pete Pachal and Executive Producer Michele MussoEdited by the Musso Media Team Music: “Favorite” by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under CC BY 4.0© 2025 Musso Media. All rights reserved. © AnyWho Media 2025

Darla Cameron, Chief Product Officer at The Texas Tribune, discusses her innovative approach to integrating AI in journalism. She shares surprising successes and notable failures with AI tools in reporting, emphasizing the importance of trust and careful experimentation. From analyzing podcasts to enhancing audience interaction with chatbots, Darla's insights reveal how AI can reshape newsrooms while preserving journalistic integrity. She also addresses the cautious adoption of AI-generated images and highlights the need for adaptable hiring practices to navigate this evolving landscape.

Adam Singolda, Founder and CEO of Taboola, shares insights on the rapid evolution of digital media. He discusses how AI is reshaping audience discovery and publisher strategies. Singolda highlights the launch of USA Today’s Deeper Dive, its impact on news consumption, and the necessity for publishers to embrace chat-based interfaces. He emphasizes the importance of building trust with audiences and experimenting with AI to stay competitive. With unique perspectives from the forefront of advertising, he outlines the challenges and opportunities for media in the open web era.

Mark Howard, Chief Operating Officer at Time, discusses the media giant's groundbreaking approach to AI. He shares how Time embraced AI as a transformative tool for journalism rather than a fleeting trend. The conversation delves into partnerships with AI companies, the creation of the Time AI Agent using its extensive archive, and innovative projects like AI-generated audio briefings. Howard emphasizes the importance of accuracy and trust in news while preparing for an AI-driven future and expanding global access to quality content.

Michael Rubenstein, Co-CEO of Firsthand and veteran ad-tech executive, discusses the revolutionary concept of AI-driven brand agents. These agents engage consumers in real-time, transforming digital advertising from traditional static ads to dynamic interactions. Rubenstein highlights how brand agents prioritize opt-in privacy over cookie tracking and can adapt to various content formats. The conversation also explores the impressive engagement metrics they generate and their potential to redefine how brands communicate with audiences across multiple sectors.

John Levitt, COO and co-founder of Elvex, an AI platform for media, shares insights on the practical use of AI in newsrooms. He discusses how AI aids in reporting, fact-checking, and sales operations, emphasizing the importance of company culture for successful adoption. Levitt introduces concepts like 'context engineering' and agent-to-agent workflows, which promise personalized news experiences. He advocates for safe experimentation and highlights fast-adopting teams, focusing on how AI can transform rather than replace journalists.

Tony Stubblebine, CEO of Medium, discusses the evolving landscape of writing in an AI-influenced world. He argues that AI can enhance creativity rather than replace it, signaling a writing renaissance. The conversation touches on the shift from free-content economics to smaller writing communities, the Really Simple Licensing (RSL) standard for negotiating with AI, and the potential for AI tools to increase writers’ productivity. Stubblebine believes this era will deepen connections between writers and their audiences.

Trip Adler, co-founder of Scribd and CEO of Created by Humans, dives into the evolving landscape of AI and copyright. He discusses his mission to help authors get paid for their work used by AI, emphasizing the need for distinct "AI rights." Trip introduces his "Fourth Law of Robotics" aimed at protecting creators. He reflects on the significant Anthropic case and outlines how books could become a major revenue stream as authors license their content. Insightful, thought-provoking, and crucial for writers navigating the AI age!

In a compelling discussion, Marc McCollum, Chief Growth Officer at Raptive, shares insights on how AI is reshaping the publishing landscape. He argues that despite AI summaries taking clicks away from creators, there's an opportunity to rebuild the open web with a creator-first approach. Marc emphasizes the importance of owning audiences and website traffic, highlights recipe sites as resilient to AI disruptions, and reveals the untapped potential of Google Discover for growth. A must-listen for those invested in the future of media and creator independence!