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Media Giant Slams 'Crass Kleptomaniac' AI
6 Aug
Summary
- Digital subscriptions in Australia saw a slight decrease.
- The company's news media unit reported a 2% ad revenue fall.
- CEO calls AI companies 'crass kleptomaniacs' for using content.
News Corp's Australian division, encompassing major mastheads, experienced a modest decline in digital subscriptions during the recent financial year, slipping from 1,166,000 to 1,162,000 subscribers. This marks a reversal of recent growth trends for the division as it navigates a transition away from traditional print media.
Across its global news media operations, including prominent UK and US titles, advertising revenue faced ongoing pressure, decreasing by 2% in the year ending June 30. Costs associated with the launch of the California Post also impacted the news media unit's performance.
In a strong statement accompanying the financial results, Chief Executive Robert Thomson vehemently criticized artificial intelligence companies. He accused them of "pilfering and profiting" from journalistic work, stating that without their professional content, users would be inundated with "AI slop." Thomson declared the company's intention to pursue legal action against these firms and their clients, asserting they are "in possession of stolen goods."
