📉 Why are people trusting news less? What's happening?
Unpack the reasons behind declining news trust and shifting consumption habits.
June 17, 2026
News trust is in the toilet, so naturally, companies like 6AM City are building profitable media empires with zero human staff and AI-generated content. Meanwhile, OpenAI is telling publishers to pound sand on revenue sharing, while a German court just stripped Google of its Section 230 shield, making it liable for AI-generated defamation. It seems everyone's betting on AI to fix their problems, but nobody's agreed on who's responsible when it breaks something.
The Deep End
News Trust Plummets: Disengagement Rises, New Data Shows Volatility
Global news trust declined sharply in 2025. This report reveals accelerating volatility in news consumption patterns. Read on for insights into audience disengagement, cynicism, and openness to new formats. We analyze how top markets like the US see trust drop to 25%. Understand how this impacts media strategies.
News consumption faces unprecedented volatility. The latest Reuters Institute report shows a sharp decline in audience trust. Disengagement and cynicism are growing problems. This creates a difficult environment for publishers seeking stable audiences.
However, some audiences remain open to new formats. Online video consumption surged to over 80% in Peru. This shift demands new content and distribution strategies. Publishers must adapt quickly to these changing user behaviors.
Key Takeaways:
- Most people trust news less, leading to increased disengagement.
- Emerging formats like online video show high engagement in specific markets.
- Adapt content and distribution strategies to meet evolving audience behaviors.
The Periphery
AI Drives 6AM City's Profit: 400 Newsletters With Zero Staff
6AM City achieved profitability with 400 AI-powered newsletters and no human staff. This strategy generates revenue for under $1 per day per newsletter. It shifts from traditional editorial models to self-service ad platforms. Learn how they scaled profitably from 19 human-led city newsletters to an AI-driven network.
6AM City transformed its business model by leveraging AI. It launched 400 AI-powered newsletters with no human staff. This move followed unsustainable expansion into new markets using traditional staffing. The company now generates profit from these automated newsletters.
Key Takeaways:
- AI-driven newsletters achieve profitability by eliminating direct staffing costs.
- Automated content platforms enable media companies to scale revenue streams globally.
- Implement self-service ad tools to monetize AI-generated content efficiently.
Yak Shaving: How Side Quests Drive Deep Learning and Innovation
Developing custom tools often breeds "yak shaving"—a chain of tangential tasks. This phenomenon, while seemingly inefficient, fosters deep technical understanding. Learn how experts like Donald Knuth leveraged yak shaving to create foundational technologies like TeX, proving its hidden value for innovation. Discover when to embrace these diversions and when to re-focus on the core objective.
Engineers frequently fall into "yak shaving" when building custom solutions. They begin with a specific goal, like a static site, but end up building an entirely new system. This process involves a chain of related tasks, often diverging far from the original purpose. The blog author built a full static site generator simply because off-the-shelf options lacked flexibility.
Key Takeaways:
- Yak shaving, a chain of tangential tasks, is inherent in custom development.
- Major innovations like TeX arose from deep dives into related problem-solving.
- Assess learning gains against project deadlines before initiating deep technical detours.
Build Community Infrastructure: Beyond the Casement Window Theory
Community does not happen by accident. One Oakland group built connections into their homes, literally. This principle extends beyond architecture. Learn how to craft a 40-person WhatsApp group or a 50-member 'last-minute kiddie plans' collective. Discover concrete strategies to reduce social friction and foster serendipitous connections.
Strong communities require intentional design, not just good intentions. The "Casement Window Theory" exemplifies this. Residents in Oakland's "Radish" community installed outward-opening windows from their kitchen. These windows signal an open invitation, reducing social friction for spontaneous connection. This simple architectural choice fosters regular, informal interaction, moving beyond simple neighborly acquaintance.
Key Takeaways:
- Intentional design builds stronger communities and reduces social friction.
- Physical or digital 'casement windows' invite spontaneous, low-effort interaction.
- Implement specific tools like group chats to foster last-minute plans.
OpenAI Rejects Ad Revenue Sharing with Publishers, Cites Engagement Quality
OpenAI refuses to share ad revenue with publishers, despite competitor initiatives. Its VP of Media Partnerships confirmed no current plans for revenue sharing. OpenAI claims click-throughs from ChatGPT generate higher-quality traffic, even if volume is lower. This stance challenges traditional digital content monetization models. Publishers must adapt to AI's evolving ecosystem without direct ad revenue splits.
OpenAI does not plan to share ad revenue with publishers, its VP of Media Partnerships confirmed. This contrasts with competitors like Perplexity AI, which briefly shared ad revenue. Perplexity stopped to avoid impacting user trust. OpenAI focuses on driving qualified traffic to publisher sites instead. They claim clicks from ChatGPT lead to longer on-site engagement. This offers a different kind of value to content creators.
Key Takeaways:
- OpenAI confirmed it will not share advertising revenue with publishers.
- OpenAI prioritizes driving high-quality user engagement over direct traffic volume.
- Develop new content licensing and direct engagement strategies without AI ad revenue.
The Firehose
AI in Publishing & Media
- German Court Declares Google an AI Publisher, Ending Section 230 Immunity
- Hearst's AURA IQ Automates RFP Responses for Publishers