TheWRAP

Major Media Companies Including Disney, NY Times and CNN Are Quietly Blocking ChatGPT

The companies are trying to prevent the software referred to as artificial intelligence from scraping their content

OpenAI's ChatGPT (Credit: Getty Images)

Ross A. Lincoln

August 29, 2023 @ 10:14 PM

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In an echo of the labor battle currently grinding Hollywood to a halt, some of the biggest media companies in the country are taking steps to protect themselves — and their content — from ChatGPT, the generative chatbot created by OpenAI.

According to CNN’s Oliver Darcy, the companies — which include among their ranks The New York Times, Disney, CNN and Reuters — have added code to their websites to prevent them from being scanned by GPTbot, ChatGPT’s webcrawler.

Darcy also reports that outlets such as Bloomberg, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Axios, Insider, ABC News, ESPN and Gothamist, and major publishers like Condé Nast, Hearst and Vox Media are also taking protective steps.

“I see a heightened sense of urgency when it comes to addressing the use, and misuse, of our content,” Daniel Coffey, president and CEO of the News Media Alliance, told Darcy. “One publisher told me it is an existential threat. Another publisher told me there isn’t a business model with certain uses of A.I.… There is a sense of urgency to address this.”

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GTPbot and similar programs collate and aggregate scanned content, a process colloquially known as “scraping,” which is used to “teach” ChatGPT how to provide more accurate responses to human users. But GPTbot scrapes whatever it can access online without heed to potential harm — far from “intelligent,” a sizeable staff of outsourced human labor is required to identify harmful content — or copyright.

And the latter is of course a huge problem for companies with large libraries of copywritten content. Or, in the case of news organizations, a product already squeezed by the near-monopolization of advertising by platforms such as Facebook and Google.

Multiple media companies are already considering lawsuits against OpenAI over copyright theft, including the New York Times. If that happens, they would join a growing wave of opposition.

For instance, comedian Sarah Silverman and two novelists, Christopher Golden and Richard Kadrey, are suing OpenAI for copyright infringement, based on the argument that their copyrighted works were scraped without consent or compensation.

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The Federal Trade Commission is investigating OpenAI’s data collection system, and the European Union is currently developing what could become the first system to regulate so-called “artificial intelligence” globally. In response to the former, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman complained on Twitter about the fact the FTC went public with its concerns. In response to the latter, Altman threatened to abandon Europe entirely, though he later backtracked.

Meanwhile, Disney’s actions to protect its media properties from scraping comes at an ironic moment for the company, one of the major studios currently at odds with the striking Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA.

Both guilds have cited concerns about the various software commonly referred to as “artificial intelligence” in their strike declarations. And among other things they are seeking robust and enforceable guarantees from studios that software like ChatGPT won’t be used in any way to replace human labor.

WGA resumed negotiations with the studios in early August, but issues related to AI continue to be a significant obstacle to convincing the guild to end its strike. Notably, WGA said in a statement Aug. 24 that the studios “continue to refuse to regulate the use of our work to train AI to write new content for a motion picture.”

COMMENTARY

Advancing DEI: Transformative Path For The Ad Industry

• by Tim Ringel , Yesterday

The evolving nature of today’s advertising landscape requires a profound and meaningful commitment to

COMMENTARY

Advancing DEI: Transformative Path For The Ad Industry

• by Tim Ringel , Yesterday

The evolving nature of today’s advertising landscape requires a profound and meaningful commitment to  Diversity, equity, and inclusion...(DEI). But too often, these initiatives are reduced to surface-level gestures, showcased merely for appearances and quantified by headcounts, neglecting the profound impact they can have on the industry's ability to reach consumers.

Advertising thrives on the ability to help audiences see themselves interacting with our products and services. Yet in an increasingly interconnected world, where cultures intersect and narratives blend, traditional approaches for crafting resonant messaging face growing challenges that token diversity or surface-level inclusivity does little to solve.

Consider a scenario where a tech company is launching a new software product designed to improve workplace collaboration. In North America, where diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives converge in the workplace, a multicultural, multidisciplinary team would bring invaluable insights. Their collective understanding of how various cultures approach collaboration, communication, and teamwork would lead to a software solution that not only functions seamlessly, but also enhances the diverse ways people work together.

In contrast, relying on a homogenous team may inadvertently result in a product that fails to resonate in this kind of multicultural environment. Such oversight could lead to a diminished user experience and adoption rates, hindering the software's success in-market.

Embracing diversity throughout the organization -- spanning from the creative suite to the C-suite -- fuels a more comprehensive and inclusive decision-making process. It also provides brands with a wealth of insights into the preferences and values of a variety of communities, and ensures that campaign messaging speaks authentically to different cultural segments.

A stronger commitment to DEI can even mitigate many of the more troubling concerns surrounding AI. AI systems learn from the data they are fed, and if the data itself is biased or lacks diversity, the AI's decision-making processes could perpetuate those biases. But if the teams programming these engines are created to be more representative of the targeted audiences, we can likely avoid many of the unintended consequences, like reinforcing stereotypes and overlooking cultural nuances.

Further, there’s a compelling business case for DEI in advertising. Research consistently shows that diverse and inclusive companies are more innovative, better positioned to understand evolving market trends, and ultimately more profitable. Brands that prioritize DEI stand to gain a competitive edge by tapping into the vast reservoir of perspectives and talents that diversity brings.

The transformative potential of DEI for the advertising industry is undeniable. It's time to move beyond token gestures and embrace a holistic approach that permeates every facet of our organizations. By nurturing a culture of genuine representation, we not only ensure the industry's resilience in a rapidly changing world, but also craft narratives that resonate deeply and authentically with the culturally diverse audiences we seek to engage.

There’s no time to wait. The future of our business, our brands, and our society at large depends on it.   (DEI). But too often, these initiatives are reduced to surface-level gestures, showcased merely for appearances and quantified by headcounts, neglecting the profound impact they can have on the industry's ability to reach consumers.

Advertising thrives on the ability to help audiences see themselves interacting with our products and services. Yet in an increasingly interconnected world, where cultures intersect and narratives blend, traditional approaches for crafting resonant messaging face growing challenges that token diversity or surface-level inclusivity does little to solve.

Consider a scenario where a tech company is launching a new software product designed to improve workplace collaboration. In North America, where diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives converge in the workplace, a multicultural, multidisciplinary team would bring invaluable insights. Their collective understanding of how various cultures approach collaboration, communication, and teamwork would lead to a software solution that not only functions seamlessly, but also enhances the diverse ways people work together.

In contrast, relying on a homogenous team may inadvertently result in a product that fails to resonate in this kind of multicultural environment. Such oversight could lead to a diminished user experience and adoption rates, hindering the software's success in-market.

Embracing diversity throughout the organization -- spanning from the creative suite to the C-suite -- fuels a more comprehensive and inclusive decision-making process. It also provides brands with a wealth of insights into the preferences and values of a variety of communities and ensures that campaign messaging speaks authentically to different cultural segments.

A stronger commitment to DEI can even mitigate many of the more troubling concerns surrounding AI. AI systems learn from the data they are fed, and if the data itself is biased or lacks diversity, the AI's decision-making processes could perpetuate those biases. But if the teams programming these engines are created to be more representative of the targeted audiences, we can likely avoid many of the unintended consequences, like reinforcing stereotypes and overlooking cultural nuances.

Further, there’s a compelling business case for DEI in advertising. Research consistently shows that diverse and inclusive companies are more innovative, better positioned to understand evolving market trends, and ultimately more profitable. Brands that prioritize DEI stand to gain a competitive edge by tapping into the vast reservoir of perspectives and talents that diversity brings.

The transformative potential of DEI for the advertising industry is undeniable. It's time to move beyond token gestures and embrace a holistic approach that permeates every facet of our organizations. By nurturing a culture of genuine representation, we not only ensure the industry's resilience in a rapidly changing world, but also craft narratives that resonate deeply and authentically with the culturally diverse audiences we seek to engage.

There’s no time to wait. The future of our business, our brands, and our society at large depends on it.(DEI). But too often, these initiatives are reduced to surface-level gestures, showcased merely for appearances and quantified by headcounts, neglecting the profound impact they can have on the industry's ability to reach consumers.

Advertising thrives on the ability to help audiences see themselves interacting with our products and services. Yet in an increasingly interconnected world, where cultures intersect and narratives blend, traditional approaches for crafting resonant messaging face growing challenges that token diversity or surface-level inclusivity does little to solve.

Consider a scenario where a tech company is launching a new software product designed to improve workplace collaboration. In North America, where diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives converge in the workplace, a multicultural, multidisciplinary team would bring invaluable insights. Their collective understanding of how various cultures approach collaboration, communication, and teamwork would lead to a software solution that not only functions seamlessly, but also enhances the diverse ways people work together.

In contrast, relying on a homogenous team may inadvertently result in a product that fails to resonate in this kind of multicultural environment. Such oversight could lead to a diminished user experience and adoption rates, hindering the software's success in-market.

Embracing diversity throughout the organization -- spanning from the creative suite to the C-suite -- fuels a more comprehensive and inclusive decision-making process. It also provides brands with a wealth of insights into the preferences and values of a variety of communities, and ensures that campaign messaging speaks authentically to different cultural segments.

A stronger commitment to DEI can even mitigate many of the more troubling concerns surrounding AI. AI systems learn from the data they are fed, and if the data itself is biased or lacks diversity, the AI's decision-making processes could perpetuate those biases. But if the teams programming these engines are created to be more representative of the targeted audiences, we can likely avoid many of the unintended consequences, like reinforcing stereotypes and overlooking cultural nuances.

Further, there’s a compelling business case for DEI in advertising. Research consistently shows that diverse and inclusive companies are more innovative, better positioned to understand evolving market trends, and ultimately more profitable. Brands that prioritize DEI stand to gain a competitive edge by tapping into the vast reservoir of perspectives and talents that diversity brings.

The transformative potential of DEI for the advertising industry is undeniable. It's time to move beyond token gestures and embrace a holistic approach that permeates every facet of our organizations. By nurturing a culture of genuine representation, we not only ensure the industry's resilience in a rapidly changing world, but also craft narratives that resonate deeply and authentically with the culturally diverse audiences we seek to engage.

There’s no time to wait. The future of our business, our brands, and our society at large depends on it.

 

COMMENTARY

It's Really Hard to Get to Know an Agency Over Zoom

• by Tommy Henvey , 66 minutes ago

Brands and agencies have a problem: They’re strangers.

And that’s a big problem because at the end of the day, they’re in the business of relationships. The best work has always come from great partnerships and collaboration.

But a lot of brands are having to make a huge commitment to work with agencies based largely on a creds deck and Zoom meetings. That’s like picking your spouse from an Instagram profile. It doesn’t work because you only see the good stuff. 

Unfortunately, the getting-to-know-you process has been squeezed more and more over time, and the pandemic was the final blow to any real shot of brands and agencies having a chance to get to date first before marrying.

But just because everyone is remote -- or has a remote mindset -- doesn’t mean brands and agencies have to work with strangers.

We can’t go back to the old way of doing things

The pitch process used to be a great starting point, but the time and expense has made it outdated.  The six figures once spent on freelancers and dog and pony shows is not sustainable for modern agency-brand work. Replacing it with the check-the-boxes on this form and send a creds deck approach Isn’t going to work either.

But we have to do better than what we’re doing today

Brands need to know that in the inevitable circumstance when projects, budgets and research change everything you thought you were doing, someone has their back. And everyone needs to know who they’re going to be in the trenches with. Because it all blows up at some point -- and that’s when the people you hire -- more than the ideas and certainly more than a flashy creds decks – are the lynchpin.  You have to love the way an agency thinks, but you’d also better love the people who are thinking those thoughts.

Creating opportunities to date is the way forward

If great work is contingent on the people, then the entire process needs to be refocused on the people. 

Spending some time together or experiencing the natural ups and downs of a relationship through project work or trial periods before committing to longer-term relationships can be successful getting-to-know-you strategies.

In the end, a good relationship lets you be honest and straightforward. It removes the bullshit.  That’s where a great partnership starts. That’s good for the brands and good for the agencies too.

Here’s the bottom line: Breakthrough advertising, great brands and big transformations have always been inspired by the relationships underpinning them. To continue to deliver innovative, inspiring work, brands and agencies must evolve and proactively cultivate better ways of getting to know each

 

COMMENTARY

In A Streaming TV World, Whither U.S. TV Station Syndication?

• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, August 25, 2023

U.S. syndication programming and advertising continues to show weakness. So where does it go from here?

For example, in 2022, U.S. syndication advertising revenue was estimated to have shrunk 4% to $2.8 billion, according to MoffettNathanson Research.

Weak linear TV market conditions, as well as growing digital, streaming and connected TV (CTV) platforms have much to do with this. 

As a result, for the upcoming new TV season -- starting in September -- there are slim pickings available for this fall, with just eight new Monday-Friday programming shows, according to one report.

This comes as a number of long-time syndication talk and court shows have ended or will end.

The list includes Warner Bros. Discovery's "People’s Court" and "Judge Mathis"; CBS Media Ventures' "Dr. Phil" and "Rachael Ray." Two years ago, the highly rated syndicated court show "Judge Judy" also ended.

Legacy TV distributors -- cable, satellite, telco, and virtual -- are seeing higher cord-cutting. This results in less reach with viewers/consumers for the local TV stations which then sell TV commercial time to advertisers.

TV stations want to control the precious local TV station inventory that remains. One major point of contention is having to give up lots of advertising time to movie studios, which in turn pool that inventory and sell it as a national TV advertising platform.  

For the better part of a decade now, TV stations have been expanding their locally produced news content to take more control of that advertising time -- and programming slot availability. 

On the other side, hard-pressed big media companies' main focus is cutting down on weak or underperforming linear TV business -- broadcast/cable networks and syndicated programing to TV stations -- as they look to build direct-to-consumer (D2C) businesses.

Tension has also increased on the local TV level when it comes to TV networks and their affiliates' TV stations -- which also have seen this coming, with linear TV in the crosshairs. 

At the same time, TV station groups keep growing in size, which gives them leverage in choosing programming. 

In addition, they have turned their sights on other areas: Selling local/streaming ad inventory for owned and non-owned apps and platforms and taking on more live sports content for their TV station lineups, as well as looking to boost national TV networks and/or content/distribution services of their own.

All this means U.S. TV station syndication is taking a back seat.

 

COMMENTARY

Hyper-Local TV News: Helping To Combat the Impact of TV Station Cord-Cutting?

• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, August 24, 2023

Hyper-local TV news efforts have been around for some time -- local TV station-centric news and local content services that skews to just a number of ZIP codes or zones via streaming platforms.

Cox Media Group, a TV/radio station group, is now taking a chance at this, starting up “Neighborhood TV,” which targets zones around a six-to eight mile radius in Georgia and North Carolina with niche neighborhood focused news. 

This effort looks to stem all that cord-cutting from traditional cable TV wired program operators, resulting in lower local over-the-air TV usage -- some of which is also putting dozens of live, linear TV channels at risk.

But can these local TV connected streaming efforts find stable financial footing in a world increasingly dominated by social media, which can offer quick, easy, short, and easily digestible local news information as well as video?

This effort follows a move in May where Fox TV stations started local news streaming platforms for its 17 stations -- Fox Local. 

Making things even easier for those streaming-heavy users, Fox announced a deal with Amazon to have those TV stations offered free under the so-called now industry-wide umbrella name of FAST (free-ad supported TV).

The good news for TV stations is they still have decent -- although significantly declining -- viewership among U.S. viewers. Around 75% of viewers still claim to be regular local TV station viewers.

All this means a chance for TV stations to expand to new distribution TV services for their local TV content-- all with hope pulling in advertisers who are desperate to secure more linear TV reach.

Allen Media Group is another free ad-supported hyper-local streamer, Local Now, that has been in operation since 2021-- a service that mixes news and premium content. 

At best these are long-term projects -- partly to give local TV advertisers' proponents a vision for the future of where local TV could evolve. What do advertisers think about it -- and what are their financial situation at the moment? We haven't, as yet, a clue from any financial disclosures. 

One reading would seem to suggest that it has been slow going. 

Although overall connected TV/OTT advertising revenue has been estimated to be one of fastest growing channels of all local digital media -- projected to be 19% higher this year to $2.4 billion -- broadcast TV’s piece of this is still relatively small -- as well as that compared to the larger $20 billion or so in annual local TV advertising revenue.

Many of these CTV results are also from local TV ad-sales businesses owned by TV stations groups that sell other non-owned regional/local streaming apps.

Transitioning to all things streaming -- from live, linear and over-the-air TV -- continues to be a tough road. National TV linear networks moving content to their premium streaming platform has been a bumpy path. 

TV stations have little choice but to try. The question is how fast should all this take place-- without jeopardizing still m0ney making legacy TV platforms?