People Inc vs The Independent

Publishers Shift Away from Google Search Traffic

Publishers are increasingly trying to reduce dependence on Google search traffic by diversifying audience and revenue sources, according to analysis of recent earnings calls. The New York Times is investing heavily in video production; News Corp’s Dow Jones relies primarily on subscriptions; People Inc., USA Today Co. and Ziff Davis are building audiences across social, video and newsletters while growing non-traffic revenue; and BuzzFeed is cutting costs and moving to a flexible contributor model. Publishers face trade-offs — for example, blocking Google crawlers would also remove search referrals — so many are pursuing multi-channel strategies rather than a single replacement for search. The briefing also highlights trends around ads aimed at AI agents, AI-generated summaries, and publisher/industry responses to AI-driven changes in search traffic.

• The New York Times is prioritizing scaling video production, engagement, and monetization as part of its strategy to reduce reliance on search referrals.
• People Inc. reported that about 21% of its traffic comes from Google search, down from 25% the prior quarter.
• News Corp’s Dow Jones derived about 81% of its revenue from circulation and subscriptions in fiscal 2026, with roughly 17% from advertising, per News Corp’s FY2026 filing.

Publishers Cite AI Pressure in Q2 Earnings

Several major publishers — The New York Times, News Corp, USA Today Co. and People Inc. — reported second-quarter earnings showing declines in traffic they attribute primarily to AI. In response, the publishers described a three-part strategy: license content to AI companies where possible, sue or block where licensing isn't feasible, and increase revenue per reader (e.g., subscription or monetization efforts). News Corp CEO Robert Thomson characterized the approach as a "woo and sue" framework. The article analyzes these earnings remarks and the industry-wide implications for publisher monetization and content licensing amid AI-driven distribution changes.

• Traffic is down across the media industry and publishers cited AI as the primary reason.
• The New York Times, News Corp, USA Today Co., and People Inc. reported second-quarter earnings this week that reflected traffic declines.
• Publishers are pursuing a three-part playbook: licensing content to AI companies, suing or blocking where licensing isn't possible, and extracting more revenue from existing readers.

People Inc. Won't Block Google AI Crawlers Yet

People Inc. CEO Neil Vogel said the publisher will not currently block Google’s crawlers because the company still relies on Google search referral traffic. About 21% of People Inc.’s traffic comes from Google search (down from 25% last quarter), and the company reported a 22% year-over-year decline in core sessions, including a 40% YoY drop in Google search traffic. Executives said higher ad rates and growth in non-session-based revenue are helping reduce dependence on search: non-session-based digital revenue grew 16% year over year in Q2 and rose from $108 million in Q2 2025 to $125 million in Q2 2026 (39% to 43% of digital revenue). Management described blocking crawlers as a lever to negotiate better economics but said scale currently favors maintaining access.

• People Inc. will not block Google’s crawlers now, according to CEO Neil Vogel.
• About 21% of People Inc.’s traffic comes from Google search, down from 25% last quarter.
• People Inc. reported a 22% year-over-year decline in core sessions and a 40% year-over-year decline in Google search traffic.

The Independent's social commerce revenue surpasses SEO

The Independent's social-commerce revenue surpassed its SEO-based revenue for the first time in September, indicating a shift toward social platforms and away from search traffic, which has declined partly due to AI. CEO Christian Broughton declared the old search-and-social model 'dead' and outlined four growth areas: AI, creator-led studio work, e-commerce, and membership, expected to contribute nearly half of 2026 revenue. The company reported £55.1 million in 2025 revenue, up 4%, with profit before tax rising 9% to £3.5 million. Broughton also highlighted AI productivity gains, including the 'Bulletin' news app with 12 million monthly users, the 'Eva' AI feature that reduced bounce rate, and a live news team six times more productive. Meanwhile, Meta's upcoming terms update on October 30 extends AI training scraping rights to all linked websites, criticized as a data grab that may override robots.txt and bypass licensing. In parallel, e-commerce platforms are navigating AI agent integration, with Amazon blocking third-party agents while Walmart and Target partner with OpenAI, and Zillow licensing data to Google for Gemini.

• The Independent's social-commerce revenue surpassed SEO-based revenue for the first time in September.
• CEO Christian Broughton declared the old search-and-social business model 'dead'.
• Meta will extend scraping rights to all websites linked on its platforms starting October 30.

Zelensky calls on Trump to act after Russia violates energy ceasefire

The Independent's news section has been updated with new top stories including Ukraine-Russia conflict, a school stabbing in Poland, NHS prescription changes, and other current events.

Taboola: Tesco Clubcard Readership Surges 1,876%

Taboola's Newsroom data shows UK readership of Tesco Clubcard articles rose 1,876% in the most recent 30-day period versus the prior 30 days, generating more than 335,000 page views across Taboola's UK publisher network (up from ~17,000). The surge is attributed primarily to the impending expiry of £11 million in Clubcard vouchers, which publishers warned would become invalid after 11:59pm on 31 August. Additional drivers cited include the return of Clubcard Challenges, Tesco’s "Know What You’re Sitting On" campaign and promotional activity such as the OVO Clubcard Millionaire prize draw. Taboola communications lead Dave Struzzi commented on publishers' role and the attention the Clubcard brand is generating for Tesco.

• UK readership of Tesco Clubcard articles increased by 1,876% over the last 30 days versus the preceding 30 days.
• Taboola’s Newsroom recorded more than 335,000 page views for Clubcard-related articles across its UK publisher network, up from approximately 17,000 in the previous 30 days.
• The surge was driven by the approaching expiry of £11 million worth of Tesco Clubcard vouchers, which were reported to become invalid after 11:59pm on 31 August.