The Independent vs The Wall Street Journal

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.

Brand Metrics Launches Outcomes Prediction for Advertisers and Agencies

Brand Metrics, a global ad tech firm based in Gothenburg, announced on October 1, 2026, the launch of brand outcomes prediction for advertisers and agencies, along with a new brand identity and website. Since its founding in 2018, the company has measured over 60,000 campaigns across 35+ markets, building a database of 13 million survey responses. Media owners such as the Financial Times, Bloomberg Media, and The Wall Street Journal use the platform to prove inventory effectiveness. The new prediction capability uses campaign delivery data and creative assets to forecast impact on awareness, consideration, preference, and action intent—without requiring integration, surveys, or personal data. It can be used at various campaign stages: before (pre-testing), during (live tracking), and after (post-campaign analysis). The company also unveiled a new logo created by Huston, combining the brand and metrics elements with a movement arrow, and launched a new website with dedicated routes for media owners and advertisers.

• Brand Metrics launched brand outcomes prediction for advertisers and agencies on October 1, 2026.
• Brand Metrics has measured over 60,000 campaigns across 35+ markets since 2018.
• Media owners including Financial Times, Bloomberg Media, and The Wall Street Journal use Brand Metrics.

WSJ Revamps Podcast Operations for Video and Social

The Wall Street Journal is restructuring its podcast operations to better accommodate video and social media distribution. This strategy shift, covered in Digiday's Future of TV Briefing, reflects the broader industry trend of adapting audio content for visual platforms. The Journal aims to leverage its A/V team to produce video versions of its podcasts, catering to audiences on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. This move underscores the growing importance of multi-format content distribution for publishers seeking to maximize reach and engagement in the evolving media landscape.

• The Wall Street Journal is restructuring its podcast operations to support video and social distribution.
• The strategy involves leveraging the Journal's A/V team for video production.
• The change reflects a broader industry trend of adapting audio content for visual platforms.

OpenAI Buys Glass Imaging for $300 Million

OpenAI has acquired Glass Imaging, a smartphone camera technology startup based in Los Altos, California, in a deal valued at over $300 million, according to The Wall Street Journal. Glass Imaging was founded in 2019 by former Apple engineers Ziv Attar and Tom Bishop, who previously developed Apple's Portrait Mode. The company uses AI and neural networks to improve smartphone camera image quality in real-time, compensating for physical size constraints. OpenAI's acquisition is rumored to support its hardware ambitions, including potential development of smartphones and other devices. Glass Imaging had previously raised about $30 million in funding. OpenAI has not yet responded to requests for comment, and the deal's completion status remains unconfirmed.

• OpenAI agreed to acquire Glass Imaging for over $300 million.
• Glass Imaging was founded in 2019 by former Apple engineers Ziv Attar and Tom Bishop.
• The startup uses AI to enhance smartphone camera images in real-time.