It's about ethics in journalism, with Ben Smith
Summary
Nilay Patel interviews Ben Smith, Editor-in-Chief of Semaphore, about the news organization’s "anti-scale" business model that balances journalism with high-profile events. They discuss moving away from traffic-chasing digital strategies, the ethics of hosting industry leaders on advisory boards, and maintaining editorial independence. The conversation also covers Semaphore’s global expansion and its unique "Semiform" writing style.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: DeepGram Flux TTS and Monday.com
Semaphore's evolution into an anti-scale media company
Lessons from BuzzFeed and the traffic apocalypse
Social platforms, UGC, and the failure of ad models
Monetizing via events and the convening business
Global expansion: Africa, Gulf, and networked audiences
International reporting challenges and conservative operators
The Semaphore format: separating facts from analysis
Decision-making speed and media ethics
Competing with Davos: tough interviews at conferences
Journalistic independence and the trap of access
The clip economy and algorithmic conflict
Advertising ethics and native ad conventions
Undisclosed advertising and perceived institutional corruption
Political influencer marketing and regulatory crackdowns
Government regulation of tech and AI
Reporting in the Gulf and personalist rule styles
AI in reporting and episode wrap-up
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