Media Insider: YouTube Sets New Policies to Curb Extremist Content, Trust in Social Media Falls, Niche Reporting Highlights Untold Stories

Welcome to Media Insider, PR Newswire’s round-up of media stories from the week.

Photo by Rego Korosi, used under CC BY-SA 2.0.

DIGITAL TRENDS | TREVOR MOGG
YouTube Steps Up Efforts To Tackle Extremist Content On Its Site

YouTube is introducing four new measures to tackle extremist content on its site. According to Digital Trends, the company will make more use of technology aimed at automatically identifying extremist content. The streaming service will also add 50 expert NGOs as part of its Trusted Flagger program. Content that does not clearly violate YouTube policies, but is close to the mark, will now appear behind a warning notification, ad-free. Lastly, YouTube said it would do more in “counter-radicalization” efforts, including targeting potential ISIS recruits with videos that could dissuade them from joining.

More: Facebook fights against terrorist content on its site using A.I., human expertise.

JOURNALISM.CO.UK | CAROLINE SCOTT
Audience Trust In Social Media As A News Source Is Falling

A global survey of Reuters.com users found that trust in social media is on the decline. According to Journalism.co.uk, the survey found that 10 percent of the 1,711 users surveyed said that social media will be their primary news source — down from 14 percent in last year’s survey. The survey also found that 74 percent look to news brands they trust to verify information on social media, while 54 percent check multiple sources.

On the bright side, using social media appears to diversify your news diet, not narrow it.

NIEMANLAB | CHRISTINE SCHMIDT
To Commemorate The 1967 Race Riots, Timeline Is Embarking On A Two-Month-Long Series In Real Time

Timeline is refocusing its mission to pay more attention to the parts of history that lacked attention from main media organizations when they were current events. Its latest project is a two-month-long series that covers the 1967 race riots through written stories, photo essays, and social video. According to Nieman Lab, Timeline’s coverage includes two distinct sections for women’s history and black history, as well as regular unsung moments in LGBT history.

Here’s how one journalist used postcards to report on gentrification in his Boston neighborhood. Task and Purpose also offers niche reporting on veterans’ issues.

REUTERS INSTITUTE | NIC NEWMAN
Overview and Key Findings of the Reuters 2017 Digital News Report

The Reuters 2017 Digital News Report shows that social media isn’t the only reason for low trust in media and the spread of fake news. The report found that mistrust has just as much to do with deep-rooted political polarization and perceived media bias, says Newman. Still, only 24 percent of respondents think social media do a good job separating fact from fiction, compared to 40 percent for news media. Another key finding — particularly in the US — is the substantial ‘Trump bump’ seen in news subscriptions and donations.

FYI: The percentage of young Americans paying for online news rose from 4% in 2016 to 18% this year.

TALKING NEW MEDIA | D.B. HEBBARD
Apple Introduces Demographic Metrics In News Publisher, Adds Two Standard Ad Formats

Apple added demographic metrics to its News Publisher app. Now, publishers are able to see the percentages of male and female users who viewed articles from the channel in News, as well as the percentages of those users split by age group. Talking New Media reports that the data “looks to tend older that one would imagine for a mobile news app.” The two new standard ad formats are a medium rectangle (300×250) and leaderboard (728×90).

It’s no secret that tech companies like Apple and Facebook depend on their relationship with the media, but, according to Bloomberg Business, it’s getting harder for news media to view their relationship with Facebook as mutually beneficial.

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Tabresha B. Langham is a Customer Content Specialist with PR Newswire. She also is a social media junkie, foodie, music fiend and Auburn University Alumn (War Eagle!). Tune into her insights as a social curator at @PRNmedia, or follow @TabreshaL.