CultureTalking journalism ethics with Ben Smith

The Verge interviews Semafor editor-in-chief Ben Smith about declining trust in media, the rise of Substacks, podcasts and TikTok news influencers, and Semafor’s shift toward what he calls an “anti-scale” model. They also discuss AI in the newsroom, the ethics of conference advisory boards, and whether audiences will still pay for independence.

journalism ethicsmedia business modelSemafor

TThe Verge★★☆☆☆2026-08-17 14:00Original