Will newspapers go cyberpunk?

by

Will newspapers go cyberpunk? (August 17, 2026)

BY ROB BEELER

Is the Open Web Dead? No. If your only focus is short-term investment returns, maybe, but people will always want access to a non-walled-garden version of the digital world. 

Case in point, I spent some time shopping for jackets this weekend. I went directly to my favorites, but jacket shopping is more about the journey than the need, so I gave Google a chance to “help me” discover something new. I did indeed find something, but it was a fight to get to the site. 

The link didn’t go to the store site – it went right into a purchase window. Not what I wanted. It didn’t matter, though. I had to figure out which button would let me out of the Google version. It’s like every application on my computer today. When a call starts, five applications vie to be the one that records it. If I scroll down on this document, AI offers to help me write it. 

Is this me bitching about the always-in-my-face AI play right now? Yes. Am I aware of AI’s possibilities? Also, yes. But sometimes I just don’t want the AI version of the world, even if I helped design it specifically for me.

Which brings me to the newspapers–more specifically journalists. 

The goal shouldn’t be to only consume news the way I want it. Journalists don’t just write facts. They give us context. They help us understand why we should read about something we could easily ignore, because it often truly impacts our lives. They challenge us to ask questions we wouldn’t ask on our own. That’s why we need the Question Economy.

It feels, however, like that kind of thinking is more likely to go underground than become the norm. Too few companies control the means of information distribution, and while it feels like they are giving you the keys to choose your own adventure, they’re not going to let facts get in the way of earnings.

While the first image of the newspaper reporter that comes to your mind probably isn’t novelist William Gibson’s rocker-turned-journalist Hollis Henry, it may be that they are becoming the most punk people you can connect with. Let’s just hope fact-based journalism isn’t something that is delivered in back alleys.

Here’s what you need to know this week… 

  • Have you seen the Base.Camp La Jolla agenda? For veteran Base.Campers, you know the agenda is a living document. That means we work closely with our community members to refine it, leading up to the event, based on what we really need to cover. But if you haven’t checked it out recently, now is the time to do so. We’ve got powerful keynote speakers and session leaders (Joanna Bloor, Claire Johnson, Al Letson), interactive new spins on popular favorites (like Table Talks), and dedicated discussion time for topics like agentic advertising, in-app monetization, the future of ad ops, AI, and the business of news in the face of dipping traffic.

  • In addition to leaders from People Inc, Cox Automotive, Yahoo, WebMD, The Globe and Mail, PlayOn Sports, PGA TOUR, New York Post, MyFitnessPal, and EverydayHealth Group, new publishers that have committed to attending Base.Camp La Jolla include The Washington Post, The New York Times, Blitz, Dextero, LoveToKnow Media, Zynga, Weatherbug, Hearst, and Advance Local. Raise your hand today if you want to join us. The earlier you do, the more we can work with you to get you to California.

  • We’re also excited to share that publishers from Dow Jones, Bauer Media Audio Portugal, Live Nation, Schibsted, The Independent, Sky Media, DP World Tour, and Reach PLC have committed to join us this November at Base.Camp Madrid. Available hotel rooms are limited due to an NFL game that has been scheduled in Madrid on that Sunday, so now is the time to let us know if you’d like to attend. Let us know you’re interested today to secure your spot.

  • It’s Back to School time, so we are pulling a call on on August 27 at 11:00 am ET, for the parents out there trying to balance it all. Jessica Boiardi will lead the discussion, where we will tackle work/life integration in the trenches, explore practical boundaries for protecting your time without sacrificing campaign yield, and share real-world routines and parenting hacks with peers who actually understand your day-to-day. Register here to share your perspective and hopefully pick up some helpful tips.

Want to get caught up on everything we’ve published? Start here.

Here’s the latest…  

  • Reclaiming distribution: How premium publishers rebuild growth in the post-organic web (from Ziv Mishan, CRO at Kueez)
    For the last few years, digital publishers have been playing a defensive game. The foundation that powered publisher growth for more than a decade is rapidly changing. Search engines are moving toward AI-driven, answer-first experiences that increasingly satisfy user intent without requiring a click.

  • From Hazel Broadley: As Google search blue links face extinction, what does AI-first search mean for publishers? (Featuring Andy Sharkey of Optable)
    The blue link may not be vanishing overnight, but that’s exactly why the industry risks underestimating the change. While links may still be visible – neatly arranged around the AI’s answer – visibility is not the same as value. If the user no longer needs the link, it risks becoming irrelevant to the ecosystem which once made it powerful.

  • From Hazel Broadley: From prompts to real orders: helping publishers get agent-ready
    Agentic AI is one of the most talked-about topics in advertising right now, and one of the least understood. An LLM can happily draft an RFP response in seconds, but turning buyer demand into repeatable, revenue-generating campaign orders is a much bigger job. The gap between those two things is where most publishers currently sit.

A full list of our 2026 events we’re involved in, all in one nice little package:

Join the Community!

Thousands of professionals, of all ages, worldwide turn to Beeler.Tech as their meeting place for all things publisher revenue operations. Join the Beeler.Tech Community here! Your teams and colleagues are welcome, too. 

Join the Women’s Space

Our Women’s Space continues to grow, and we’re developing a Code of Conduct for all Beeler.Tech events: something every attendee will agree to, and something we hope the wider industry adopts. The goal is simple: raise the bar on respect and professionalism for everyone. We have a Slack channel and a WhatsApp group. The WhatsApp chat is more active, but you’re welcome in either (or both) if you want to be part of the conversation.

Please reach out to Melissa if you would like to join one or both.

Looking for your next opportunity? Know someone else that is?

Check out our job board. Also – sign up for our Jobs Newsletter (delivered every Thursday). Subscribe here.

Team.Beeler Out

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER