Big tech takes media executives to court
In his new role at Microsoft, Baser will lead the company’s AI news products across Microsoft platforms, the person said.
In 2024, Microsoft launched Copilot Daily, an audio summary of news and weather from publishers such as Reuters, Axel Springer, and the Financial Times. The company launched Publisher Content Marketplace (PMC) in September, with Microsoft aiming to become the first major technology company to build an AI marketplace for publishers.
The company is inviting selected publishers, including Condé Nast, to join its two-sided marketplace that pays merchants data usage fees to power Copilot. PMC has indicated that Microsoft is considering deepening its relationship with publishers as it rebuilds its relationship with its largest minority investor, OpenAI.
Technology companies have a long history of hiring former media leaders to spearhead programs to work with news publishers. In 2010, Google hired former BBC media strategy director Madhav Chinappa to lead its news partnership efforts in Europe. And in 2017, Mehta hired former reporter Campbell Brown to lead its global media partnership initiative.
Publishers want a system that would allow them to be compensated by AI companies for using their data, but so far there has been limited progress on that front. Pay-per-crawl trials and one-time licensing deals have so far had little commercial success, disproportionately favoring premium publishers over smaller content creators.
Although Microsoft is in its early stages, it is recognized for its willingness to explore potential market solutions. As a central figure in AI news efforts, Beizer will no doubt seek to further strengthen these efforts.
