The Washington Post to Launch New Opinion Section with AI-Powered Writing Coach
In a bid to expand its opinion pages and attract a wider audience, The Washington Post is set to launch a new program that will feature commentary from a diverse range of sources, including newspapers from around the country, Substack contributors, and non-professional writers. According to a report in The New York Times, the program, internally referred to as "Ripple," will not be subject to The Washington Post‘s paywall and is designed to "appeal to readers who want more breadth than The Post’s current opinion section and more quality than social platforms like Reddit and X" cited in O’Dwyer PR.
The new program is expected to feature a mix of content from established writers and newcomers, with the aim of providing readers with a broader range of perspectives and opinions. To support this initiative, The Washington Post is developing an AI-powered writing coach, dubbed "Ember," which is expected to be tested this fall. As reported by O’Dwyer PR, early versions of Ember have been designed to guide new opinion writers through the process of putting together a piece, offering helpful suggestions such as adding "solid supporting points" and crafting a "memorable ending" as per the source.
The use of AI in journalism has been a topic of increasing interest in recent years, with many news organizations exploring ways to leverage the technology to improve efficiency and productivity. In the case of The Washington Post, the introduction of Ember is seen as a way to support the development of high-quality content, while also providing readers with a more diverse range of perspectives. As O’Dwyer PR notes, the new program is designed to provide readers with a more comprehensive opinion section, one that offers more breadth and quality than what is currently available as reported by the publication.
In other news, Voice of America is facing significant cuts if the Trump administration has its way. According to a letter obtained by AP, the state-run news organization is set to reduce its headcount from over 1,000 people to just 81. Most of VOA’s employees have already been on administrative leave since mid-March, and the organization is currently operating in a state of uncertainty. While an April ruling in federal court said that VOA had been illegally shut down, a later appellate decision said that a lower court did not have the authority to order that employees be brought back to work cited in O’Dwyer PR.
The cuts at VOA are part of a broader effort to reshape the organization and reduce its footprint. The building where VOA has been operating has been put on the market, and a lease for a new building has been canceled. As O’Dwyer PR reports, the future of VOA is uncertain, with many of its employees facing an uncertain future as per the source.
In a separate development, Newsweek has acquired Adprime, a healthcare-focused advertising platform. According to a press release, the acquisition will allow Newsweek to offer a category-leading solution to healthcare marketers, combining its editorial and research offerings with Adprime’s data-driven media products. During an integration period, Adprime will still operate independently as Adprime by Newsweek. As O’Dwyer PR notes, Newsweek plans to expand the platform’s reach, developing deeper integrations across its sales, engineering, and data teams as reported by the publication.
"We offer a single destination for thought leadership, lead generation, research, rankings, and now, highly targeted media delivery," said Newsweek chief revenue officer Danielle Varvaro, as quoted by O’Dwyer PR.
