The Portland Press Herald apparently feels it isn’t burning through enough cash trying its darndest not to break any stories.
So it’s come up with a new scam called “Google News Initiative.”
Google says it will be writing a $35,000 check to the Maine Trust for Local News for “innovative journalism.”
Fret not, innovative news doesn’t entail actually covering the news. God forbid.
It entails simply talking about covering the news.
“The Google News Initiative works with publishers and journalists to fight misinformation, share resources, and build a diverse and innovative news ecosystem.”
Three reporters are going to split the cash embarking on projects they think will actually attract more subscribers – you know, the ones “fighting misinformation.”
The ambassadors fighting “misinformation” (Googlespeak code for “Republicans) are:
√ Sean Sullivan, whose fancy title at the trust is “Innovation and Experiential Strategy Lead” is getting $15,000 for creating what he’s calling “The Main Dashboard.”
It’s “a first-stop website combining a local news aggregator with data visualizations that track key economic metrics, offering an objective daily pulse on Maine’s economy that doesn’t yet exist in local news markets, with potential to package as a standalone newsletter for non-subscribers.”
Seriously, that’s his “project” – or more aptly his $15,000 word salad.
Sullivan has even more salad to offer, saying his plan “also creates new digital ad options and provides journalists with a faster tool for data-driven storytelling.”
The gobbledygook alone explains why The Maine Wire has 150,000 Facebook followers and the Portland Press Herald 93,000.
√ So maybe Claire Tighe, who calls herself the Press Herald’s “deputy managing editor, digital strategy and transformation,” can help.
Tighe is getting $10,000 to embark on a mission she’s calling “Skill Me:” a tool to help Maine Trust for Local News staff produce social-first content like short-form videos in minutes.
“It includes hands-on learning modules, expert-led training, and mentorship,” Tighe promised Google. “This upskilling model would address critical barriers of staff training and technology access at a pivotal moment when the newsroom must deliver newsletters, social media, and app-based storytelling to reach younger audiences.”
We’re calling that one Word Salad 2.0.
A $10,000 salad. Croutons included. No protein. Just pure bullshit.
✓ Maine Wire: 150,000
✓ Portland Press: 93,000
√ If you’re getting hot, last but not least, we now present you with Katherine Lee, the paper’s “news and culture editor,” who’s receiving$10,000 from Google’s bank account.
Lee will be blessing you with a concoction she’s selling as the “Portland Restaurant Chatbot.”
Wait, hold the applause, we’re not done.
Lee will create an “AI-powered quiz tool that learns cuisine preferences, location, dietary needs, and occasions to deliver personalized restaurant recommendations in a fun, game-like experience.
“This feature would resurface evergreen food content and create subscriber conversion opportunities.”
“Subscriber conversion” – sounds downright risqué.
Suppose she meant conversation?
For $10,000, who cares!
“Resurfacing evergreen food content?”
Now that’s gotta be worth $10,000 just by itself.
Tom Wiley, CEO of the parent National Trust for Local News, added his own word salad trying to describe for Editor & Publisher what the Google Initiative will bring to the Portland Press Herald.
“Without intentional space for experimentation, organizations risk stagnation doing the same thing, and we know what the end game of that looks like,” Wiley said.
It looks like this:
✓ Maine Wire: 150,000
✓ Portland Press: 93,000
Maine’s Largest Fake Newspaper To Spend $35,000 Of Google’s Money To ‘Fight Misinformation’
By Ted Cohen
