A media deal is offering a peek into a future where journalists have more than just a one-way conversation with the people following the news.
Read full article: Want a say in the next president of UNF? Public invited to weigh in at listening session FridayApproximately 40 additional kiosk units expected to be installed in 2026 Notice something different? Downtown transitioning from aging meters to parking kiosk systemsDCPS superintendent calls school bus crashes ‘tragic’ as district works to launch community safety campaignApril 10, 2026 at 8:01 AM FILE - Jane Ferguson , founder of Noosphere, is photographed in the site's office, in New York, Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
– Environmentalist Christine Holland closely follows journalist Tiffany Higgins' stories from the Amazon River region, frequently sending her comments and questions. This week, Higgins responded to one message about her piece on the Brazilian arts community by sending Holland a lengthy personal video. They've turned the usual one-way conversation between a journalist and consumer into a two-way one, and a deal announced Friday indicates that is much more likely to be happening in the future.signed a multiyear licensing agreement with British broadcaster Sky News to make available its technology that facilitates such connections through an app. Sky immediately announced that it would begin experimenting with its usage for its defense and security experts, promising “a dedicated experience expressly designed for highly engaged audiences.” The organizing principle of the whole thing: Give audiences access — not only to the news but to those who report it.Noosphere's founder, former war correspondent Jane Ferguson, said she's been talking with some U.S.-based news companies about similar deals. “Getting the endorsement of the industry is really special for us,” she said. “It has been a long time coming for them to be ready for this level of a change.”— working almost like independent contractors. They specialize in a more personal style of reportage from all over the world, and part of that is making themselves available to people who follow their work. Holland, a retired marketing executive from Menlo Park, Calif., said she's corresponded with Higgins several times, often through text messages in the Noosphere app. She feels it brings a personal stake to the stories, more like the journalist is talking to them with their work. For years, a common complaint about television news is that it feels like they're telling stories from “on high.”That's likely music to the ears of news executives who spend countless hours looking for ways to combat declining viewership or readership. The rise in journalists going independent on Substack or YouTube, some of whom offer subscribers personal access for a price, shows the appeal to consumers for the “authenticity” of feeling journalists are reporting directly to them, Ferguson said. “It's so hard to know what is even written by a human being anymore,” Holland said. “I really appreciate that there is a real human being behind the story.”Mike Varga, a retired businessman who lives near Tampa, Florida, said he's accustomed to getting no response or pro forma replies when writing to news organizations or politicians. But Todd sent him a brief video “thank you” when Varga complimented him on a story about tariffs. He wrote to Ferguson after she did a story about the late British war photographer Paul Conroy, and she invited him to a focus group meeting about Noosphere. It makes him feel more connected to a place where he turns for news. “It's kind of surprising more media organizations don't do that,” Varga said. When a consumer subscribes to Noosphere to follow the work of a specific journalist, that person gets a part of the subscription fee in a revenue-sharing agreement. That business approach is not part of what Noosphere is selling to a broadcaster like Sky, but giving their journalists more independence might be a way to save money and “not lose them to YouTube.” Meanwhile, some journalists in legacy media crave more independence but are frightened by going totally alone and still like the platform that a big company can offer, she said. This is a potential middle ground. “We see a lot of appetite for deals like this,” she said. “We're very interested and looking forward to expanding into the U.S. marketplace.” Ferguson and Sky News didn't offer financial details of their arrangement, nor has Noosphere publicly said how many subscribers it has.Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Notice something different? Downtown transitioning from aging meters to parking kiosk systemsSuspect in custody after pursuit gridlocks traffic on I-95 South in St. Johns CountyPart 3: We're sowing some seeds. Mighty microgreens on hemp mats.With her idea and his support, they created Jacksonville's largest film festival2nd school bus crash in less than a week near railroad tracks on Zoo Parkway raises concernsJAA outlines Cecil Airport aerospace hub vision amid Otto Aviation relocation plans to JacksonvilleRainy roads raise safety concerns as Duval County records 60th traffic fatality of 2026 Play VideoFlorida cost of living surges as prices quintuple pace of growth, squeezing residentsBest-selling author warns followers about book ban effort in Jacksonville schoolsJacksonville Beach considers boardwalk events, food truck rally pilot programsAnonymous text campaign targets Jacksonville civic leader, echoing attacks on JEA CEO
Entertainment Christine Holland Paul Conroy Chris Cillizza Jane Ferguson Chuck Todd Business Mike Varga Tiffany Higgins David Bauder
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