Weekly London Standard launches with AI Keir Starmer front page

First London Standard published connected 26 September 2024

The first version of nan play London Standard features an AI-generated image of Prime Minister Keir Starmer connected its beforehand page.

The magazine-style screen features a disclaimer successful nan bottommost near to say: “Image of Keir Starmer created by AI.” The image accompanies a characteristic astir London’s imaginable arsenic an AI capital, written by governmental editor Nicholas Cecil.

It fits what Paul Kanareck, nan Standard’s interim main executive, told Press Gazette earlier this week astir nan title’s intentions to research pinch AI.

The first version of The London Standard besides features a reappraisal of nan existent Van Gogh accumulation astatine nan National Gallery written by AI successful nan style of nan newspaper’s erstwhile creation professional Brian Sewell, who died successful 2015.

Kanareck said: “The London Standard is simply a bold and disruptive caller publication. The first version has aggregate features connected AI and London’s cardinal domiciled successful this tech revolution.

“It includes an experimental AI reappraisal by our legendary professional Brian Sewell, and his property are delighted.”

He added that nan Sewell reappraisal was “a one-off intended to provoke chat astir AI and journalism”.

The article – which does not look to person been published online – appears pinch a statement stating that it had been created “with nan support of his estate” and that nan Standard had made “a aid to a kindness of nan Sewell estate’s choice”. It is presented alongside an extract from an existent Van Gogh accumulation reappraisal that Sewell wrote for nan Standard successful 2010.

The other page from nan reappraisal features an advert for proprietor Lord Lebedev’s podcast “Brave New World”, asking: “Is AI nan early of healthcare?”

A dispersed wrong a transcript of nan caller play London Standard showing its Brian Sewell AI feature, other an advertisement for an section of proprietor Evgeny Lebedev’s podcast astir AI and healthcare. Picture: Press Gazette

Further wrong nan insubstantial besides features an “advertisement feature” sponsored by Samsung “and AI are supercharging productivity and transforming nan everyday”.

[How News UK and Reach are utilizing AI successful nan newsroom – and erstwhile AI-assisted contented whitethorn aliases whitethorn not request a disclaimer]

Among nan writers of nan first version advertised connected nan beforehand screen is George Osborne, nan erstwhile Conservative chancellor who edited nan Evening Standard betwixt 2017 and 2020.

The first version of nan play insubstantial runs to 64 pages. The penultimate version of nan regular Evening Standard was 36 pages long.

Among nan publication’s caller features is simply a “cheat nan week” characteristic listing nan 7 “biggest news stories astir nan world correct now” connected a representation and rounding up editorials from different publications, arsenic good arsenic interviews pinch musician FKA Twigs and writer Deepak Chopra. It retains nan longstanding Londoner’s Diary, successful this rumor spotlighting a bid of statement pictures from nan past week and comments made by Emily Maitlis astir nan accumulation of nan newly-released play bid astir her Newsnight brushwood pinch Prince Andrew, A Very Royal Scandal.

The Evening Standard first revealed successful May that it would spell from being a regular insubstantial to putting retired a play edition aft suffering six consecutive years of losses. Kanareck told staff: “Shorter commuting weeks, wide Wi-Fi on our commuting routes and nan desire for our readers to devour ever-richer contented crossed a assortment of platforms and devices, each make improvement a prerequisite of viability.”

At nan extremity of July it began winding down its people output, cutting nan Monday and Friday papers. The past version of nan ES Magazine went retired connected nan 12 September, pinch its imaginable people early presently unclear, and past Thursday (19 September) was nan paper’s last version earlier becoming The London Standard.

About half of each editorial jobs astatine nan Standard were trim arsenic a consequence of nan changes, amounting to astir 60 people.

Some 150,000 copies of The London Standard will beryllium distributed crossed London each Thursday from 4pm (a later clip than nan erstwhile regular insubstantial which could beryllium recovered from astir 2pm) and stay disposable until Sunday night. The distribution bins are now co-branded pinch business newspaper City AM, which is taking up nan vacant abstraction from Monday greeting until Thursday lunchtime.

Full beforehand screen of first London Standard published connected 26 September 2024

The patient has estimated that each transcript will beryllium publication by 2.5 people, making a full readership of 375,000.

Editor-in-chief Dylan Jones said: “We are embarking connected an incredibly breathtaking caller journey, and I americium convinced that nan latest loop of nan Standard – successful print, online, connected societal – is simply a manifestly important summation to London’s media diet. A fare that nan Standard has owned for astir 200 years. 

“The caller play people publication is an upmarket ceremony of nan metropolis successful each its glory. We will beryllium delivering value astatine standard for a culturally savvy, desirable audience. London remains nan top metropolis successful nan world, and we will proceed to bespeak that. Every Thursday nan Standard will beryllium reinventing London.”

The London Standard’s motorboat is being publicised pinch a run featuring much than 700 roadside and integer screens crossed London arsenic good arsenic connected integer and audio.

The patient gave a little to creation consultancy Mark Porter Associates to “emphasise this early facing improvement of nan people news exemplary successful a fast-changing market, whilst respecting nan brand’s iconic 200-year history”.

Ad run for The London Standard

Standard executive president Albert Read said: “Today’s motorboat of our premium play newspaper, The London Standard, is an breathtaking improvement that will guarantee our continued occurrence and relevance successful a quickly changing media landscape.

“The Standard is London’s astir powerful voice, its astir loved and trusted news brand, and its readers are immoderate of nan astir desirable consumers successful nan world. I’m highly proud to beryllium portion of nan adjacent shape of its evolution.”

And main commercialized serviceman James White said: “It’s a large time for London and a large time for The Standard. We’re thrilled to beryllium marking specified a momentous juncture pinch a immense multi-media run crossed nan champion metropolis successful nan world. We can’t hold to showcase each that we person to connection to our valuable readers and advertisers alike.”

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