Welcome to an audio led edition of Unmade. Today, we share the closing session of last week’s HumAIn conference, where we invited six people from within the media and marketing industry to debate whether generative AI will be an extinction level event for media. And further down, yet more decline on the Unmade Index as Antony Catalo buys a bigger SCA stake.

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From dinosaurs to chickens - is news media evolving to obsolescence in the face of generative AI?

Today audio-led edition of Unmade shares a highlight from last week’s HumAIn conference where we invited six pAnelists to debate the proposition: “Generative AI will be news media’s extinction level event”.

As is traditional for such debates, the participants were invited to impress our audience with the rhetoric and the quality of their arguments on the understanding that these might not be their sincerely held views. They had just four minutes each.

The six panelists were:

For: Karen Powell, founder & CEO, of B2B marketing agency Omnipresence. Karen argued that the news media industry should face the fact that, like town criers, news media is about to become obsolete;

Against: Scott Purcell, cofounder, men’s lifestyle site Man of Many argued that AI is an opportunity for publishers;

For: Anita Ayres, a fractional CMO, with Tumbleturn Marketing Advisory. Anita suggested that the cycle of disruption will be as disruptive to media as the arrival of the internet

Against: Tom Robinson, CEO of Edelman Australia. Tom argued that AI is at its peak in the hype cycle, and that people will prevail;

For: John Cucka, Head of Kantar Analytics. John pointed out that dinosaurs once ruled the earth, and are now transformed to chickens;

Against: Ross Dawson, futurist, keynote speaker, entrepreneur, podcaster, and author. Ross argued that there was a reason why the mammals out-evolved the dinosaurs.

At the end of the event, the pro-humanity team, arguing against the proposition, romped to victory based on the votes of an optimistic audience.

The panel was moderated by Tim Burrowes while the conference was curated by Cat McGinn.

Unmade Index slips as the broadcasters take a spanking and the Cat tightens his grasp on SCA

The Unmade Index slipped another 0.25% yesterday, to 489.9 points, as most stocks dipped.

Last night, the ASX was informed that the Antony Catalano-led investment vehicle 19 Cashews, has upped its stake in Southern Cross Austereo to 14.4%. Catalano wants to fold most of his Australian Community Media mastheads into SCA in exchange for a larger slice of the company. Prior to the announcement, SCA slipped by 0.67%

Meanwhile ARN Media, which still hopes to land its own takeover of SCA slipped by 5%.

Seven West Media shed 2.63% to return to its low point of 18.5c per share. Nine lost 0.35%

Vinyl Group - which on Wednesday made the surprise announcement that Luke Girgis, co-founder of its Brag Media acquisition - was unexpectedly departing, lost 8.3%.

Today’s podcast was edited by the excellent people at Abe’s Audio.

Time to leave you to your Thursday. We’ll be back with more tomorrow.

Have a great day.

Toodlepip…

Tim Burrowes

Publisher - Unmade

tim@unmade.media

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