StW: Why women are rejecting news; Research industry trembles at AI onslaught; Seven's comic signing

Welcome to Start the Week, our Monday scene-setter for the week ahead. Today: Why are women turning away from news?; The dawn of synthetic data - good news for marketers, bad news for research companies?; and comedian Mark Humphries joins Seven NewsIt’s a great day to become a paying member of Unmade. You get:* Member-only pricing for next week’s HumAIn conference* A complimentary invitation to Unmade’s Compass event (November);* Member-only content and our paywalled archives;* Your own copy of Media UnmadeUpgrade todayRobots replace focus groups; why are women avoiding news?; Mark Humphries joins Seven NewsThis morning’s episode was recorded in a quiet corner at this morning’s launch of University of Canberra’s 2024 Digital News Report. We examine the report’s findings, hot off the press.Plus, in another busy week for AI, the moment when it overtakes humans comes closer, and synthetic data becomes a real threat for research companiesAnd in a smart move, Seven News hires comedian Mark Humphries.Further Reading:* UoC News & Media Research Centre - Reports* Unmade - Digital News Report 2023: What compels Australians to pay for news?* The Australian: Media Diary: Channel 7 hires comedian Mark Humphries to liven up its 6pm news bulletin* Marketing Week: Synthetic data is as good as real* Situational Awareness: The decade ahead* AI Whistleblowers open letter Today’s episode featured Tim Burrowes in Canberra, Abe Udy in Devonport and Cat McGinn in the UK.Time to leave you to start your week.Editing was courtesy of Abe’s Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.Toodlepip…Tim [email protected] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unmade.substack.com