Staff reporter, Author at The Drop

Buzzfeed cuts staff and shuts news site as downturn bites

Apr 24, 2023

Digital first content provider Buzzfeed has unveiled plans to cut its workforce by around 15%. Revealed via an internal memo and a stock market filing, the company said the reduction in workforce, which will affect around 200 people, “is part of a broader strategic...

Snapchat extends use of My AI chatbot to entire user base

Apr 20, 2023

Social media platform Snapchat is seeking to secure a headstart over its major rivals TikTok and Instagram by making its AI-powered chatbot My AI available to all of its users. Currently My AI is only available to its Snapchat+ subscription base. Unveiling the news at...

Mansa, creator-first platform for global black culture, comes out of stealth

Apr 19, 2023

Leading black figures in the worlds of entertainment, tech and finance have come together to launch Mansa, a platform for global black culture. Mansa is described as a ‘new AVOD streaming platform’, but its ambition also extends to social first and short form content....

Meta-owned Instagram adds new features in bid to close gap on TikTok

Apr 19, 2023

Meta social media platform Instagram has added a range of new features to short-form brand Reels that digital observers say will make it look even more like arch-rival TikTok. In its blog, Meta said: “We strive to make Instagram a home for creators like you to express...

Evan Shapiro urges TV industry to wake up to the creator economy in MIPTV keynote

Apr 18, 2023

TV industry thought leader Evan Shapiro, professor of television at New York University, used MIPTV in Cannes to warn media companies against thinking in “silos”. During a keynote speech to delegates, he said content owners need to stop thinking about the “creator...