Asian Publishers Cut Service Journalism as AI Adoption Accelerates
Asian media companies are slashing service journalism by 42% and pivoting to video as AI adoption accelerates. Here's how publishers are reshaping content strategy amid revenue collapse.
Asian media publishers face mounting pressure to adopt artificial intelligence tools for content production as industry revenues decline and AI markets expand rapidly. The global media and entertainment generative AI market is projected to grow from US$1.97 billion in 2024 to US$6.48 billion by 2029, with Asia-Pacific positioned as one of the fastest-adopting regions.
The expansion comes as publishers across the region grapple with severe economic headwinds. Magazine sector advertising spending dropped 29.2% in December 2025, while news publishing fell 7%, according to industry data. Several media companies have collapsed in recent months, including KK Press entering liquidation and Signal News exiting Tasmania.
Publishers Shift Content Strategies Amid AI Competition
Media companies are actively reducing investment in content formats considered vulnerable to AI automation. Publishers anticipate cutting service journalism by 42%, evergreen content by 32%, and general news by 38%, according to Reuters Institute research surveying nearly 300 media leaders.
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At the same time, publishers are increasing focus on formats perceived as more defensible against AI commoditization. Video content investment is expected to rise 79%, while audio and podcast production will grow 71%, the research found.
The strategic shift reflects concerns about answer engines and AI-powered search reducing traffic to traditional media sites. Industry leaders are urging adoption of "short-form-first storytelling" as Gen Alpha consumers now watch 60% more video content compared to 2022.
Regional Adoption Accelerates Despite Governance Gaps
Nearly half (48%) of Asian governance leaders prioritize AI implementation by 2026, with 70% viewing digital transformation as their top board issue, according to regional surveys. Eighty-six percent expect agentic AI (systems that operate autonomously) to boost efficiency and productivity.
However, significant governance challenges remain. Only 31% of boards mandate AI training for leadership teams, while 64% of governance leaders cite data quality and privacy concerns as primary risks. Sixty-one percent identify lack of AI decision-making processes as critical gaps.
IDC projects that 70% of Asia-Pacific organizations expect agentic AI to disrupt their business models within 18 months. Fifteen percent of large firms face projected AI governance penalties by 2030, including operational disruptions, lawsuits, fines, or executive dismissals.
Implementation Costs and ROI Timeline Create Pressure
Financial pressures complicate adoption decisions for Asian media companies. AI infrastructure costs are projected to run 30% over budget by 2027 across Asia-Pacific enterprises, while sovereign cloud spending for compliance and data localization is expected to increase 50% by 2028.
Returns on AI journalism investments lag 18 to 24 months after implementation across Asia-Pacific newsrooms, requiring sustained investment before measurable value emerges. This timeline creates tension as publishers face immediate revenue shortfalls.
Meanwhile, publishers are actively combating AI-driven scraping and crawling of their content, which threatens intellectual property rights and revenue models.
India's digital media spend is projected to grow 20% to 25%, driven by video content and e-commerce expansion, intensifying competitive pressure for AI-driven content production at scale across Asian markets.
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