Media News Daily: Top Stories for 01/12/2026

This page hosts daily news stories about the media, social media, and the journalism industry. Get the latest Hirings and Firings, Media Transactions, Controversies, Censorship Issues, and more.

X (formerly Twitter) to Open Source Feed and Ads Algorithm Code

Elon Musk announced that X will begin publishing all code that powers its news feed and ads algorithm, aiming to provide greater transparency on content recommendations. Musk stated that the new algorithm code, including developer notes, will be released every four weeks. This echoes a similar promise made in 2023, which fell short in execution, as updates to the initially published code were never maintained. Concerns persist about whether the current initiative will offer real transparency, especially as Musk’s xAI team reportedly now generates the algorithmic code, potentially without full human oversight. Read More – Social Media Today Rating

Meta Partners with Nuclear Firms to Power AI Infrastructure

Meta has struck deals with Oklo, TerraPower, and Vistra to power its growing AI infrastructure, including the upcoming Prometheus supercluster, using nuclear energy. The partnerships aim to support the development of advanced reactors and secure power from existing plants. Meta now stands among the largest corporate buyers of nuclear energy in U.S. history, previously partnering with Constellation Energy as well. The company is securing gigawatts of power to meet the increasing demands of AI-driven data centers while aligning with its emission reduction goals. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright lauded Meta’s investment as essential to American AI leadership. Read More – The Hill Rating

Publisher Traffic from Google Dropped One-Third in 2025

A new report from the Reuters Institute reveals that global Google search traffic to news publishers fell by 33% year over year through November 2025. Google Discover referrals also dropped 21%. The decline is largely attributed to Google’s AI-generated summaries appearing at the top of search results, which reduce click-throughs to original content. U.S. publishers were hit harder, with a 38% drop in search referrals. As a result, many media outlets are shifting efforts away from traditional SEO and toward AI platforms and YouTube. MBFC has experienced a 25% drop. Please consider a membership to support us. Read More – Press Gazette Rating