Speed still matters in news, but the prize is no longer the click

In the age of AI answers, speed still creates the opening. Authority determines who owns the story. Speed is life in the news business, and that went double during the 2010s, when search engines and social networks were the dominant distribution platforms. Especially around major live events like the Oscars or the Super Bowl, the pressure to publish stories quickly often meant preparing “shell” stories in advance, with potential headlines and background information already included.