Michael Savage Media Editor

Podcasts and puzzles get a boost as part of ‘mobile first’ strategy with 1m daily active users of app

The Guardian has relaunched its mobile app to deliver more personalised, visual content and boost the prominence of podcasts, as part of a “mobile first” strategy.

A dedicated tab for podcasts has been introduced to help users discover and listen to new episodes via a new in-app player, while users can also listen to all articles using a text-to-speech feature.

Today on World Press Freedom Day, there are warnings that US attempts to withdraw from promoting independent journalism will have far-reaching effects

As Donald Trump’s executive order in March led to the shuttering of Voice of America (VOA) – the global broadcaster whose roots date back to the fight against Nazi propaganda – he quickly attracted support from figures not used to aligning themselves with any US administration.

Trump had ordered the US Agency for Global Media, the federal agency that funds VOA and other groups promoting independent journalism overseas, to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law”. The decision suddenly halted programming in 49 languages to more than 425 million people.

Presenter is expanding his own business on the platform and likens change to when vinyl music went digital

The media world is undergoing a “sea change” in which some traditional titles disappear, Piers Morgan has predicted, as he said some YouTube channels would soon have as much power as traditional network television.

The presenter and former newspaper editor, who is holding funding talks to expand his YouTube business, predicted more established media figures would soon follow him to the increasingly influential streaming service as audience habits continue to shift.