Friday, May 15, 2026

Digital Publishing Trends

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2 articles tagged with “YouTube”

YouTube animation studio showing HarperCollins Toonstar AI-animated series adaptation of Friendship List
AI & Publishing

HarperCollins Partners with AI Animation Studio Toonstar to Adapt Titles for YouTube

HarperCollins has announced a multi-year partnership with Toonstar, an AI-powered animation studio backed by Founders Fund and Snap, to adapt titles into YouTube animated series. The first project adapts Lisa Greenwald's Friendship List series, with a companion graphic novel from HarperAlley. Royalty terms for authors have not been disclosed.

Publishers Weekly
HarperCollinsToonstarAI Animation
A journalist filming a video segment in a modern newsroom with YouTube analytics dashboards on surrounding screens
Digital Strategy

Publishers Rethink YouTube Strategy as AI Erodes Search Traffic

With AI-powered answer engines cutting search referrals to news sites by up to 79%, publishers are pivoting to YouTube as a stable discovery engine. The Reuters Institute's 2026 predictions report found YouTube will be the main off-platform focus for publishers this year (net score +74). Outlets including Postmedia, talkSPORT, and The New York Times are investing in personality-led formats, recurring series, and YouTube Shorts to build audiences outside the search funnel.

Digital Content Next
YouTubeAISearch Traffic