Douglas McCabe was quoted in The Times on AI and social media ‘killing’ websites, publishers warned
8 May 2025The findings were revealed by Enders Analysis, a research company, which attributed the falling number of click-throughs to “an onslaught” from social media platforms and artificial intelligence summaries produced by search engines.
Half of publishers polled reported a decline in search traffic over the past year.
“Search traffic is no longer a given,” Douglas McCabe, a media analyst, said in the Rewriting the Media Playbook report.
“Many publishers have used their websites to replicate the article format. But the website itself is no longer the primary destination for consumers as it struggles to meet expectations, while AI erodes monetisation.”
“Publishers are losing visibility and value as their content is used but not rewarded,” McCabe said.