A coalition of more than 40 media organisations has launched a framework to track how AI companies use publisher content. The group includes the BBC, Guardian, Sky News and The Associated Press.
The framework, called the Content Telemetry Standard, sets out a standard process for AI agents and model developers to record how they use media content and report that use back to publishers. It is intended to give publishers a clearer view of when their material is retrieved, used as evidence for an AI answer, cited, presented or engaged with through third-party AI or digital platforms.
SPUR, which stands for Standards for Publisher Usage Rights, was established earlier this year by news publishers seeking stronger control over how generative AI systems access and use journalistic material. Founding members include the BBC, Financial Times, Guardian Media Group, Mediahuis, Sky News and Telegraph Media Group.
The open-source standard is designed to create a common language for reporting content use across the market. Its aim is to make licensing negotiations easier by giving publishers and technology companies a shared framework for measuring usage before and after agreements are signed.
The effort comes as publishers seek greater transparency over how AI systems are trained and how they generate responses based on third-party material. Media groups argue that high-quality journalism is being used by AI businesses without clear permission, payment or reporting.
Until now, there has been no shared process for journalists, content creators, media organisations and other rightsholders to understand who is using their content, how it is being used and what value is being extracted from it, according to SPUR. The coalition published a draft version of the telemetry framework in June, then opened a public consultation for publishing, AI and media stakeholders.
Content Telemetry 1.0 is the first formal version of the standard. SPUR plans to continue developing the framework with industry partners, including work on auditing, identifiers for agents and content, and the influence of advertising.
David Buttle, Co-Founder of the SPUR Coalition, set out the group's position on the launch.
"This is the first step towards a fairer future. Publishers and rights-holders must have control over their own content and be fairly remunerated when that content is used by others. The Content Telemetry Standard is creating a framework to guide this process, ensuring everyone in the supply chain is speaking the same language. The standard means every future licensing deal can be built on the same foundation, bringing new levels of transparency and interoperability to the market," said Buttle.
He added: "Our coalition is fighting for a future where publishers can negotiate with platforms from a position of strength. Developing a shared language for how content is used is SPUR's initial step towards creating the tangible, globally applicable solutions needed to move the dial and put publishers back on the front foot."
Licensing board
Alongside the telemetry standard, the coalition is also creating a Licensing Advisory Board. The body will bring together organisations that build or own the technical infrastructure behind interactions between publishers and AI systems, as well as groups that already license or intend to license journalistic content for AI use.
Membership of the board will be by invitation. Its purpose is to help shape the technical standards that underpin content licensing, rights verification, usage measurement and permissions management between publishers and AI companies.
The launch highlights a broader push by publishers to establish technical and commercial rules around the use of copyrighted journalism in AI systems. A standardised reporting process could also support disputes over attribution and compensation by creating a clearer record of how source material appears in AI-driven products.
SPUR is now working with industry partners to implement the standard and develop proofs of concept. It is also developing agent tooling intended to help AI companies adopt the protocol and meet licensing and reporting requirements.
Support for the initiative also came from The Associated Press, one of the coalition participants.
"A trusted information ecosystem requires publishers and technology platforms to work together to ensure quality journalism remains grounded in facts and intellectual property is properly valued and protected," said Kristin Heitmann, Chief Revenue Officer at AP.
"SPUR's framework is an important step towards fair, transparent licensing relationships that support both innovation and the future of trusted information. This will help create the foundations needed for all platforms to engage with rightsholders in a consistent, transparent way," said Heitmann.