London, September 2026 – News UK, parent company of The Times, The Sunday Times, and The Sun, today confirmed a strategic investment in ClearDraft, a groundbreaking AI-driven legal clearance platform designed to transform the way media organisations manage publication risk. The partnership will allow News to train an AI product for newsroom lawyers to manage increased publication flow in a multimedia newsroom.
ClearDraft's model, the first of its kind, is designed to be procedural, not generative, meaning it scans content to identify legal risk patterns rather than creating new content. Its design enables it to provide nuanced risk analysis and feedback before publication, assisting journalists to identify legal issues rapidly and freeing up in-house lawyers to concentrate on more complex legal issues, such as investigative work, combatting Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation and other fast-moving news stories.
Founded by media lawyers Alex Wade and David Burgess and San Francisco-based technologists in late 2025, ClearDraft counts many top-tier media groups among its clients. ClearDraft’s jurisdiction partner programme will see its technology harnessed in territories around the world, with the product adapted for United States, German, Spanish and Dutch law during 2027. Also in Q1 2027, ClearDraft will roll out its audiovisual service, making its product truly comprehensive.
Angus McBride, GC of News UK, said:
“Investing in ClearDraft is a natural step for News UK as we continue to lead the way in responsible, fearless journalism and in harnessing new technology. ClearDraft will empower our journalists to break important stories faster and with greater confidence, while our legal teams can focus on the most complex and sensitive cases. It’s a win for journalism and a win for our readers.”
Alex Wade, CO-CEO of ClearDraft, said:
“I’ve worked for nearly 30 years with News UK, both as a journalist and lawyer. For me personally, it’s a great privilege to bring the technology developed by the ClearDraft team to such a prestigious newspaper group. But more importantly, this is just the beginning for ClearDraft. Our radical reimagining of legal clearance will have a global impact, as we help content creators of all kinds to publish quickly and cost-efficiently, without fear of a lawsuit.”
CO-CEO David Burgess, whose 25 years of media law expertise included being Head of Production Clearance for EMEA at Netflix, said:
"We've seen the growing burdens facing the media industry as it navigates tight deadlines with limited legal resources and heightened litigation risk. We’ve built an AI Product that integrates seamlessly into editorial systems to handle the sort of risk flagging that often bogs down compliance workflows. I watched ClearDraft review a 100,000-word book in minutes, flagging the same risks that would take a
lawyer at least 15 hours to identify, so the potential savings in time and cost are truly extraordinary. This platform will materially change how legal clearance is handled across the industry.”
“We’re thrilled to announce our client partnership with News UK”, added Burgess. “They are leaders in their field and understand the precise pain points we set out to address with ClearDraft.”
Information for Editors
About ClearDraft
ClearDraft is the first-of-its-kind content clearance platform. By pairing AI-powered review with expert media lawyer oversight, the platform gives journalists, creators, publishers and broadcasters quick, reliable, and cost‐efficient content clearance.
ClearDraft’s mission is to support a vibrant and free press by making expert clearance affordable and efficient, freeing creators to pursue impactful narratives and investigative reporting.
By leveraging bespoke AI to level the playing field for content creators globally, ClearDraft provides access to critical legal content clearance for all. Streamlining workflows cuts through legal complexity, freeing teams for courageous reporting and stories instead of compliance burdens.
Create with confidence. Clear content in minutes.
Media Contact
Alex Kane, Farrer Kane & Co: +44 7988 720300; Alex@farrerkane.com
Beth Farrer, Farrer Kane & Co: +44 7985 242726; Beth@farrerkane.com
About News UK
News UK is one of the leading media businesses in the UK and Ireland. Our news brands include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, The Sun on Sunday and The TLS. Our national broadcast brands include talkSPORT, Times Radio, Talk and Virgin Radio UK, and we have market-leading local stations across Ireland. Our world-famous brands provide news, analysis, opinion and entertainment to almost 40 million people each month. Spanning print and pixel, audio and video, events and experiences, our multi-format brands are home to a plurality of opinion, representing the diverse communities we serve.
News UK is wholly owned by News Corp.
Media Contact:
Holly Youles, News UK: +44 20 7782 1010; holly.youles@news.co.uk
