Mediagazer: Gawker editor defends crowdfunding crack video, calls out “timid” Canadian media (Jeff John Roberts/paidContent)

12:15 PM ET, May 28, 2013

Top News:

Mathew Ingram / paidContent:

Circa hires Anthony De Rosa away from Thomson Reuters to expand its editorial ambitions — Circa, the San Francisco-based startup that creates news summaries for mobile users, says it has hired Thomson Reuters social-media editor Anthony De Rosa as its new editor-in-chief to expand its journalistic reach.

Discussion: Circa Blog, The New York Observer, FishbowlNY, 10,000 Words, Journalism.co.uk, @antderosa, Poynter, @buzzfeedben and @antderosa

Mike Isaac / AllThingsD:

News Startup Circa Taps Reuters Social Media Head for Editor in Chief — Circa, a mobile-focused news startup, announced on Tuesday that it has named Anthony De Rosa as its new editor in chief. — De Rosa has been Thomson Reuters' social media editor for the past two years …

Discussion: @ivanlajara, @thestalwart, @jeremylittau, @peterlauria3, @mattzeitlin, @digidave and @djbentley

William Launder / Wall Street Journal:

BuzzFeed, CNN and YouTube Plan Online-Video Channel — BuzzFeed is accelerating its efforts to become a news destination for young adults, joining with CNN and YouTube to create a new, online-video channel. — On Tuesday, BuzzFeed will unveil “CNN BuzzFeed,” a YouTube channel based on content from CNN …

Discussion: BuzzFeed, paidContent, TVNewser, VentureBeat, Mashable, The Next Web, TechCrunch and Vanity Fair

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:

BuzzFeed to build a ‘social video studio’ — BuzzFeed will construct a “social video studio” in Los Angeles, the company announced Tuesday. The facility will include a “coffee shop and store where influencers, thinkers and celebrities will be able create informal videos made for the social web.

Discussion: Hollywood Reporter, FishbowlDC, Broadcasting & Cable and WebProNews

Daniel Klaidman / The Daily Beast:

Holder's Regrets and Repairs — It was Friday, May 17, and officials at the Department of Justice had gotten word that The Washington Post was working on an explosive story: a reporter had obtained an affidavit for a search warrant to seize a Fox News journalist's personal emails.

Discussion: TVNewser, Mediaite, Politico, Forbes, News Desk, Post Politics, @dylanbyers, @ryanlizza, @digiphile, @mlcalderone, @ggreenwald and The Newspaper Guild

Jeff John Roberts / paidContent:

Gawker editor defends crowdfunding crack video, calls out “timid” Canadian media — Gawker reached its goal of raising $200,000 to purchase a video of a big city mayor smoking crack. Editor John Cook explained on Tuesday the reasons for the controversial campaign in which the fate of the video is still unknown.

Discussion: Toronto Star, Gawker, Poynter and The New York Observer

Kathryn Blaze Carlson / Globe and Mail: As Gawker reaches ‘Crackstarter’ goal, destination for funds remains murky

Colin Daniels / Digital Spy:

BBC iPlayer viewing falls as radio requests rise — BBC iPlayer viewing requests fell to 257 million in April, despite strong numbers watching coverage of Margaret Thatcher's funeral. — The catch-up service saw its lowest number of requests since December 2012, having received a record-equalling 272 million requests in March.

Paul Sawers / The Next Web:
BBC iPlayer will allow radio content to be downloaded for offline access from 2014

Discussion: TechRadar.com, Gizmodo UK, broadcastnow.co.uk, Compare Mobile Phones … and Engadget

Associated Press:

Germany's Top-Selling Tabloid to Introduce Paywall — BERLIN — Europe's top-selling newspaper said Monday it will introduce a paywall for part of its online offerings starting next month. — Main news stories will remain free of charge online, but a subscription will be required to view features …

Discussion: Reuters

Gavriel Hollander / Press Gazette:

CIoJ rejects both Royal Charters as ‘coercive’ and threatening to investigative journalism — The Chartered Institute of Journalism has said that both proposed Royal Charters on press regulation threaten “the standards and rigour of investigative journalism”.

Discussion: Hacked Off and HoldTheFrontPage

John Koblin / Deadspin:

ESPN President's Memo: Support The Troops; Also, We're Firing People — Below is a memo from ESPN president John Skipper, sent companywide just before the Memorial Day weekend and forwarded to us by a Bristol tipster. “This is the only communication we've received from upper management …

Meg James / Los Angeles Times:

Viacom's Sumner Redstone celebrates 90 with big bump in net worth — Sumner Redstone, chairman of Viacom, celebrated his 90th birthday on May 27, 2013. This year the mogul enjoyed a bump in net worth. (Lawrence K. Ho / May 27, 2013) — Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone celebrated his 90th birthday Monday.

Alyson Shontell / Business Insider:

Another Blog Platform, Automattic, Joins Tumblr In The $1 Billion Valuation Club — Last week, Tiger Global led a $50 million round of investment in Matt Mullenweg's seven-year-old digital publishing company, Automattic. — Automattic is the parent company of WordPress.com …

Discussion: The Next Web