Mediagazer: Netflix Picks Up Mitt Romney Documentary (Dave McNary/Variety)

6:20 AM ET, December 10, 2013

Top News:

AllThingsD Editors Are Said to Complete NBCUniversal Deal — AllThingsD editors Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, who are leaving News Corp. at the end of the year, completed a deal with NBCUniversal for a news and conference business that will bring their current staff to a newly named website …

Discussion: PandoDaily, @hriefs, bizjournals, Politico, Talking Biz News, Betabeat, @bloombergnews, @crayton_h, @markgurman and @jyarow

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Swisher/Mossberg venture, “Revere Digital”, plans to announce another partner January 2 — NBCUniversal Buys Stake in AllThingsD, Which Is Set to Get New Name: Report — Tech-news venture founded by two former WSJ editors to be renamed ‘Revere Digital,’ according to Bloomberg report

Discussion: @fmanjoo, @qhardy and Deadline.com

J.K. Trotter / Gawker:

Fox News Paid Fired Executive $8 Million to Keep Quiet — Roger Ailes' secrets command a heavy price. Last week, the New York Times reported that Fox News had reached an out-of-court settlement with Brian Lewis, the former Roger Ailes aide who was abruptly fired in late July.

Discussion: @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, Erik Wemple, @will_bunch, Variety, @gabrielsnyder, @stevesilberman, PRNewser, @dangillmor, @dylanbyers and The Huffington Post

New York Times:

If a Story Is Viral, Truth May Be Taking a Beating — Truth has never been an essential ingredient of viral content on the Internet. But in the stepped-up competition for readers, digital news sites are increasingly blurring the line between fact and fiction, and saying that it is all part …

Discussion: @jswatz, @magicofpi, @saramorrison, @marcsettle and @pkafka

Lyra McKee / The Muckraker:

Matter had over 10K paying readers but paywall wasn't right model, says co-founder — In 2012, tech journalists Bobbie Johnson and Jim Giles raised over $140,000 on crowdfunding site Kickstarter for their new publication, Matter. The idea was simple: a digital publishing house that produced in-depth …

Discussion: @niemanlab and @jayrosen_nyu

Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:

Scripps Buys Newsy For $35M To Expand From TV And Newspapers To Digital Video — Another exit for a new media startup into the arms of the old media industry: E.W. Scripps, the storied owner of 19 local television stations and daily newspapers in 13 markets across the U.S. …

Discussion: The E.W. Scripps Company, Folio, Variety, @zachtoombs, Lost Remote, @michaelroston, @stlarchangels, @davidherzog, @newsyvideos, @laurenzima, MediaPost, NetNewsCheck Latest, StartupBook, @wadefoster, Poynter, The Commercial Appeal and Gigaom, Thanks:@steverubel

Charlie Warzel / BuzzFeed:

Publishers Nervously Await The Facebook “Correction” — Traffic is up, and things are going great. And now some people are starting to worry. “We got the sense they didn't even really know how this massive beast they have actually works ... that they can make or break entire companies.”

Discussion: Gigaom, @buzzfeedben, @mckaycoppins, @cwarzel and Poynter

Robinson Meyer / The Atlantic Online:
Why Are Upworthy Headlines Suddenly Everywhere?

Discussion: Forbes, @freddoso, @marginalutility, @mallarytenore and LA Observed

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:

Layoffs ahead at Time Inc. — Time Inc. staffers were informed today that layoffs lie ahead in the New Year, Capital has learned. — The publishing giant has implemented cuts in recent years while aiming to rein in costs. Just under a year ago, 500 jobs were slashed from the company …

Discussion: AdAge, @tmcgev and The Huffington Post

Joan E. Solsman / CNET:

Time Warner Cable to add another app platform: Apple TV? — NEW YORK — Time Warner Cable incoming Chief Executive Rob Marcus said the company this week will add another platform to the list that can access its TWC TV app, which enables subscribers to stream live channels and watch videos on demand.

Discussion: Media & Entertainment, The Verge, App Advice, Electronista and Variety

Reuters:
Time Warner Cable incoming CEO says in no rush to sell company

Discussion: Gigaom and AdAge

Mathew Ingram / Gigaom:

Experiments in viral journalism: Trinity Mirror launches Ampp3d for sharing data-driven stories — As we pointed out recently, everyone seems to be trying to come up with an Upworthy or BuzzFeed-style portal that does “viral” content, and that includes media outlets like the Washington Post, with its Know More project.

Alastair Reid / Journalism.co.uk:
Trinity Mirror launches ‘socially-shareable data journalism’ site

Discussion: Guardian and @martinbelam

Dave McNary / Variety:

Netflix Picks Up Mitt Romney Documentary — Streaming service will run ‘Mitt’ soon after Sundance preem — Ramping up its documentary business, Netflix has acquired theatrical and TV rights to the Mitt Romney documentary “Mitt” with plans to air it exclusively on Jan. 24.

Discussion: Deadline.com, Post Politics, The Verge, Los Angeles Times, The Wrap and The Huffington Post

Agence France Presse:

Two Spanish journalists held by Al-Qaeda-linked group in Syria — Madrid (AFP) - A radical group linked to Al-Qaeda kidnapped two Spanish journalists reporting in Syria in September and is holding them captive, El Mundo newspaper reported on Tuesday. — El Mundo correspondent Javier Espinosa …

Discussion: @erinmcunningham, @antderosa, @estheralvarado, @manulucas77, @jcstearns, La Prensa, @lizsly, @leloveluck and @inigogilmore

PJ Vogt / On The Media:

Today's hoax: the screaming Google employee — Last week, we threw up our hands in the face of the endless deluge of viral hoaxes. Then, we tried to make peace with living in a fake world and even found a lie that we liked. Well, it's Monday, and just like you and I, viral internet hoaxes are clocking in for their workweek.

Discussion: sfbg.com, Business Insider, Digits, Valleywag, New York Magazine, @susie_c, @juliacarriew, CNET, @tcarmody, @susie_c and TechCrunch

Emily Bell / Guardian:

The BBC needs a global news strategy - and Harding's approach seems dated — Strong management and a sharp focus of purpose are required as the corporation faces renewed competition — As with a priest saying matins in an empty church, there are protocols every BBC head of news must observe …