Mediagazer: International bill of digital rights: call from 500 writers around the world (Guardian)

8:35 AM ET, December 10, 2013

Top News:

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: @rga, @juliewestfall, @kevglobal, @adriennelaf, @flemingsean, @jswatz, @magicofpi, @saramorrison, @anttiisokangas, @marcsettle and @pkafka

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

Marcella Bombardieri / The Boston Globe:

To explore media in the digital era — Boston University has landed star New York Times media columnist David Carr to fill a new endowed chair dedicated to exploring creative business models to support journalism in the digital era. — Carr, who starts in January, will keep writing …

Discussion: Poynter, Capital New York, @brianstelter, @dankennedy_nu, @craigsilverman and @cynthianeedham

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: @petersterne, @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, @stlarchangels, @davidherzog, @newsyvideos, Lost Remote, @michaelroston, @laurenzima, MediaPost, StartupBook, NetNewsCheck Latest, Poynter, @wadefoster, Gigaom and The Commercial Appeal, Thanks:@steverubel

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

Bloomberg:
AllThingsD Editors Are Said to Complete NBCUniversal Deal

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

Guardian:

International bill of digital rights: call from 500 writers around the world — In a petition to the United Nations, a group of authors agree that democratic rights must apply in virtual as in real space — • State surveillance of personal data is theft, say world's leading authors

Discussion: BBC, The Huffington Post, @poetryarchive, presstv.ir, The Dawn News, The Week UK, The Irish Times, The Australian, Bookseller news and Guardian

Darren Boyle / Press Gazette:

Linux Voice secures £90,000 crowdfunded launch target — The editorial team behind a new computer magazine are busily working on the first edition having secured £90,000 investment on the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform. — Linux Voice is being launched by the former editorial team …

Oliver Laughland / Guardian:

Murdoch is evil: the message hidden in a children's puzzle in one of his papers — Third line down says LIVESIHCODRUM (read it backwards) as puzzlemaster has a laugh at paymaster's expense — Harry the Dog's weekly kids' word search in Sydney's Sunday Telegraph tabloid

Discussion: The Standard, Junkee and mUmBRELLA

Caroline O'Donovan / Nieman Journalism Lab:

In suburban D.C., a network of hyperlocal news sites expands and bets on local advertising — When the Curbed network of websites — local outlets focused on dining, real estate, and fashion — was bought by Vox Media last month for around $20 or $30 million, Digiday's Josh Sternberg asked …

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

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

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

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.

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.