Mediagazer: On the meaning of journalistic independence (Glenn Greenwald/The Intercept)

11:15 PM ET, March 2, 2014

Top News:

Glenn Greenwald / The Intercept:

On the meaning of journalistic independence — This morning, I see that some people are quite abuzz about a new Pando article “revealing” that the foundation of Pierre Omidyar, the publisher of First Look Media which publishes The Intercept, gave several hundred thousand dollars to a Ukraininan …

Discussion: USA Today, PandoDaily, @glennf, @qhardy, @mathewi, @kljdavis, @jfagone, @mattyglesias and @tilojung

Jeff Jarvis / BuzzMachine:

First Look Media could preempt controversy by publishing a statement of principles endorsed by employees and investors — The price of eggs — Glenn Greenwald has responded to Pando Daily's story about the Omidyar Network and Ukraine with the force and speed we have come to expect. Good.

Discussion: @albertocairo and @jayrosen_nyu

Mark Ames / PandoDaily:
Pierre Omidyar co-funded Ukraine revolution groups with US government, documents show

David Carr / New York Times:

Foreign Buyers Eyeing Forbes Magazine, a Chronicler of the World's Wealthiest — Growing up in the Midwest, my idea of rich was my dentist, who lived a few blocks away and had a split-level that was bigger than the rest of ours and a Cadillac in the driveway.

Discussion: @raju

Liz Shannon Miller / Gigaom:

DVD screener leaks decline as distributors crack down on leakers, test digital options — Looking for Oscars torrents? This is why you may end up empty-handed — If Ellen DeGeneres mentions the film The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty on Sunday night, it might be with a wince …

Discussion: Latest News & Headlines and Variety

Danny Sullivan / Marketing Land:

Ellen Breaks Most-Retweeted Record With All-Star Selfie At Oscars — Ellen wanted to have the most retweeted photo on Twitter, and she got her wish. Within an hour after taking a star-studdied selfie live during the Academy Awards, she passed Barack Obama's record — and broke Twitter, as well.

Discussion: @theellenshow, The Wrap, Mediaite, BuzzFeed, @patrickruffini, @dannysullivan, @dannysullivan and The Verge

Jason Horowitz / New York Times:

End of an Era? Clinton Media Strategy May Be Due for an Overhaul — WASHINGTON — Soon after Hillary Rodham Clinton left the State Department, her longtime spokesman talked wistfully about their paradise lost. — “We knew the golden age was coming to an end,” Philippe Reines said.

Discussion: @arimelber, @arimelber and @jasondhorowitz

Ryan Lawler / TechCrunch:

Comcast Is Acquiring Video Ad Company FreeWheel For $320 Million — Over the years, FreeWheel has become the go-to ad-serving platform for many TV networks that stream their content online. And it's about to become part of one of the biggest distributors of content online and off.

Discussion: Variety, Re/code and CNET

Isabella Steger / Wall Street Journal:

Thousands Take to the Streets to Support Hong Kong Press Freedom — Attacked Hong Kong Journalist's Condition Improves — HONG KONG—Thousands turned out Sunday in Hong Kong to support media freedom after the condition of former newspaper editor Kevin Lau, who was the victim of a brutal knife attack, took a turn for the better.

Discussion: Bloomberg, Voice of America, Agence France Presse, San Francisco Chronicle and New York Times

Los Angeles Times:

TV news employee rescued after being trapped in waist-deep mud — (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times / February 28, 2014) — This post has been updated. — A TV news employee trying to report from the scene of an unstable Azusa hillside Friday got stuck in waist-high mud and had to be rescued.

Discussion: Mediaite, Gawker, NY Daily News, @miguelnbc, LA Observed, BuzzFeed, Daily Mail, Deadline.com and The Huffington Post

Joe Weisenthal / Business Insider:

The Hilarious Way Russia's Official Propaganda Network Covers The Situation In Ukraine — Want a different perspective on the crisis in Ukraine? — Check out RT.com, the state Russian broadcaster that's tasked with improving Russia's image abroad (AKA: propaganda).

Discussion: Poynter, RT, @caamyo, @jayrosen_nyu and TheBlaze.com

Peter Kafka / Re/code:

Mashable Raises More Money, This Time from Tribune — Earlier this year Mashable, the tech news Web site with plans to become much bigger than a tech news Web site, announced it had taken on outside investment money for the first time. Now it has taken on some more.

Discussion: TechCrunch

Robin Wauters:

WhatsApp CEO scolds former TechCrunch writer for 2011 fundraising scoop — An unexpected chat with WhatsApp founder Jan Koum — Things were getting pretty quiet in the speaker / press lounge backstage at the 4YFN conference in Barcelona. I was there earlier this week for attending that event …

Discussion: @pkafka, @fmanjoo and @danprimack