Mediagazer: Al Jazeera America is spending millions in the US but viewers respond with a shrug (Jack Shafer)

1:55 PM ET, July 9, 2014

Top News:

George Clooney / USA Today:

George Clooney slams Daily Mail, says the paper crossed “into the arena of inciting violence” — Exclusive: Clooney responds to ‘Daily Mail’ report — I want to speak to the irresponsibility of Monday's Daily Mail report. I seldom respond to tabloids, unless it involves someone else and their safety or well being.

Ravi Somaiya / New York Times:

New Yorker to open up all articles and archives for three months, then launch metered paywall — The New Yorker Alters Its Online Strategy — The New Yorker is overhauling its website, making all articles it has published since 2007 available free for three months before introducing a paywall for online subscribers.

Arif Durrani / Campaign:

Guardian plotting English language launch in India — The Guardian's open, digital journalism has plenty more room for growth, including plans to launch in India, according to deputy chief executive David Pemsel - just don't mention GQ's Michael Wolff. — Speaking to Campaign …

Discussion: @abeaujon and Columbia Journalism Review

Gideon Spanier / The Independent:

The Guardian's chief executive on digital, global expansion, and the future of print — Andrew Miller: The death of newspapers has been exaggerated — As the owner of The Guardian overcomes the decline of print with strong digital revenues, its chief executive tells Gideon Spanier how it is adapting to the new age of publishing

Discussion: @gideonspanier, Press Gazette and London Evening Standard

Jack Shafer:

Al Jazeera America is spending millions in the US but viewers respond with a shrug — What's more rare — a unicorn or an Al Jazeera America viewer? — Al Jazeera America draws such a teensy audience — 15,000 on average during prime time, according to Nielsen — that if you dropped …

Discussion: TVNewser, Associated Press, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, @jackshafer, Los Angeles Times, The Wrap, @bgrueskin and Deadline.com

Edward Wong / New York Times:

Tibetan Writer Says Invitation to U.S. Embassy Preceded House Arrest — Chinese security officers placed Tsering Woeser, the prominent Tibetan writer and advocate who lives in Beijing, and her husband under house arrest after Ms. Woeser received a call inviting her to the United States Embassy …

Discussion: @tendor, BBC, Reuters, @ellenbork, Al Jazeera English and Associated Press

Megha Rajagopalan / Reuters:
China tightens state secrets rules for journalists

Discussion: International Business Times, TIME, Quartz, China Digital Times, @mbrauchli and @mlcalderone

Grace Huang / Bloomberg:

Disney Halts On-Demand Movie Sales on ITunes in Japan — Walt Disney Co. (DIS), the world's largest entertainment company, halted on-demand sales of new movies through Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s online store in Japan after the two companies couldn't reach a final agreement on sales.

Discussion: Variety and 9to5Mac

David Shamah / The Times of Israel:

Red Alert app offers a Yo! update on missile attacks — A mobile platform developed by two Israeli volunteers spreads the word on Israeli communities in danger- in real time — What started out as a “joke app” is being marshaled to provide supporters of Israel worldwide with real-time updates …

Discussion: Fast Company, Gawker, New York Times, ABC News, @barryshrage and The Verge

Aarti Shahani / NPR:

In Google's World Cup newsroom experiment it avoids negative headlines, offers news-on-demand — In Google Newsroom, Brazil Defeat Is Not A Headline … If you do a Google search on the World Cup game in which Germany slaughtered Brazil 7-1, the top results will say things like “destroy,” “defeat,” and “humiliate.”

Discussion: Poynter, @mattdpearce, @mlittledc, @zeynep and @nathanjurgenson

Adam Sherwin / The Independent:

Google tells popular music website to censor album cover art in ‘sexually explicit content’ ban — A leading music website has censored album covers by artists including Sigur Rós and Lambchop after they fell foul of a Google ban on “sexually explicit content”.

Discussion: The Drum, @seaninsound, @helienne, @tomdefeat, @robhastings, @independent, New Zealand Herald and @alannamcardle_

Bharatha Mallawarachi / Associated Press:

Sri Lanka bans NGO news conferences, releases — COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka has banned civil activist groups from holding news conferences and training for journalists, with the organizations rejecting the move as unconstitutional. J.C. Weliamuna, a lawyer from the Civil Society Collective …

Discussion: Asian Tribune, ColomboPage.com, ColomboPage.com, Business Standard, NDTV News, ucanews.com, The Hindu, NIDAHASA, Al Jazeera English, @stansteam2 and @eleanorbloom

Philip Pullella / Reuters:

Former BBC head Chris Patten to lead committee advising Pope Francis on media strategy — Britain's Patten to lead Vatican communications re-vamp drive — (Reuters) - Former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten will head a committee to advise Pope Francis on how to re-vamp and modernize …