Mediagazer: Cable Cord-Cutters Beware: Prices Could be Higher, Not Lower (Wall Street Journal)

9:05 AM ET, October 19, 2014

Top News:

A 50 year Washington Post veteran reflects on the newspaper industry and its unclear future — The Bad News About the News

Discussion: @mathewi, @thomloverro, @samgrobart, @mathewi and @themurdochtimes, Thanks:@steverubel

Jim Romenesko:

Gawker Media editorial director considers official Twitter policy after a reporter's joke tweets are misinterpreted — [UPDATED] Gawker Media editorial director's memo: 'I don't want to tell you what to tweet, but...' … Memo from Gawker Media's editorial director:

Discussion: @samfbiddle, @katierosman, @mattdpearce and @fmanjoo

Wall Street Journal:

Cable Cord-Cutters Beware: Prices Could be Higher, Not Lower — As HBO, Others Launch Paid Streaming, Old Cable Bundles May Look Like a Deal — With HBO and CBS planning stand-alone streaming services, the oft-maligned pay-TV bundle has begun to loosen. But it's not clear the brave …

Discussion: New York Times, Streaming Media, TechHive and FierceCable

Joe Coscarelli / New York Magazine:

High Times Hits Middle Age: How the Marijuana Magazine Stays Relevant — Celebrating 40 years and legalization with the former outlaws. — Yes, High Times is still around. Why wouldn't it be? — Founded in 1974 by a drug-smuggling underground journalist named Tom “King” Forçade …

Guardian:

Guardian responds to Whisper's denials, stands by its claims, urges media and users to keep pressing Whisper — Whisper: the facts — Executives from the anonymous social media app have dismissed as a ‘pack of lies’ the Guardian's revelation that they track users. But the evidence is clear

Mathew Ingram / Gigaom:
Whisper's Neetzan Zimmerman says the Guardian's coverage deliberately misrepresents how the service works

Discussion: Guardian, @ryanchittum, @ryanchittum, @runasand, @jayrosen_nyu, @mathewi, SocialTimes, @sdkstl, @mcdermott and BBC

Anna Clark / Columbia Journalism Review:

Newspapers increasingly abandon endorsements as they see a risk to their credibility — Why some newspapers are abandoning endorsements — Editors see a risk to credibility, and search for different ways to foster debate — DETROIT, MI — The newspaper endorsement …

Discussion: @tonydearing, @usprojectcjr and Chicago Sun Times

Nick Bilton / New York Times:

Hollywood tycoons and directors at Vanity Fair's recent summit weren't sure if the technology moguls wanted to join forces, buy them or destroy them — Silicon Valley Stirs Up Hollywood — Last week in San Francisco, Vanity Fair held its New Establishment Summit, where old-media titans …

Discussion: @nickbilton, @auerswald, @mathewi, @travisrundlet, @cinnerj and @edmundlee

John Beck / VICE News:

Turkey's Arrest of German Journalists Highlights Deteriorating Press Freedoms — Turkey's woeful record on press freedom came to international attention again this week when three German photojournalists were arrested and detained on October 11 in south-eastern Diyarbakir, accused of being spies and provocateurs.

Discussion: Today's Zaman …

Brendan Sasso / National Journal:

FCC Chief Says He Agrees With Obama on Net Neutrality. Advocates Don't Buy it. — The chairman's proposal would allow for Internet “fast lanes” in some cases. — The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission said Friday that he and President Obama agree on the importance of protecting net neutrality.

Discussion: Multichannel News, Variety, Wall Street Journal and Broadcasting & Cable

Caroline O'Donovan / Nieman Lab:

BuzzFeed now has editorial and product people in place for its forthcoming news app — Shortly after being hired as head of product for BuzzFeed's new news app, Noah Chestnut started spending more time with his phone, downloading leading news apps, reading email newsletters, and generally checking out the competition.

Discussion: @felixsalmon, @mccollumashley, @niemanlab, @mikeisaac, @mccarthyryanj, @buzzfeedben and @tomgara

D.B. Hebbard / Talking New Media:

Washington Post to launch a 24-page national tabloid edition to be inserted into weekend papers — The Washington Post today said that it would premiere a new 24-page national edition to be inserted into The Dallas Morning News and other newspapers. The tabloid insert will feature local …

Discussion: @michaelroston

Martin Peers / The Information:

HBO's standalone online streaming service won't be less than pay TV retail price of $15/month — HBO's Online Pricing Trap — HBO's broadband service looks doomed even before it starts. — While HBO hasn't disclosed details, pricing of the new broadband offering most likely won't be less …

Discussion: WebProNews and Business Insider