Mediagazer: Sen. Al Franken asks Uber CEO Travis Kalanick for answers on privacy, God view tool, discipline for Emil Michael, and tracking journalists (Al Franken)

3:30 AM ET, November 20, 2014

Top News:

Jack Shafer on losing his job, and the state of things — I called up the legendary media critic Jack Shafer after word got out he'd been laid off at Reuters. There was some idea of putting it all together into an article but he speaks too well for himself for us to publish it any other way than as a Q and A. So here you go.

Discussion: @johnjcook, @jordanginsberg, @jason_pontin, @tmcgev, @sashak, @tomgara, @lucia_graves, @dangillmor and @digiphile

Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
Media critic Jack Shafer leaves Reuters

Discussion: Poynter, @jackshafer, @carr2n and Talking Biz News

Matthew Zeitlin / BuzzFeed:
Reuters To Cut Jobs Despite Budget Increase

Discussion: @mattzeitlin, @oliverburkeman, @tomgara, Talking Biz News, The Wrap and @s_m_i

Michael Wolff / USA Today:

BuzzFeed misled by suggesting everyone present at Uber dinner heard Emil Michael's remarks — Behind the scenes at Uber/BuzzFeed fracas — Uber is at the forefront of a vast reordering of ground transportation and how we use cars. It is also in the middle of many publicity storms.

Al Franken:

Sen. Al Franken asks Uber CEO Travis Kalanick for answers on privacy, God view tool, discipline for Emil Michael, and tracking journalists — Dear Mr Kalanick — I am writing in regard to reports of recent comments and actions by top Uber executives concerning journalists.

Stuart Dredge / Guardian:
Ashton Kutcher, here's what's wrong with Uber ‘digging up dirt’ on journalists

Discussion: MarketWatch, The Next Web, VatorNews, Business Insider and @stuartdredge

Ben Sisario / New York Times:

Billboard Top 200 album chart will incorporate streaming data starting Dec. 3 from services including Spotify, Beats Music, Google Play, Xbox Music — Billboard, Changing the Charts, Will Count Streaming Services — Streaming music services like Spotify have brought big changes to the music industry.

Discussion: VentureBeat, Billboard, Hollywood Reporter, USA Today, Variety, TIME, Mashable, Stereogum and @hunterschwarz

Steve Albini / Guardian:

Music producer Steve Albini discusses how the music industry is thriving on the internet, the death of labels, and copyright law — Steve Albini on the surprisingly sturdy state of the music industry - in full — The music producer, Shellac frontman and author of seminal 1993 essay …

Discussion: @makeitinmusic, @braxtonpope, @xor, @silviakillings, @raypride, @asilentfilm, @robertloerzel and @illywhacker_

Alexandra Bruell / AdAge:

Condé Nast Agrees to GroupM's Tougher Ad Viewability Standards — Condé Nast, the publisher of brands such as Vogue and Style.com, has agreed to GroupM's demand to pay only for online ads that are entirely viewable by consumers, a tougher standard than the industry has been pushing.

Discussion: MediaPost, @mwalrath, @rmaster and WWD

Benjamin Mullin / Poynter:

Pop Up Archive releases new audio transcription features — New podcasting initiatives, including “Serial”, “StartUp” and “Radiotopia” have lately attracted a lot of attention from reporters and investors. — But with all this new audio being gathered and posted to the Web, how can journalists and their audiences parse it?

Discussion: Knight Foundation

Stuart Dredge / Guardian:

8tracks streaming music service aims to be a ‘better friend’ to indie labels — With 8m users, site also wants to be ‘better about how we matchmake between listener and DJ’ — It's easy for the debate around digital music to be dominated by the big services, from iTunes and Spotify to YouTube and SoundCloud.

Joseph Lichterman / Nieman Lab:

Solutions in Seattle: A partnership has helped The Seattle Times rethink its education coverage — For nearly two decades, a community group on Chicago's Northwest Side has been recruiting parents to spend more time in their children's schools. Since its formation in 1995 …

Discussion: @jayrosen_nyu, @niemanlab and Washington Post

Angela Doland / AdAge:

For the First Time, TV Will Account For Less Than Half of China's Ad Spending This Year — For the First Time, TV Will Account For Less Than Half of China's Ad Spending This Year — Going Native: Content Marketing Strategies — It was a tradition of China's ad world …

Tara Conlan / Guardian:

War journalists ‘being targeted and silenced’, says Rory Peck Trust chief — Tina Carr warns of worst-ever conditions for freelance journalists as winners of the 2014 Rory Peck awards are announced — Freelance journalists are “being targeted and silenced more than ever” in warzones …

Discussion: Rory Peck Trust, @stkonrath and @pjpeterpower

Satta Sarmah / Fast Company:

Female Journalists are Launching Their Own Media Ventures That Could Rewrite How the Industry Produces and Funds Content — Not many journalists would leave a high-profile job at one of America's most storied newspapers to create their own startup. — But that's exactly what former Wall …

Discussion: @pmarca, @damon, @_workingmother_, @jyarbrough and @iwflf

David L. Ulin / Los Angeles Times:

2014 National Book Awards go to Phil Klay, Evan Osnos, Ursula Le Guin — Let's be honest: At the 2014 National Book Awards ceremony Wednesday night, Ursula K. Le Guin stole the show. Speaking from the stage at a black-tie ceremony at the Manhattan restaurant Cipriani …

Discussion: GalleyCat and Guardian

Lara O'Reilly / Business Insider:

Apple partnering with Rubicon Project to sell iAds through company's automated marketplace — Apple Is Planning To Turn Around iAd By Venturing Into Programmatic For The First Time — Apple's mobile advertising unit iAd is moving into programmatic advertising for the first time by partnering …

Discussion: SlashGear and AppleInsider