Mediagazer: Google sues to block Mississippi AG Jim Hood's “burdensome, retaliatory” subpoena of records, issues a document preservation notice to MPAA (Russell Brandom/The Verge)

5:25 PM ET, December 19, 2014

Top News:

FBI:

FBI concludes that the North Korean government is responsible for Sony Pictures hack — Update on Sony Investigation … Today, the FBI would like to provide an update on the status of our investigation into the cyber attack targeting Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE).

Mary Bruce / ABC News:

Sony Hacking: Obama Says Sony Made ‘Mistake’ in Canceling ‘The Interview’ — President Obama says Sony Pictures Entertainment made a “mistake” in canceling its planned release of the movie “The Interview” following a destructive cyber attack the U.S. government says was launched by North Korea.

Discussion: Deadline, The Wrap, Ars Technica, @brianstelter, Associated Press, @monicacrowley, @awallenstein, @awallenstein, New York Times, USA Today, Vox, Bloomberg.com, NBC News, abc7.com and US News

Brian Stelter / CNNMoney.com:

In new email sent to Sony executives, hackers threaten further release of “sensitive data” pending any “additional trouble” — Source: Hackers send new message to Sony — NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — The hackers behind a devastating cyberattack at Sony Pictures …

Discussion: TVNewser, Washington Post, @reuters, Forbes, Business Insider, The Wrap, Daily Mail, Engadget, BuzzFeed, Gawker, Broadcasting & Cable, The Verge, UPROXX, Re/code, Hit & Run, @zekejmiller, Mashable, @joebelbruno, The Next Web, Gizmodo, Variety, WGBH News, TechCrunch, @charlesarthur, Reuters and Washington Times

Jordan Chariton / The Wrap:

Sony CEO Michael Lynton to President Obama: ‘We Have Not Caved’ (Video) — Sony CEO Michael Lynton fired back at President Obama's calling his decision to cancel “The Interview” a mistake, saying, “We have not caved” to terrorists. — “We have not caved, we have not given in, we have persevered, and we have not backed down.

Discussion: CNNMoney.com, Deadline, TVNewser, Bloomberg, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, @pkafka, Business Insider, @pkafka, @pkafka, @jboorstin, @kenli729, @pkafka, @megjameslat and TechCrunch

Brent Lang / Variety:
Sony Pictures could lose $75M on “The Interview”, which cost $44M to make, $30M to promote

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable, The Wrap, /Film, The New York Observer, Home Media Magazine, Forbes, Latest News & Headlines, Mediaite, Business Insider, BuzzFeed, Bloomberg and Associated Press

Russell Brandom / The Verge:

Google sues to block Mississippi AG Jim Hood's “burdensome, retaliatory” subpoena of records, issues a document preservation notice to MPAA — Goliath strikes back: Google takes legal action against Mississippi State Attorney General Jim Hood — Last Friday, The Verge published …

Discussion: Washington Post, Ars Technica, The Huffington Post, Techdirt, Techdirt, @reckless, @normative and Variety

Andy / TorrentFreak:

MPAA says Google positioning itself as a defender of free speech is shameful — Google & MPAA Publicly Slam Each Other Over Piracy — Even after running for weeks, the fallout from the Sony hacking fiasco is showing no signs of waning. In fact in some areas it appears that matters are only getting worse.

Discussion: @google, Business Insider, Engadget, Forbes, The Verge and Techdirt

Kent Walker / Google Public Policy Blog:
Google concerned by reports that MPAA is secretly working with studios to resurrect SOPA

Roy Greenslade / Guardian:

New York Times to set up digital hub in London — US newspaper plans to move 100 staff into refurbished UK headquarters — The New York Times is making a big move into London. It has agreed to rent new headquarters in Bloomsbury and is expecting to fill it with up to 100 staff in the new year.

Discussion: Poynter and @mstandaart

Craig Silverman / Poynter:

The year in media errors and corrections 2014 — Correction of the Year — This New York Times correction combines Kimye, butts and a writer treating a fake news website and a fake radio station as real. Bravo: … Runner Up — The Sun (U.K.) offered a correction that detailed …

Discussion: @louisehosie, @miriamkrule, @poynter, @mjbroersma, @edyong209, @flashboy, @docfreeride, @sethsolomonow, @rossalynwarren, @craigsilverman and FishbowlNY

Jane Martinson / Guardian:

Guardian and Observer journalists to get vote on next editor-in-chief — Winning staff ballot will guarantee place on shortlist, but ultimate decision on who replaces Alan Rusbridger will be made by owners Scott Trust — The process to appoint the next editor-in-chief of the Guardian …

Discussion: Press Gazette, @jeffjarvis, @henrymance, @alexwtw and @dansabbagh

Eric Blattberg / Digiday:

How Vessel will fare in a YouTube-dominated world — Flush with $75 million in venture capital funding, Vessel, the video startup led by former Hulu CEO Jason Kilar, poses a direct challenge to YouTube. — Vessel officially unveiled its offering on Wednesday, a platform around …

Discussion: ReadWrite

Jonathan Seitz / Nieman Reports:

BuzzFeed executive editor for news Shani O. Hilton talks about news judgment, newsroom structure, and diversity — Shani O. Hilton on Building a Newsroom at BuzzFeed — The viral website's executive editor for news talks about hiring a diverse staff and developing new journalistic standards

Ruth Reader / VentureBeat:

Yahoo to shut down some regional news sites, sunset Yahoo Classic Games, alerts, profile sites — Yahoo announces plans to kill off some regional news sites, sunsets Yahoo Classic Games, alerts, and profile sites — Today Yahoo released an updated product report for 2014, which highlights the closure of several regional sites.

Discussion: Yahoo