Mediagazer: Writer whose post helped kick off #HasJustineLandedYet mob recounts meeting and apologizing to Justine Sacco, reflects on his own fumble with Twitter irony (Sam Biddle/Gawker)

7:15 PM ET, December 20, 2014

Top News:

BBC:

North Korea denies Sony hack, proposes joint inquiry with US, warns of “grave consequences” if Washington refuses — North Korea seeks joint probe with US on Sony hack — North Korea has offered to hold a joint inquiry with the United States into a cyber-attack on Sony Pictures …

Discussion: Reuters, TechCrunch, BuzzFeed, Engadget, Telegraph, VH1 Celebrity Gossip …, BizPac Review, Daily Mail, Deadline, Refinery29 and Mediaite

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: The Wrap, @brianstelter, @monicacrowley, @awallenstein, @awallenstein, NBC News, USA Today, Ars Technica, Vox, Bloomberg.com, Associated Press and New York 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, Variety, Latest News & Headlines, Deadline, Refinery29, Deadline, The Wrap, Deadline, Forbes, @pkafka, @pkafka, @pkafka, @jboorstin, @kenli729, @pkafka, @megjameslat, Hollywood Reporter, Mediaite, Mediaite, AdAge, Bloomberg, Variety, Business Insider and TechCrunch

Brian Stelter / CNNMoney.com:
In new email sent to Sony executives, hackers threaten further release of “sensitive data” pending any “additional trouble”

FBI:
FBI concludes that the North Korean government is responsible for Sony Pictures hack

Sam Biddle / Gawker:

Writer whose post helped kick off #HasJustineLandedYet mob recounts meeting and apologizing to Justine Sacco, reflects on his own fumble with Twitter irony — Justine Sacco Is Good at Her Job, and How I Came To Peace With Her — The internet is a mountain, and if you climb that mountain …

Discussion: @raju, @ryanlawler, @glennf, @anildash, @rafat, @theferocity, @binarybits, @joemfbrown, @nickbilton, BuzzFeed and FishbowlNY

Jay Rosen / Pressthink:

In sustainable news organizations, journalists need to understand the business model, so they can more effectively create value for the business — When to quit your journalism job — When the sales people are happy to sell what the newsroom is happy to make, there you have a well-run editorial company.

Discussion: @dankennedy_nu, @jayrosen_nyu, @stevebuttry, @scottros, @jayrosen_nyu, @jayrosen_nyu and @mathewi

New York Times:

After Google suit, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood calls “time out”, says he'll try to make deal — Sued by Google, a State Attorney General Retreats — Attorney General Jim Hood of Mississippi on Friday agreed to call a “time out” in his fight with Google …

Discussion: Engadget, @ericliptonnyt, @conordougherty, @declanm and @marciahofmann

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

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable, @normative, @reckless, @aaronwall, The Verge, Ars Technica, Business Insider, Washington Post, Techdirt, The Huffington Post, CNNMoney.com, The Hill, Forbes, Engadget, WebProNews, TorrentFreak and Press Association

Janko Roettgers / Gigaom:

Social TV service TVtag, previously known as GetGlue, to shut down end of 2014 — GetGlue successor TVtag is shutting down — Social TV service TVtag, which was previously known as GetGlue, is shutting down at the end of the year. TVtag announced the shut-down in an email to users Friday afternoon …

Discussion: Multichannel News, App Advice and The Next Web

John McDermott / Digiday:

Bustle CEO Bryan Goldberg talks about VC funding, focusing on a niche, and the danger of relying on Facebook traffic — Bustle CEO: Depending on Facebook is a mistake — If digital media is “drunk” on venture capital, then Bryan Goldberg has been overserved.

Max Read / Gawker:

Gawker's 2015 goals: more focus on Kinja's sub-blogs, including Valleywag and Defamer, plus new sub-blogs on media, justice, Internet, true stories — Gawker 2015 — As part of our end-of-year process, all Gawker Media site leads were asked to submit planning memos for the next year.

Discussion: Poynter, @hadas_gold and @nbj914

Jackson Connor / The Huffington Post:

Following Layoffs, NYT Culture Section Devoid Of Black Reporters — Following this week's layoffs at The New York Times there is not a single black reporter on staff at the newspaper's culture section, Journal-isms reported Wednesday. — Felicia R. Lee, previously the only black reporter at the section …

Discussion: @cjfarley and @justinnxt

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:

Bloomberg CEO Dan Doctoroff says farewell as Michael Bloomberg formally resumes leadership — Dan Doctoroff bids farewell to Bloomberg L.P. — Dan Doctoroff bid farewell Friday afternoon to Bloomberg L.P., where he had served as chairman and chief executive since 2008.

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:

New York Magazine reporter who wrote about fake high school stock whiz won't move to Bloomberg — Jessica Pressler staying at New York — Jessica Pressler, the New York magazine reporter who found herself embroiled in a journalism controversy just days after Capital reported she would be joining …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Politico and Talking Biz News