Mediagazer: A Close Call on Publication of Charlie Hebdo Cartoons (Margaret Sullivan/New York Times)

11:40 PM ET, January 8, 2015

Top News:

Guardian Media Group pledges £100,000 to sustain Charlie Hebdo's publication, sees no need to publish its cartoons — The Guardian view on Charlie Hebdo: show solidarity, but in your own voice — Journalists were murdered for exercising free speech. They trampled on religious taboos.

Margaret Sullivan / New York Times:

A Close Call on Publication of Charlie Hebdo Cartoons — Was The Times cowardly and lacking in journalistic solidarity when it decided not to publish the images from the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo that precipitated the execution of French journalists? — Some readers I've heard from certainly think so.

Guardian:

Google and French publishers to donate €250K each to Charlie Hebdo, which plans 1M issue print run next week — Charlie Hebdo staff vow to publish next week with 1m print run — Writer for satirical magazine says ‘stupidity will not win’ following attack in Paris in which 12 people were killed

Liz Alderman / New York Times:
Survivors Retrace a Scene of Horror at Charlie Hebdo

Discussion: New York Times, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Washington Post, Eric Randolph, College Media Matters, @boothwilliam, @nytimesworld, @scottbix, @nytimes, @marclacey and @sarahmaslinnir

John Herrman / The Awl:

Facebook's latest post on video growth shows intent to demote publishers to producers, with uncertain benefits — Territory Annexed — Here is an update from Facebook about what “the shift to video”—that is, the sudden prevalence of auto-playing clips posted directly to the site—means to “creators.”

Kevin Donovan / Toronto Star:

Canada's Global TV anchor Leslie Roberts suspended amid probe of ties to secret PR firm — Global TV anchor Leslie Roberts suspended — TV anchor Leslie Roberts has secretly been part owner of a small public relations firm whose clients appear on his show.

Discussion: @sladurantaye, @bobpickard, @sunlorrie, @emmmacfarlane, @cselley and The Desk

Erin Polgreen / Talking Points Memo:

Hey, Media: Instead Of Lionizing Charlie Hebdo, Support The Artists You're Exploiting — The recent attack on Charlie Hebdo, a weekly satirical French newspaper featuring acerbic cartoons and comics, is shocking. Twelve people are dead, 11 injured. These attacks threaten the freedom of the press.

Discussion: Medium, @law99tech, @kimbui, @kaysteiger, @mattbors, @tigerbeat, @polgreen, @flyingtrilobite, @polgreen, Fusion and NPR.org

Juliana Reyes / Technical.ly Philly:

Launched: The Philly Voice, led in part by daughter of ex-Inquirer part-owner George Norcross — News startup PhillyVoice is now live — The PhillyVoice, the news startup run by former Philly.com staffers, is now live, with lots of content (including wire copy from Reuters) and some ads for local businesses.

Discussion: @bydanielvictor, @howardweaver, @bydanielvictor and @ckrewson

Associated Press:

Mexico holding 13 police officers in journalist's kidnapping — VERACRUZ, Mexico (AP) — Mexican authorities held 13 police officers for investigation Thursday in the disappearance of kidnapped journalist Moises Sanchez and awaited the results of DNA tests on a body found in the area to determine if it is him.

Jacob Kastrenakes / The Verge:

David Cross' new movie will be the first distributed in a pay-what-you-want BitTorrent Bundle — David Cross' new movie will be the first feature film distributed in a BitTorrent Bundle — A Kickstarter hopes to bring the movie to theaters with pay-what-you-want tickets

Discussion: Fast Company, Gigaom, Laughing Squid, LAUGHSPIN, brooklynvegan, Hollywood Reporter, Wall Street Journal, Inside Movies, Tubefilter, The Official BitTorrent Blog, CBS San Francisco, Badass Digest, TechCrunch, TheCelebrityCafe.com and Splitsider

Dade Hayes / Broadcasting & Cable:

CES: Traditional Media Brands ‘Sucking Up’ Tech More Than Ever — Execs report optimism but say the imperative to master technology has never loomed larger — The rapidly shifting world of media content and brands offers seemingly boundless opportunity — but you'd better act fast.

Michael J. de la Merced / New York Times:

Activist hedge fund Starboard again suggests Yahoo merge with AOL, warns against big acquisitions — Activist Hedge Fund Again Warns Yahoo Against Making a Big Acquisition — With speculation picking up among investors about Yahoo going on a shopping spree, an activist hedge fund …

Discussion: PR Newswire, Wall Street Journal, @owlese, Business Insider, PandoDaily, @stevenlevy, Bloomberg and Telegraph

Mahsa Alimardani / Mediashift:

The Story Behind Iran's Censorship Redirect Page — “The Internet environment is like a raging river full of water, and the water keeps on brimming and roaring. If we devise a plan for this river, and can direct it as we wish to a dam, we can create opportunities out of it.