Mediagazer: Why internet journalists don't unionize: lack of leverage, transitory nature of the job market (Lydia DePillis/Washington Post)

2:20 PM ET, February 2, 2015

Top News:

Kristen Hare / Poynter:

Peter Greste: ‘I feel incredible angst about my colleagues, leaving them behind’ — In his first interview since being released from Egyptian prison, Al Jazeera's Peter Greste spoke with the network about his colleagues, Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy, who are still in prison.

Discussion: Al Jazeera English, The Wrap and Mediaite

Mark Colvin / Guardian: In the end, Peter Greste became an irritant for the Egyptian government

@skynewsbreak: Freed al Jazeera journalist Peter #Greste says his release is a “step forward” and hopes his colleagues will be released

BBC:
Peter Greste: Al-Jazeera journalist freed by Egypt

Reuters:
Al Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy expected to be released from Egypt jail soon - security official

Discussion: @pen_int and @nickkristof

Martin Beck / Marketing Land:

Hashtags featured in 50% of Super Bowl ads; 4 Facebook mentions, 3 Twitter, 1 Snapchat — Super Bowl Commercials With Hashtags Slipped To 50% In 2015 — Facebook is the most mentioned social network with four; Snapchat makes its debut. — Fifty percent of 2015 Super Bowl ads carried hashtags …

Discussion: SocialTimes, GalleyCat, /Film, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, @dannysullivan, @learmonth, The Next Web and Mashable

Dominic Patten / Deadline:

2015's Superbowl sees highest overnight ratings in its history, up 4% from last year — Super Bowl Ratings Hit Historic High With Patriots Close Win Over Seahawks — It was so so close, so similar and yet so very different from last year. Last night's Super Bowl was of course similar …

Discussion: The New York Observer, Forbes, Mediaite, AdAge, TechCrunch and Aljazeera

Emily Steel / New York Times:
Super Bowl features 15 first-time advertisers, the most since 2000, as ad sales slow

Discussion: CNNMoney, Al Jazeera, Variety and mUmBRELLA

Ravi Somaiya / New York Times:

After Turmoil, The New Republic Re-emerges on Newsstands — The New Republic is a small magazine that set off a big commotion. — Late last year the magazine's owner, Chris Hughes, decided to replace Franklin Foer, a former top editor whom Mr. Hughes had lured back to run the magazine in 2012.

Discussion: FishbowlNY, @jamilsmith, @joepompeo, @heerjeet, @gabrielsnyder and @jayrosen_nyu

Carol Morello / Washington Post:

Hard-line judge reportedly assigned case of Post reporter Jason Rezaian, jailed in Iran — An Iranian judge known as the “hanging judge” for his harsh sentencing practices has been named to hear the case of a Washington Post reporter who has been imprisoned in Tehran for more than half a year, a human rights group said Saturday.

Discussion: Associated Press, International Campaign …, @anniegowen and New York Times

Carol Morello / Washington Post:
Family of Post reporter held in Iran issues statement

Discussion: @lrozen, @erin_pelton and @jeffreygoldberg

Lydia DePillis / Washington Post:

Why internet journalists don't unionize: lack of leverage, transitory nature of the job market — Why Internet journalists don't organize — The booming world of web media is almost entirely non-union, for reasons that are as much generational as structural.

Discussion: @erikwemple, @mrtimregan, @dangillmor, @errrica, @hoosteen, @greenhousenyt and @robpegoraro, Thanks:@thestoryline

Emily Bell / Guardian:

As it becomes harder to censor journalists, intimidation and violence increase — Journalists back in the firing line as digital media struggles to protect its own — As it has become harder to censor individual journalists and independent teams, the intimidation, violence and imprisonment has increased

Peter Kafka / Re/code:

Louis CK's latest digital-only comedy special outsells his first with little buzz or promotion — Louis CK's New Straight-to-Fan Special Has No Buzz - and It's Doing Better Than His First One — Three years ago, Louis CK filmed his own stand-up comedy special, then sold it on his own Web site.

Discussion: @seanludwig, @johnlegere, @pmarca and @fmanjoo

Brian Steinberg / Variety:

Univision Joins Lineup of Dish's Sling TV — Spanish-language broadcaster Univision Communications has struck a deal with Dish Network's over-the-top Sling video distribution service. Sling's rights will include both live and video-on-demand content. — The terms of the agreement include …

Discussion: Gigaom and NetNewsCheck Latest

Ewen MacAskill / Guardian:

British army creates team of Facebook warriors — Soldiers familiar with social media sought for 77th Brigade, which will be responsible for ‘non-lethal warfare’ — The British army is creating a special force of Facebook warriors, skilled in psychological operations and use of social media …

Discussion: Ubergizmo and Gizmodo

Barrett Brown / The Daily Beast:

My Post Cyberpunk Indentured Servitude — Journalist Barrett Brown looks back in anger at the government's trumped up charges against him as he starts a 63 month prison sentence. — Not long ago I was a mild-mannered freelance journalist, activist, and satirist, contributing to outlets like the Guardian and Vanity Fair.

Discussion: @timbray

Harry McCracken / Fast Company:

AOL officially plans to shut down TUAW and Joystiq, both among the earliest tech blogs — FAREWELL TO TUAW—AND TO A WHOLE ERA OF TECH BLOGGING — I was hoping that the ugly rumors were false. But TUAW—The Unofficial Apple Weblog, which has long been one of the most dependable sources of Apple news …

Discussion: TUAW, @johnlegere, @oricohen, @fastcompany, @harrymccracken and Electronista