Mediagazer: Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox held merger talks with Discovery (Financial Review)

8:25 PM ET, February 23, 2015

Top News:

Joseph Lichterman / Nieman Lab:

Snapchat stories: Here's how 6 news orgs are thinking about the chat app — When Sam Sheffer, The Verge's social media editor, launched the site's Snapchat account at the end of July last year, he meant it to be a small-scale experiment. — “I only promoted it on my personal Twitter account,” Sheffer told me.

Discussion: Gigaom, @btrpkc, @joesteel, @ylichterman, @digitalshields and @noahchestnut

Isabell Hülsen / Spiegel Online:

Jeff Bezos Takes Washington Post into Digital Future — A spirit of enthusiasm has infused the office of the once troubled Washington Post following its purchase in August by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. He is turning the newspaper into a laboratory for the digital future. Can he save a sick industry?

Discussion: @kevinloker, Media Nation, @maurowhiteman, @kevinloker, @niemanlab and @krystlekopacz

Tony Maglio / The Wrap:

Dish Network Founder Charlie Ergen Stepping Back Into CEO Role — When Dish Network President and CEO Joe Clayton retires on March 31, company Co-founder and Chairman Charlie Ergen will step back into those top day-to-day jobs. — “Over the last four years, Joe's leadership has been instrumental …

Discussion: Gigaom, Variety, @sherman4949, Home Media Magazine, Bloomberg Business, Financial Times, Bloomberg Business, Hollywood Reporter and Wall Street Journal

Wayne Friedman / MediaPost:
In 2014 Q4, Dish loses 65K subscribers but revenue rises 5.3% to $14.6B, net income up 17% to $945M

Discussion: Home Media Magazine, The Huffington Post, Bloomberg Business, 24/7 Wall St., Multichannel News, Wall Street Journal and Associated Press

Mike Collett-White / Reuters:

Reuters journalist Maria Golovnina dies in Pakistan aged 34 — (Reuters) - Maria Golovnina, Reuters bureau chief for Afghanistan and Pakistan who was widely loved and admired for her courage, compassion and professionalism, died in Islamabad on Monday. — Maria, 34, was found collapsed …

Discussion: @alicesperi and @omarwaraich

Firstpost:
Reuters Pakistan bureau chief Maria Golovnina found dead

Discussion: Agence France-Presse, Samaa TV News, IBNLive, Pakistan Today, The Economic Times, International Business Times, Geo tv | Geo News, The Express TribuneThe … and Hindustan Times

Tina Nguyen / Mediaite:

Comcast Accused of Paying Off Al Sharpton in $20 Billion Racial Discrimination Lawsuit — Today, Comcast and Time Warner Cable were served with a lawsuit from a group of African-American media owners seeking $20 billion — yes, “billion,” with a “b” — for discriminatory practices …

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable, Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap

Zack Whittaker / ZDNet:

Highlights from Reddit Q&A with Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras after “Citizenfour” Oscar — Any regrets, Edward Snowden? “I'd have come forward sooner” — Summary:The former NSA contractor turned whistleblower said during a Reddit question-and-answer session …

Discussion: The New York Observer, VentureBeat, The FADER, The Huffington Post and Mediaite

Peter Maass / The Intercept:
The Intercept's Laura Poitras Wins Academy Award for ‘Citizenfour’

Discussion: ACLU, Guardian, @mmflint, The Hill, Bloomberg View, The Daily Caller, Poynter, @annepasternak, @kashhill, @jayrosen_nyu, SiliconBeat, The Verge, Ars Technica, Boing Boing, @javisalas and @jonrussell

Jordan Chariton / The Wrap:

Tim Molloy Named Editor of Boston.com — Boston.com named Tim Molloy as its new editor Monday, the website announced. — Molloy joins the Boston news website as its chief editor from PBS' Frontline, where he served as digital engagement editor after twenty years working as an editor …

Discussion: Poynter, Media Nation, BostonGlobe.com, @adam_bryant and NetNewsCheck Latest

Joe Pompeo / Capital New York:

Internal Guardian editor candidates release vision statements as news org. talks with outside talent like Buzzfeed's Ben Smith and ex-NYT editor Jill Abramson — Guardian headhunters reach out to New York for ideas, candidates — The four insiders publicly vying to be The Guardian's next editor …

Discussion: @joepompeo, Guardian & Observer NUJ, Guardian & Observer NUJ, Guardian & Observer NUJ, Guardian & Observer NUJ, Spectator and Polis

CBC News:

Mohamed Fahmy's retrial in Egypt adjourned until March 8 — 'It's another circus of a retrial,' after 2 witnesses don't show, says Fahmy, seeking deportation to Canada — Fahmy's retrial in Egypt adjourned until March 8 2:23 — The retrial of Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy …

Discussion: BuzzFeed, Cairo Post, CBC News, Al Jazeera English, Daily News Egypt, Toronto Star, Guardian and Global News

BBC:
Alaa Abdel Fattah: Egypt jails activist-blogger for five years

Discussion: @mffahmy11, ABC, euronews, Global Voices, International Business Times, Associated Press, Ahram Online, Daily News Egypt and Associated Press

Will Carty / The Twitter Blog:

Twitter announces that it is backing the FCC's net neutrality proposal — Why Twitter faves #NetNeutrality — The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is poised to act on a “net neutrality” proposal that will put vital consumer and competitive protections back on the books …

Todd Spangler / Variety:

YouTube Kids Free App Launches on Apple's iTunes, Google Play — YouTube has officially launched a free app designed for kids 5 and younger, in a bid to capture more viewing from the ankle-biting demo — in a safe and secure walled garden. — The free YouTube Kids app includes videos from Jim Henson Co. …

Discussion: The Next Web, The Official Google Blog, louisgray.com, CNET, 9to5Google, Mashable, VideoInk, Wall Street Journal and Guardian

Stuart Dredge / Music Ally:

Apple expanding its editorial efforts, hiring music journalist for iTunes team in London — Apple hiring for iTunes role with ‘specific expertise in music journalism’ — A recruitment ad for an ‘Editorial Producer’ within Apple's iTunes team in London hints at plans to beef …

Discussion: The Next Web, @jessicasuarez, CNBC, hypebot, TechCrunch, Business Insider, RAIN News and Digital Spy

Financial Review:

Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox held merger talks with Discovery — Rupert Murdoch's US entertainment company, 21st Century Fox, has held preliminary discussions about a tie-up with Discovery Communications that would create a $US100 billion sports, movie and entertainment giant.

Discussion: Hollywood Reporter, Quartz, Reuters, USA Today, Multichannel News, Broadcasting & Cable and Deadline

Chris Welch / The Verge:

MLB considers spinning off its powerful streaming business — MLB Advanced Media, the baseball league's booming technology division, is quickly growing into one of the most crucial companies in all of streaming. It powers MLB.TV. It powers WWE Network. It powers Sony's PlayStation Vue internet TV service.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal and Quartz

Michelle Goldberg / Washington Post:

Feminist writers are so besieged by online abuse that some have begun to retire — Michelle Goldberg, a contributing writer at the Nation, is the author of “The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power and the Future of the World.” — Jessica Valenti is one of the most successful and visible feminists of her generation.

Discussion: @sheshouldrun, @j_nb, @ahiatt and @awid

Johan Ahlander / Reuters:

Swedish reporter says freed after being held by Syrian government forces — (Reuters) - A Swedish freelance journalist who went missing close to areas controlled by Islamic State militants told Swedish media he had been freed after a week being held by Syrian government forces.