Top News:


In 2014 US censored or denied access to 39% of FOIA requests, with unanswered requests up 55% — US sets new record for denying, censoring government files — 1 photo — WASHINGTON (AP) — For the second consecutive year, the Obama administration more often than ever censored government files …
Discussion:
Guardian, The Verge, Hit & Run, @ap, @tbridis, @dangillmor, @attackerman, @aliwatkins, @gtconboy, @propublica, The Week and sunshineweek.rcfp.org
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A Sunshine Week surprise: White House exempts executive office from records requests — The White House on Tuesday removed a longstanding government-transparency rule that the George W. Bush administration first opposed, exempting President Obama's Office of Administration from records requests.
Discussion:
Guardian, Bloomberg Business, Poynter and USA Today


Guardian, FT, CNN, Reuters, and Economist launch new programmatic advertising alliance Pangaea to take on Facebook and Google — Guardian, FT, CNN and Reuters in ad deal to take on Facebook and Google — Pangaea Alliance initiative will give brands access to more than 110 million online readers using programmatic advertising system
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Guardian, Mashable, Capital New York, Beet.TV, Digiday, Wall Street Journal, The Drum, @ylichterman, Business Insider, @heathat, PerformanceIN, mUmBRELLA, Mediatel, The Drum and Financial Times


New York Times adding 20 online opinion writers — The New York Times is bringing on 20 new online-focused writers as contributors for its op-ed and Sunday Review sections, editorial page editor Andrew Rosenthal and op-ed/Sunday Review editor Trish Hall announced in a Wednesday afternoon memo.
Discussion:
@logandobson


Gigaom's challenges: poor leadership, spending beyond means, inattention to longterm problems — Digital Media Darlings Unfazed by the Fall of the News Site Gigaom — In the week and a half since the technology news site Gigaom stopped publishing, it has been held up as a cautionary tale for media in a go-go era.
Discussion:
@fmanjoo, @rafat, @dangillmor, Boing Boing, @ravisomaiya, @mathewi and @jayrosen_nyu


Longtime political blogger Mickey Kaus quits Daily Caller after Editor in Chief Tucker Carlson pulls column critical of Fox News — Mickey Kaus quits Daily Caller after Tucker Carlson pulls critical Fox News column — The blogger Mickey Kaus has quit his job at The Daily Caller …
Discussion:
Poynter, LA Observed, @kausmickey, The Huffington Post, TVNewser, Muck Rack, Talking Points Memo, VDARE.COM, Hit & Run, @petedominick, VDARE.COM, @voxdotcom, Mediaite, Gawker, Vox, @mattyglesias, @brianstelter, @daveweigel, @davidfolkenflik and @tomgara


Inside New York Times Reporter James Risen's Seven Year Fight Against the Government — For seven years, Risen lived under the threat of jail for refusing to reveal a confidential source. When the government backed off, some saw a victory for freedom of the press.
Discussion:
@cgasparino, @michaeloreskes, @cressman, @peacockc and The Newspaper Guild


Ustream opening up its internal SDK and API to developers, enabling anyone to build Meerkat-like apps, by invitation only for now — Ustream's New Live-Broadcasting SDK Lets You Build Your Own Meerkat — Call it a sign of the times: hot on the heels of Meerkat's sudden boom …


Viral content upstart Playbuzz raises $16 million funding round — Viral content publisher Playbuzz, having mastered the Internet—to the tune of 80 million monthly unique visitors—is taking on New York City and the rest of the world. — The company, founded in 2012 by Shaul Olmert …

Kantar report: Biggest advertisers cut spending by 4.2% in 2014 amid shift to digital media — Biggest Advertisers Are Sending Their Dollars to Digital — The country's largest marketers are slashing their advertising budgets as they shift a larger portion of their spending to digital …


Sony's PlayStation Vue streaming TV service launches today in NYC, Chicago, and Philadelphia, starts at $50/month with about 50 channels including CBS, Fox, NBC — Sony's PlayStation Vue streaming TV service launches today in New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia
Discussion:
Forbes, Variety, Mashable, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Bloomberg Business, CNET, Reuters, Polygon and Engadget


Nine broadcasters petition FCC to change disclosure rules for paid programming from spoken on air, to written online — Radio Broadcasters Seek Changes in Disclosure Rules for Paid Programming — A group of radio broadcasters has asked for changes to federal rules about how stations …
Discussion:
@paulgla, @gsterling, AdAge, Future of Music Coalition and @tvnewslab


The NYPD's subtle changes to Wikipedia entries make black victims seem more threatening — NYPD officers editing the Wikipedia pages of black men killed by police conjures a dystopian picture. From within the brutalist edifice of Manhattan's 1 Police Plaza, cops logged in to the online encyclopedia …


Gumroad Adds Rental Option To Online-Video Distribution Service For Filmmakers — Gumroad, which provides behind-the-scenes technology that allows filmmakers and distributors to directly sell their movies and other videos online to consumers, has added Rentals, a function that will allow people …
Discussion:
Tech Times, The Next Web, Forbes and TechCrunch


I want my Kik: MTV embraces the ‘post-website’ publishing era — “I Kik my MTV” just doesn't have quite the right ring to it. But the network launched an account on messaging app Kik last Wednesday in the hopes of building — and eventually monetizing — its presence on the platform.

Public editor on push notifications as spoilers, when to honor embargoes, and disclosure of reporters on TV — Spoilers, Embargoes, Disclosures and ‘Jinx’ — For some of those enthralled with HBO's documentary series “The Jinx,” the Sunday night news alert from The Times was the very definition of a spoiler.
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Curbed NY, NOLA River and Mother Jones


Discovery Channel founder launches nonfiction on-demand streaming CuriosityStream for $3-$6/month — Discovery Channel founder enters the streaming fray — Video streaming services are no longer avant-garde. With HBO Now joining Netflix, Hulu and others like Sling TV …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, VideoInk, StreamDaily and StreetInsider.com