Top News:
Chris Lehmann / The Baffler:
A former news exec looks back at Yahoo News: algorithms defining coverage, blogs that never launched, and PR as journalism — Purple Reign — When the great granddaddy of opinion journals, The New Republic, abruptly vanished in a sad, squalid burst of pixel dust and management theory last winter …
Discussion:
@tayhatmaker, @davidsirota, @mariabustillos, @jamiemottram, @thecajunboy, @samfbiddle and @pakhead
Jason Subler / Reuters:
Reuters websites become inaccessible in China — (Reuters) - The news websites of Reuters, including those in English and Chinese, were inaccessible in China on Friday, after users first experienced difficulties accessing them late on Thursday. — The websites of Bloomberg News …
Discussion:
Poynter, @andrewjacobsnyt, New York Times, The Next Web, Quartz, @greatfirechina, Tech in Asia, @jonlsullivan, Reuters, TechCrunch, Shanghaiist, @joshchin and @jenn1marsh
Dylan Byers / Politico:
New York Times ends contract with new columnist, geneticist Razib Khan, after Gawker writes about his earlier affiliation with far-right publications — New York Times drops Razib Khan — The New York Times has terminated its contract with one of its new online opinion writers …
Discussion:
Gawker, @mbeisen, @razibkhan, Gawker, @razibkhan, @razibkhan, bookforum.com, @herandrews, VDARE.COM, @s8mb and @charlesmurray
Ricardo Bilton / Digiday:
Guardian Labs alternative approach: 130 people building apps, giving reporters final say on content, and screening all sponsors — One year in: What The Guardian's content studio has learned — While most publishers' content studios are writing articles and filming videos for brands …
Discussion:
@digiday
John Paczkowski / BuzzFeed:
A look back at Yahoo News from a news executive during 2009-2011; journalism served as a veneer for elevated advertising — New Apple TV Set Top Will Debut This Summer With App Store, Siri — Apple intends to show the device off at its annual World Wide Developers Conference in June
Discussion:
TechCrunch, AppleInsider, BGR and Business Insider
Dru Sefton / Current:
PBS NewsHour website makeover saw page views increase from 15.7M in Q1 2014 to 25.1M in Q4 — PBS NewsHour expands online audience with website makeover — A focus on audience engagement and social media has paid off for the PBS NewsHour website, which relaunched Feb. 1, 2014.
Discussion:
@drewhawkins and @honegger
Michael Sebastian / AdAge:
Interview with NYT Now Editor Cliff Levy on the future of the app, mobile, and curation — New York Times Shifting Resources from ‘Every Division’ to Mobile — Conversation with Cliff Levy, Editor of NYT Now — is The New York Times' lower-priced subscription app.
Discussion:
FishbowlNY and @readmark
Mark Bergen / AdAge:
Apple opens iTunes Radio inventory to automated ad buying through iAd, includes granular targeting but emphasizes customer privacy — Apple Opens Up iTunes Radio Inventory to Automated Buying Through iAd — Advertisers Can Target Apple Listeners With Phone, Email Identifiers
Discussion:
MediaPost, 9to5Mac, AppleInsider and RAIN News
Rob Evans / Guardian:
UK Supreme Court to rule Thursday on whether Prince Charles' letters to government should be public — Supreme court to rule on Prince Charles letters — Judgment due on whether government illegally blocked publication of letters to ministers in which prince sought to change policies
Discussion:
Reuters, BBC, @mastermanmurray and @davidtpegg
Telegraph:
Four Sun journalists, including chief reporter John Kay and royal editor Duncan Larcombe cleared of bribery charges — Sun payments trial: Four journalists cleared of paying public officials — Sun journalists, including chief reporter John Kay and royal editor Duncan Larcombe …
Leah Schnurr / Reuters:
Canadian TV cable and satellite firms must offer a la carte TV and basic $19.70-a-month package by 2016 — Canadians to be allowed to ‘pick and pay’ TV channels — (Reuters) - Canadian television viewers will no longer be forced to pay for vast numbers of channels they do not watch …
Discussion:
Global News, CBC News and Quartz
Brent Lang / Variety:
MGM net income for 2014 hits $156M, up 27%; full-year revenues fell 5.4% to $1.44B — MGM Revenues Fall, but Profits Rise on TV Strength, ‘The Hobbit’ — The lack of a James Bond picture caused revenue to fall at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 2014 even as the studio managed to record record profits.