Top News:


Inside quirky, self-funded and profitable The Awl: annual revenue in low seven figures, relative freedom for writers, and a cautious growth strategy — Why are the most important people in media reading The Awl? — In March, at the Code/Media conference in Dana Point, California …
Discussion:
@broderick, @lock, @saramorrison, @caseyjohnston, @jamie_delancey, @annaholmes, @scoutstout, @mattdpearce and @digiphile


Zealot Networks, the company run by ex-Maker Studios CEO Danny Zapping, buys aggregator ViralNova in cash-and-stock deal that could eventually be worth $100M — YouTube Pioneer Danny Zappin Buys Facebook Content Factory ViralNova — ViralNova, one of the first sites to figure …
Discussion:
Business Insider, Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Variety, Ad Age, Fortune and The Next Web


Indian Media Startup News In Shorts Lands $20M Series B From Tiger Global — News In Shorts, the startup behind an India-focused mobile news app, has raised a $20 million Series B round from existing investor Tiger Global. — The VC firm, which has backed a number of India's top tech firms …


Publishers should face existential crisis with Facebook Instant Articles ad revenue split, not embrace it — Facebook Instant Articles Just Don't Add Up for Publishers — Publishers like the New York Times should be having an existential crisis over Facebook's instant articles.
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When readers hated Globe and Mail's minimalist app launched in May, it began adding features through small updates within a week — Trials and iterations: The Globe and Mail tries to balance reinvention and familiarity in its new app — There's a predictable cycle that takes place whenever …
Discussion:
E&, @millie and @samkirkland


Sources: Facebook planning to launch Spotify-style music streaming service within the next few months — Exclusive: Facebook in early talks to launch audio music-streaming service — Facebook's digital music ambitions have been making headlines this month, with reports of early talks …
Discussion:
hypebot, MacRumors, Guardian, 9to5Mac, Engadget, Music Week, RAIN News and Business Insider


Meerkat updates app to include sign up via Facebook, 60 second viewer cameos, and a cloud storage option — Meerkat Makes Friends With Facebook's API, Adds Viewer Cameos And Streaming Storage — Live streaming app Meerkat rolled out several major updates this morning …
Discussion:
Medium, Medium, Adweek, Variety, Engadget, Tubefilter, The Next Web, BuzzFeed, MobileSyrup.com, The Tech Portal and Mashable

Chinese news assistant for Die Zeit, Zhang Miao, to be released without charges after nine months of detention — Chinese journalist for Die Zeit to be freed without charge — BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese journalist will be freed without charge following nine months in detention …
Discussion:
Poynter


Cheezburger's Ben Huh steps down as CEO, will be replaced with President and COO Scott Moore — How to Jump Into the Deep End of Change — I'm leaving Cheezburger, Inc., the company I started. — Dear Friends and Fans of Cheezburger, — After 8 incredible years, I am stepping down from being CEO of Cheezburger today.
Discussion:
Business Insider, GeekWire, @benhuh, TechCrunch, @mikeisaac and VentureBeat


Upworthy focuses on story creation by reviewing metrics to find where stories lose readers, switching roles to writers not curators, and trying new formats — How Upworthy is using data to move beyond clickbait and curation — The jokes in Upworthy writer Eric March's piece …
Discussion:
The Awl, CNNMoney, Fortune, The New York Observer, bookforum.com, @amyoleary, @nathanjurgenson, Ad Age, Tubefilter, Upworthy Insider, Digiday and Business Insider


Vox open sources Autotune, a centralized management system for interactive elements like charts and graphics, and provides a reusable blueprint — Introducing Autotune — Today we're announcing a new project we've been working on at Vox Media: Autotune. We built this application to address the problem of reusability in our work.
Discussion:
@loritodd, @ivarvong, @digidave and Nieman Lab


Sources: Aol/Verizon Eyes Millennial Media For Around $300M In Mobile Ad Push — AOL, recently acquired by Verizon for $4.4 billion, appears to be wasting little time in continuing to build out its advertising business. Sources tell TechCrunch that the company has been in the process of buying mobile ad network Millennial Media.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Business Insider and The Drum


Keith Olbermann leaving ESPN again; network says departure is a business decision to move in another direction — Keith Olbermann is leaving ESPN... again — Keith Olbermann is leaving ESPN for the second time. — The outspoken television broadcaster will be leaving the sports network later …
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, ESPN MediaZone, Variety, Broadcasting & Cable, The Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, Poynter, Ad Age and Deadline


BBC spending to be cut by 20% in real terms over five years — Office for Budget Responsibility analysis predicts decline in spending from £3.9bn to £3.5bn by 2020 as BBC covers cost of free TV licences for the over-75s — BBC spending will fall 20% in real terms …
Discussion:
Variety