Top News:
Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:
AMP adds constraints for faster loading webpages that restrict Javascript and ban some HTML tags including iframes; new AMP-specific elements introduced — Get AMP'd: Here's what publishers need to know about Google's new plan to speed up your website — Google unveiled its new plan …
Discussion:
SiliconBeat, GeekWire, SlashGear, ZDNet, BetaNews, TechnoBuffalo and ampproject.org
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Danny Sullivan / Marketing Land:
Accelerated Mobile Pages Project, Backed By Google, Promises Faster Pages — Google, along with Twitter, is expected to announce a new open initiative aimed at making pages load more quickly on mobile devices, a counter to moves by Facebook & Apple. — Wouldn't you like to have stuff …
Russell Brandom / The Verge:
Google's AMP code available on GitHub as of Thursday, The Guardian, Washington Post, Vox, and others already using it — Google has a new plan to speed up the mobile web. Today, the company announced a technical preview for a system called Accelerated Mobile Pages (or AMP) …
Ravi Somaiya / New York Times:
New York Times memo outlines plans to double digital revenue to $800M in 2020, says 12% of readers currently deliver 90% — Times Co. Outlines Strategy to Double Digital Revenue — The New York Times Company released a strategy memo to its staff on Wednesday outlining an ambitious plan …
Discussion:
Politico, The New York Times Company, Poynter, @brianstelter, @austenhufford, New York Times and @edmundlee
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Matthew Patane / Des Moines Register:
Meredith, Media General stand by deal despite report — Both Meredith Corp. and Media General said they are sticking by a $2.4 billion deal that would combine their companies despite a report saying the deal is in danger. — Citing two anonymous sources, The New York Post reported late Tuesday …
Discussion:
TVSpy and Richmond Times-Dispatch
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Josh Kosman / New York Post:
Sources: Media General drops plans to buy Meredith for $2.4B — Media General drops bid to acquire Meredith — Media General's $2.4 billion agreement to acquire Meredith Corp. is dead, two sources close to the deal said. — One day after The Post reported exclusively …
Discussion:
USA Today, FishbowlNY, TVSpy, Talking New Media, Media Wire Daily and GoLocalProv.com
TechCrunch:
Pandora Acquires Ticketfly For $450M To Sell Concert Tickets — Pandora has a new tool in its belt to fight against Apple Music and Spotify. The music streaming just announced it will purchase Ticketfly, a Ticketmaster-type site, for $450m in cash and stock.
Discussion:
New York Times, Business Wire, Los Angeles Times, Ad Age, Forbes, Radio & Television …, The Verge, Wall Street Journal, International Business Times, Re/code, Music Times, Pitchfork, Ars Technica, Digital Music News, Music Business Worldwide, Associated Press, Variety, TechnoBuffalo, Radio Ink Magazine, Music Ally, Seeking Alpha, Gizmodo, CNET, Billboard, The Next Web, Fortune and The FADER
William Turvill / Press Gazette:
Johnston Press announces closures of 11 free titles to focus on ‘digital offering’ — Johnston Press has announced the closures of 11 free newspapers. The regional publisher has axed eight free print titles in the Midlands and folded a further three into paid-for titles in the North West and South.
Discussion:
Johnston Press plc, @pressgazette, HoldTheFrontPage and Reuters
Greg Howard / Deadspin:
Insiders say ESPN's black sports and culture site The Undefeated has failed to launch because of corporate fear of offending readers and lack of investment — How ESPN's Fear Of The Truth Defeated “Black Grantland” — Last month, The Atlantic published an 18,000-word article by Ta-Nehisi Coates called …
Discussion:
@brownasthenight, City Desk, @jamilsmith, @weareyourfek, @brfreed, @lukeplunkett and @romenesko
Alan Clendenning / Associated Press:
Digital news site El Español launches Wednesday in Spain, led by Pedro J. Ramirez, who was ousted from El Mundo last year — Legendary Spanish editor launching new digital publication — 4 photos — MADRID (AP) — The legendary Spanish newspaper editor is flush with 18 million euros …
Discussion:
euroweeklynews.com
Lisa Campbell / Bookseller News:
Waterstones, the UK's largest book retailer, removes Kindles as sales continue to decline — Waterstones is removing Kindles from stores — Waterstones is removing Amazon's Kindle devices from many of it stores as sales “continue to be pitiful”. — The company's m.d James Daunt …
ProPublica:
Verizon merges its cellphone tracking supercookies with AOL's ad network, will be able to match users' online habits with personal details — Verizon's Zombie Cookie Gets New Life — Verizon is giving a new mission to its controversial hidden identifier that tracks users of mobile devices.
Discussion:
Verizon FiOS & Custom TV, The Next Web, Consumerist, Marketing Land, TechCrunch, Techdirt, SlashGear, Engadget and The Verge
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Facebooks new tools to help TV producers better engage audiences include options for polling and voting, and an easy way to review and curate user submissions — Facebook Enhances Tools for TV Producers to Engage Fans — Facebook, eager to encourage more TV shows to use …
New York Times:
New York Attorney General opens inquiry into fantasy sports sites, asks DraftKings and FanDuel for internal data and details on how they prevent fraud — New York Attorney General Opens Inquiry Into Fantasy Sports Sites — The New York attorney general began an inquiry Tuesday into the prospect …
Discussion:
Legal Sports Report, Rolling Stone, ThinkProgress, VatorNews, CalvinAyre.com, Forbes, Business Insider, Deadspin, The Hill, SBNation.com, FSTA and BetaBoston
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