Top News:


Confirmed: Twitter Appoints Longtime American Express Executive Leslie Berland as CMO — Here's some positive executive news coming out of Twitter: It has found its new chief marketing officer. — Twitter has appointed longtime American Express executive Leslie Berland to CMO …
Discussion:
@jack, TechCrunch, Ad Age, SocialTimes, Adweek, The Wrap, VatorNews, VentureBeat, @willstick, Variety, @gvitt, The Drum, Business Insider, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal
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Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Joanna Coles joins board of Snapchat — Joanna Coles Joins Board of Snapchat — Joanna Coles is upping her tech cred. — The editor in chief of Cosmopolitan, who also serves as editorial director of Seventeen, joined the board of directors of Snapchat in early December.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Fortune, @pkafka, FishbowlNY and @mikeisaac


Sources: Apple building paywall system to let publishers offer subscription content through the News app — Apple plans to offer subscription content through News app — Apple Inc (AAPL.O) is working to make subscription content available through its News app, giving publishers with paywalls …
Discussion:
AppleInsider, The Next Web, The Verge and 9to5Mac


Google brings real-time responses from presidential candidates to search results in an experimental feature rolled out in partnership with the Fox News Channel — Google Takes On Twitter By Integrating Real-Time Responses From Presidential Candidates Into Search Results
Discussion:
VentureBeat, Official Google Blog, @mathewi, USA Today and Search Engine Land


Amanda Cox Named Editor of NY Times' Upshot — The New York Times has named Amanda Cox editor of its data-centric site The Upshot. — Cox was most recently the Times' graphics editor. She joined the company in 2004. — “Amanda Cox has a singular reputation among her colleagues …
Discussion:
@dleonhardt, @jeremybowers, @derekwillis, @nate_cohn, @derekwillis, @gabrieldance and @dleonhardt


Behind the launch of the new journalism school at Morgan State University — This is what it's like to launch a journalism school from scratch — If you had the chance to launch your own journalism school, how would you do it? If your mind starts to run wild, tack on some limitations …
Discussion:
@niemanlab and @niemanlab


Interactive Advertising Bureau CEO calls Adblock Plus an “extortion racket” after denying company a spot at annual conference — IAB Chief Blasts Adblock Plus as an ‘Immoral, Mendacious Coven of Techie Wannabes’ — When Adblock Plus said it had been “disinvited” …
Discussion:
Ad Age, MinOnline, IAB, Techdirt, MediaPost, Business Insider, @johnbattelle, @xor, @simoncrosby, @r2rothenberg, @om, @zseward, @dangillmor, @whatthebit and Ad Age


Microsoft launches Bing-powered iOS news app, News Pro, and personalizes interests by using Facebook and LinkedIn sign-ins — Microsoft Launches A Bing-Powered News App For iOS Devices, News Pro — Microsoft today unveiled yet another application aimed at iOS users …
Discussion:
Business Insider


Interview with Nonny de la Peña, one of the pioneers of virtual reality journalism — Virtual reality pioneer Nonny de la Peña charts the future of VR journalism — Nonny de la Peña was the first person to bring modern virtual reality to Sundance, when she debuted Hunger in Los Angeles in 2012.

Philly's Billy Penn to be the first local independent publisher using Facebook Instant Articles, launching early February, also plans to use Google AMP — Could Facebook Instant Articles help hyperlocal news? — Community engagement and exposure isn't just about attracting traffic to your website.
Discussion:
@newswhip, @eric_analytics, @ckrewson, @eric_analytics, The Huffington Post and Forbes


EasyJet deputy chairman Charles Gurassa appointed as Channel 4 chairman, replacing Lord Burns — EasyJet's Charles Gurassa appointed as Channel 4 chairman — Broadcaster's incoming chair, who replaces Lord Burns, will have to deal with government review, which could result in privatisation
Discussion:
Telegraph, Financial Times, Hollywood Reporter, Advanced Television and Express & Star


Instagram is showing a lot more ads: one ad network served 50M in August, 670M in December — Instagram Is Showing You a Lot More Ads Than It Used To — You haven't been imagining it — Instagram is showing you more ads. A lot more ads, actually. — Instagram cryptically announced …
Discussion:
Fast Company, Digiday, App Advice, @mvellank, @adamostrow, @dannysullivan, @shiraovide, Fortune, App Advice and SocialTimes