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, Fast Company, mUmBRELLA, Ad Age, SocialTimes, VentureBeat, The Wrap, VatorNews, The Drum, @gvitt, @bfly, Variety, @willstick and Business Insider


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:
The Wrap, 9to5Mac, AppleInsider, MacRumors, The Next Web, The Verge, 9to5Mac and App Advice

Sources: Meredith close to walking away from Media General, clearing the way for Nexstar-Media General deal — Meredith Said Close to Allowing Nexstar's Media General Deal — Parties said to be near agreement on termination package — Meredith may make announcement Wednesday with earnings
Discussion:
New York Times, TVSpy and St. Louis Post-Dispatch


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:
Microsoft News, Engadget, Thurrott.com, Talking New Media and The Next Web


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, @mikeisaac and FishbowlNY


Knight News Challenge to give a total of $3.2M to 17 projects that use data to track police misconduct, improve the FOIA process, and more — Knight News Challenge winners focus on data and transparency — The Knight Foundation just announced the latest round of winners in the Knight News Challenge …
Discussion:
Knight Foundation and Columbia Law School


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, The Verge, Engadget, @mathewi, USA Today, Search Engine Land and The Next Web


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, @dleonhardt, @derekwillis, @jeremybowers, @derekwillis, @gabrieldance and @nate_cohn


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


BuzzFeed sued by British news agency CEN and Michael Leidig for defamation because of story questioning CEN's veracity — BuzzFeed Hit With $11 Million Defamation Lawsuit by Viral News Agency — Michael Leidig and Central European News sue over a piece titled “The King of Bullsh*t News.”
Discussion:
Fast Company and New York Magazine


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, The Huffington Post, @eric_analytics, @ckrewson, @eric_analytics and Forbes