Mediagazer: The Conversation expands across the U.S., freshly funded by universities and foundations (Shan Wang/Nieman Lab)

3:05 PM ET, February 5, 2016

Top News:

Shan Wang / Nieman Lab:

The Conversation expands across the U.S., freshly funded by universities and foundations — January was a good month for The Conversation U.S. (TCUS), the American edition of the nonprofit site first launched in Australia as a platform seeking to offer in-depth, reliable takes on the news cycle.

Mădălina Ciobanu / Journalism.co.uk:

Al Jazeera launches live audio streaming service for mobile-first audiences — The web application is primarily aimed at people in the Middle East, Africa and South-East Asia, where video news consumption is limited by poor internet connectivity — A new audio streaming service …

Discussion: @mohamed, @niemanlab and Al Jazeera English

Wall Street Journal:

In SEC filing, Lions Gate discloses interest in merging with cable network Starz — Lions Gate to Explore Combination With Starz — Lions Gate Entertainment said it has rekindled merger talks with Starz, a year after cable mogul John Malone set the table for a tie up.

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, The Wrap, Variety, Broadcasting & Cable, Fortune, Variety, USA Today, Hollywood Reporter, Ad Age, Deadline, Los Angeles Times and Reuters

Rich Juzwiak / Gawker:

Some new writers for Bustle face a probing survey asking about sensitive topics including trauma, sex, and medical issues — Bustle and the Industrialization of Confession — Imagine you just started at a new job. You work remotely and have never met your boss in person.

Discussion: @sarah___waldron, @michaelroston, @hannahgais, @petersterne, @theseantcollins, @lisamcintire, @cal_beu, @allegrakirkland, @mccarthyryanj, @mseling, @sapna, @amandakhurley, @mseling, @joshhterry and @libbyanelson

Emiko Jozuka / Motherboard:

Publishing company Visual Editions and Google Australia create immersive, interactive ebooks for mobile — The Future of Books Could Be Somewhere Between a Game and an App — In the not so distant future, reading might feel more like a cross between gaming and watching a film.

Discussion: Guardian, Alphr, Good E-Reader, Talking New Media, Melville House Books, Bookseller News, The Digital Reader, Digital Spy, TechRadar.com, NBC News, Ubergizmo, AndroidHeadlines.com, Engadget, 9to5Google and Ausdroid

Ken Doctor / Politico:

Sources: New editor to be installed at Las Vegas Review-Journal as early as Friday, stories involving owner Adelson are being reviewed, changed, or killed daily — Sheldon Adelson tightens grip on Review-Journal — After a brief spell of normalcy seemed to return to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, all bets are now off.

Discussion: Washington Post, New Republic, The Forward, @jacobwe, Politico, Deadspin, Gawker, @nicktimiraos, @benjysarlin, @alexweprin, @jayrosen_nyu, @michaelcoleman and @alexweprin

Ken Doctor / Politico:

Amid GateHouse Media's fading role in managing the Las Vegas Review-Journal, CEO Mike Reed defends investigation of judges, criticizes newsroom — The lingering mystery plaguing new management at the Las Vegas Review-Journal — Several mysteries tumbled out of Sheldon Adelson's secret …

Discussion: @stephgrimes

Lacey Rose / Hollywood Reporter:

Inside the planning, hiring, and programming for Vice's new cable channel Viceland, which launches February 29 — Vice's Shane Smith Asks, “You Think I Could Hoodwink Bob Iger, Jeff Bewkes and Rupert Murdoch?” — On the eve of Viceland's launch, Vice's CEO and the channel's co-president Spike Jonze reveal …

Discussion: Variety, Variety, The Drum, Business Insider, TVNewser, Business Insider, @pkafka and @laceyvrose

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Apple TV Adds App for Brit-Television Streaming Service Acorn TV — RLJ Entertainment's Acorn TV subscription-video service, which specializes in bringing British television fare to U.S. audiences, is now available on Apple TV. — Acorn TV, priced at $4.99 per month, offers access to more than 1,800 hours of programming.

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Multichannel News, Tech Times and International Business Times

Shan Wang / Nieman Lab:

Public radio staffers across the U.S. lay out new guidelines for podcast audience measurement — If you work with podcasts, how many times have you heard complaints about the difficulty of getting accurate data on audiences and their listening habits, and the lack of an industry standard?

Discussion: Google Docs and AllAccess.com

Krysia Lenzo / CNBC:

News Corp reports Q2 revenue of $2.16B, down 4% year over year, blames currency changes, print revenue; will focus on streamlining newspapers in Australia, UK — News Corp earnings: 20 cents per share, vs expected EPS of 21 cents — News Corp. reported mixed results on Thursday …

Ricardo Bilton / Digiday:

In search of Facebook love, publishers form link-sharing pacts with each other — Publishers today will do anything to grow and find new readers — even if that means teaming up with rival sites. — The Daily Dot regularly posts other publishers' articles on its Facebook page, which featured 40 such articles in the past week.

Discussion: mUmBRELLA and @lindseyweber, Thanks:@steverubel