Top News:
Jonathan Handel / Hollywood Reporter:
NPR staffers weigh a possible strike vote as early as Friday night, while management takes a hard line in contract talks — Management says talks are “productive,” but the union decries an “odious” contract on offer. — Hollywood avoided potential strikes this year by writers and talent, but NPR may not be so lucky.
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we make npr, Variety, The Wrap, @nprmonkeysee, @samsanders, @spacekatgal, @stressandstars, @sonari, @nprmonkeysee, @jmpalmieri, @bob_mondello, @inajaffenpr, @kvox, @hberkes and Poynter
Joseph Bernstein / BuzzFeed:
Leaked documents suggest that Robert Mercer and his family funded Milo Yiannopoulos following his resignation from Breitbart News — The Mercer family helped Donald Trump become President — and they appear to be funding the controversial Yiannopoulos. — Secretive hedge fund billionaire …
Discussion:
@oliverdarcy, @jadomian, @jamesrbuk, Mashable, @kt_thomps, @zengerle, @bernstein, @_grendan, @swin24, @owillis, @kevinroose, @willsommer, @mattdpearce, @bernstein and @gideonresnick
Maureen Farrell / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Roku has hired IPO underwriters, and one source says it may file confidentially in the next few weeks, seeking a valuation of ~$1B — Streaming media player maker said to be seeking a valuation of roughly $1 billion — Roku Inc., which makes streaming media devices and software …
Discussion:
Variety, Reuters, TechCrunch, Axios and Deadline, more at Techmeme »
Sara Fischer / Axios:
BBC's partnership with CBS ends its deal with ABC, as CBS ends its deal with Sky — BBC News is ending its decades-long editorial partnership with ABC news to team up with rival CBS. In a statement released Thursday, network executives celebrated the impact the partnership …
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, TVNewser, USA Today, CNBC, @marksweney and Broadcasting & Cable
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BuzzFeed:
In a familiar pattern, right-wing personalities and media spread false claims about a Russian lawyer who met with Trump Jr., with one claim amplified by Trump — Pro-Trump media figures have gone as far as to falsely suggest that the Russian attorney may have planted a listening device for the Obama administration.
Discussion:
@nickriccardi, @craigsilverman, @tllanes, @kyleparkernet, @rizzmigizz, @salhernandez and @michaeldweiss
Tony Romm / Recode:
FanDuel and DraftKings drop their merger, following FTC's vote to challenge it last month — The decision to terminate the deal comes after the U.S. government voted to challenge it. — FanDuel and DraftKings have decided to scrap their merger rather than fight the U.S. government …
Discussion:
VentureBeat, Fortune, Variety, Engadget, TechCrunch, Legal Sports Report, Legal Sports Report, Axios and Fast Company, more at Techmeme »
Alexandra Ellerbeck / Committee to Protect Journalists:
Recent US Senate report on leaks and national security used unscientific methodology, created false paradigm between national security and press freedom, more — Last week, Republicans on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs released a report on leaks to the media.
Discussion:
@pressfreedom
Joseph Lichterman / Nieman Lab:
A new report says Democrats and Republicans follow the news and access media in similar ways, but Democrats believe the news is more accurate than Republicans — Though Republicans and Democrats have differing — and well documented — views of the media, members of both parties still follow …
Discussion:
American Press Institute, Fast Company, Poynter, @ampress, @janeeliz and @niemanlab
Jack Marshall / Wall Street Journal:
Online publishers like LittleThings and Dotdash are eliminating obtrusive ads to to boost overall revenue and improve user experience — LittleThings and Dotdash say they're taking a ‘less is more’ approach with ads across their sites — For online publishers, more advertising typically means more revenue.
Discussion:
@jackmarshall, @neilvogel, @jamarlinmartin, @jarroddicker, @whatthebit, @eringriffith, @mdudas and @jackmarshall
Lauren Johnson / Adweek:
Pinterest hires Jon Alferness and Meredith Guerriero, senior execs at Google and Facebook, to develop new ad formats and targeting — Jon Alferness and Meredith Guerriero bring search and programmatic expertise — Pinterest is after Google's talent. The San Francisco-based company …
Discussion:
Ad Age and Fortune, more at Techmeme »
Hadas Gold / Politico:
HuffPost launches a 7-week, 23-city bus tour through Middle America to “learn what it means to be American today,” which sources say could cost $1M — Seeking a new direction, the site launches a 23-city bus tour to ‘listen to America.’ — Having made its name as a home …
Slate:
A census of 2,515 Washington journalists reveals that most political reporters haven't adopted secure tools for communicating with sources — When journalists don't step up, leakers are forced to use riskier modes of communication to initiate contact. — In the months since Donald Trump took office …
Discussion:
@jackshafer, @scottnover, @brfreed, @scottnover, @nikkiusher and @mathewi