Top News:
Alex Sherman / Bloomberg:
Source: Charter Communications rebuffs SoftBank's proposal for merger with Sprint — Charter Communications Inc. isn't interested in a merger with Masayoshi Son's Sprint Corp. following a published report that the Japanese billionaire was seeking such a deal, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Discussion:
Light Reading, USA Today, Deadline and The Wrap
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Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Sprint has proposed a merger with Charter Communications; proposal calls for new publicly traded entity that would be controlled by SoftBank — Sprint Chairman Masayoshi Son seeks to create media and communications giant controlled by SoftBank, sources say
Discussion:
Fortune, Axios, Broadcasting & Cable, @econ_marshall, Washington Post, The Verge, Ars Technica, @ddayen, TechCrunch, Engadget and Light Reading
Jon Russell / TechCrunch:
Apple removes all major VPN apps from the App Store in China; the apps allowed users to bypass China's internet censorship — The Chinese government's crackdown on the internet continues with the news that Apple has removed all major VPN apps, which help internet users overcome …
Discussion:
@star_vpn, New York Times, Home of internet privacy, WeLiveSecurity, @expressvpn, Wall Street Journal, @snowden, Reuters, The Verge, @legalnomads, South China Morning Post, CNNMoney, @fawfulfan, TorrentFreak, Fortune, Hong Kong Free Press HKFP, @jacklgoldsmith, Privacy Online News, @hunterwalk, Engadget, NPR, @paulmozur, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, @junkscience, 9to5Mac and Mashable, more at Techmeme »
Heidi N. Moore / Washington Post:
Scaramucci's media tactics reflect the aggressive, personal approach often used by financial firms on reporters — When Anthony Scaramucci took over as White House communications director, prompting the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer, the initial reaction from Washington journalists was warily optimistic.
Discussion:
New York Times, @jayrosen_nyu, @chris_arnade, @kcough, @terrymoran, @abeaujon, @dangillmor, @andreaswalec, @mitch_hell, @gabrielsnyder, @meghanemorris, @lawsciencelogic, @thesarahrose, @hargraver, The Wrap, @anorajourno, @rodboydilm, Slate, Editor & Publisher, Rolling Stone, The Week, Vanity Fair, Mashable, Refinery29, The Daily Caller, Los Angeles Times, Mediaite and Deadline
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Axios:
Sources: Anthony Scaramucci has told associates he plans to dramatically pare back his interactions with journalists following his comments to The New Yorker — Incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci has told associates he plans to dramatically pare back his interactions …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, HuffPost, Washington Post, New York Magazine, New York Times, Refinery29, Jezebel, Fox News Insider, Rolling Stone, Fast Company, The Guardian, Slate, Vox, Politico, TVWeek.com, KCRW, Vanity Fair, Variety, USA Today, The Wrap, Mashable, Strong Language, CNN, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, thecut, Above the Law, Fortune, BAGnewsNotes, Mediaite, New York Post, HuffPost UK, Mother Jones, The Daily Caller, @paleofuture, @tristanloper, @grahamdavida, @axios, @jonathanvswan, @b_fung, @jgreendc, @nycjim, @benjysarlin, @mikeallen, Gothamist, Adweek, The Atlantic, Newser and The Week
Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:
Scaramucci's comments suggest he doesn't know or doesn't care about the basic rules of communicating with the press
Scaramucci's comments suggest he doesn't know or doesn't care about the basic rules of communicating with the press
Discussion:
Axios, NPR, The Daily Caller, @vanya42st and @kristinegwp
BuzzFeed:
Sources: Mikhail Lesin, Putin's former media czar who founded Russia Today, was murdered in DC just before a planned meeting with US Justice Department — Vladimir Putin's former media czar was murdered in Washington, DC on the eve of a planned meeting with the U.S. Justice Department …
Discussion:
New Republic, @tomgara, @miriamelder, The Wrap, @yashar, @christopherjm, @mike_eckel, @meduza_en, The Week, @selectedwisdom, @cjcmichel, @bywillpollock, @elilake, @philiprucker and @juliaioffe
Kara Swisher / Recode:
Katie Couric is ending her Yahoo show and departing Oath, but will work with Oath case-by-case for projects — But the longtime TV news star will still work with the company on a project basis. — Katie Couric is ending her flagship Web interview show for Yahoo, as well as a range …
Discussion:
Business Insider, @leolaporte, Associated Press, Hollywood Reporter, Fortune, TVNewser, The Wrap, TVWeek.com and Variety, more at Techmeme »
Ryan Mac / BuzzFeed:
Current and former SoundCloud employees describe the factors leading to its decline, including its attempt to compete head-on with music streaming giants — SoundCloud was once a platform beloved by listeners and creators, whose leaders hoped to revolutionize the music industry.
Alex French / New York Times:
How The Lego Movie spawned a trend toward non-narrative movies aimed at existing fan bases, like The Emoji Movie and a potential Fruit Ninja movie — Hollywood is aggressively adapting material that doesn't have a narrative or even any characters. But not all intellectual property is created equal.
Sydney Ember / New York Times:
Emerson Collective, founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, agrees to acquire a majority stake in The Atlantic, with full ownership possible in the coming years — Emerson Collective, the organization founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, has agreed to acquire a majority stake in The Atlantic magazine …
Discussion:
Recode, Forbes, Adweek, The Atlantic, @maxboot, The Wrap, The Hill, Folio, Publishing Executive, The Next Web, MacRumors, TechCrunch, Variety, @lpolgreen, Business Insider, Fortune, @dylanbyers, @karaswisher, @douthatnyt, Axios, @davidcorndc, @carlycarioli, @sulliview, Fast Company, 9to5Mac, @mlcalderone, @edmundlee, @melbournecoal, @pbump, @sruthijith, @melbournecoal, @melbournecoal, @joshsternberg, @melbournecoal, @adriennelaf, @anthony, @melbournecoal, @grahamdavida, @jeffreygoldberg, MarketWatch and @alyssarosenberg
John Leland / New York Times:
Profile of gossip columnist Liz Smith, now 94, whose faded power reflects the waning of tabloids — She was the most powerful gossip columnist in the 1980s. A tabloid celebrity herself, she could turn anyone into a star overnight. Until she couldn't. — Liz Smith, who is 94 and recovering …
Discussion:
Jezebel
Lyz Lenz / Columbia Journalism Review:
Profile of CNN's Chris Cillizza, who is relentlessly popular with mainstream audiences but disdained by many reporters for his simplistic political takes — Chris Cillizza might be the only person in America who can have goofy fun talking about Trumpcare, Russian election interference, and the emoluments clause.