Top News:
David Uberti / Splinter:
An audio recording of Ziff Davis executives' first meeting with Mashable staff sheds light on how the site is to be folded into existing e-commerce business — The recent trajectory of tech site Mashable has put it at the forefront of some of the worst trends reshaping digital media.
Discussion:
@mlcalderone, @mathewi, @jmrivera02, @tim_bays, @saba_h, @mattrosoff, @bmorrissey, @petersterne, @moorehn and @moorehn
RELATED:
Emil Protalinski / VentureBeat:
Google Chrome will start natively blocking ads that do not comply with Coalition for Better Ads guidelines on February 15 — In June, Google revealed that Chrome will stop showing all ads (including those owned or served by Google) on websites that display non-compliant ads “starting in early 2018.”
Associated Press:
Journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates deleted his Twitter account following a contentious exchange with Cornell West in which Richard Spencer became involved — NEW YORK (AP) — Ta-Nehisi Coates has had enough. The influential author and journalist has deleted his widely followed Twitter account, writing “peace, y'all.
Discussion:
New York Times, The Hill, @adviserdavid, @waxelfoley, @dlind, @mightyocd, Mediaite, @jamilsmith, @asteadwesley, Hip-Hop Wired, @nhannahjones and Twitter
Reporters Without Borders:
Reporters Without Borders: 65 journalists were killed in 2017, the least deadly year for professionals in 14 years; Syria and Mexico are deadliest countries — Overview: figures at a glance How we calculate these figures — The 2017 round-up figures compiled by Reporters Without Borders …
Discussion:
Forbes, Reuters, CBS News, DW.COM, Broadcasting & Cable and Al Jazeera English
Filip Struhárik:
Facebook's Explore Feed test led to a 52% drop in interactions for Slovakian mainstream news sites, but only a 29% drop for disinformation sites — Five things we learned when Facebook's Explore Feed destroyed our organic reach. — Two months ago, Facebook launched major “reach-killing” …
Discussion:
Nieman Lab
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
YouTube signs new long-term agreement with Universal Music Group over music rights, royalty rates; sources say Sony Music signed new agreement with YouTube, too — New Universal, Sony agreements allow video uploads to continue — Deals establish royalty rates between YouTube, rights holders
Discussion:
Variety, The Verge, xda-developers, Business Insider, 9to5Google and Axios, more at Techmeme »
Michelle Davis / Bloomberg:
Source: Carlos Slim plans to cut his stake in The New York Times from 17% to about 8%, selling securities in a private offering — Mexican billionaire's stake would be reduced to 8% from 17% — Structure of sale is said to create tax benefits for Slim — Billionaire Carlos Slim …
Discussion:
Financial Times, PR Newswire, @michellef_davis, @danprimack, The Daily Caller and @winnieokelley
Charlie Warzel / BuzzFeed:
Prompted by the “de-badging” of Milo Yiannopoulos, internal emails show confusion among Twitter execs over user verification policies and meaning of the badge — Emails suggest that verification was never quite what Twitter said it was and that the company was aware it served …
Discussion:
@katienotopoulos, @kantrowitz, @heatheremerrick and @lainnafader, more at Techmeme »
Marc Hogan / Pitchfork:
Pitchfork reporter describes a demo of an interactive project with hand-tracking, designed for Magic Leap hardware in conjunction with rock band Sigur Rós — A first look at the billion-dollar company's potentially game-changing collaboration with Sigur Rós
Discussion:
Business Insider, The Verge, Magic Leap, Magic Leap and 9to5Google
Christine Schmidt / Nieman Lab:
Q&A with David Axelrod about The Axe Files, his podcast for low-key conversational interviews; podcasts' popularity; and the challenges facing local newsrooms — “I'm not there to ask the top-ten kind of news questions of the day. I'm there to find out who people are and who motivates them …
Discussion:
@niemanlab, @newsbyschmidt and @niemanlab
Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:
Rep. Marsha Blackburn proposes bill to ban site blocking and throttling but allow fast lanes and bar FCC from regulating ISPs as common carriers under Title II — FCC would be permanently barred from using Title II authority over broadband. — A Republican lawmaker is proposing …
Discussion:
The Verge, Washington Post, @publicknowledge, Breitbart and @ceciliakang, more at Techmeme »
Katherine Goldstein / Vox:
Sexual harassment and lack of institutional support has driven some female journalists out of the industry, like ex-Washington Post intern Kate Havard — “I was someone who could have gone somewhere.” — “Damn, you look hot today.” — It was 2013. Kate Havard was a reporting intern …
Discussion:
@amritalamsal, @amlwhere, @mtdukes, @esmcintyre, @debpickett, @masumaahuja, @saraashleyo, @terabithia4, @kgeee and Splinter
Commissioning Editor - Practical Law — 
Energy Markets Reporter, London — 
Oil Reporter, Singapore — 
Newsperson - State Govt. & Politics, CA — 
Business Reporter, SC — 
State Government Reporter, WA — 
Climate Crisis Columnist — 
Multimedia Journalist, CA — 
Community Engagement Mgr., DC — 
Staff Writer - Business, NY — 
Editor, MA — 
Team Editor - Breaking News, ON — 
Senior Reporter & Event Host, NY/CA — 
Climate & Weather Reporter, MN — 
Senior Tech Editor, Remote US — 
News Reporter, MA — 
Multimedia Journalist, PA — 
Managing Editor, WA — 
Private Credit Reporter, NY — 
Trending News Reporter, TX — 
Legislative Reporter, CA — 
Reporter, PA — 
Visual Editor, Remote — 
Staff Writer, MI — 
California Playbook Writer, CA — 
Senior Media Editor — 
National Investigative Reporter, NY — 
Business & Gaming Reporter, NV — 
Coastal Climate Reporter, SC — 
Environment & Energy Reporter, CT — 
Coordinating Editor, OR — 
Staff Reporter, CA — 
Data Editor, NY — 
Editor-in-Chief, AZ — 
