Top News:
Jack Nicas / Wall Street Journal:
YouTube says it will start labeling videos from state-funded broadcasters like PBS and RT, considers surfacing videos from credible sources alongside hoaxes — Google unit to provide more context around some videos — YouTube said it is planning changes to give users more context …
Discussion:
YouTube Blog, TechCrunch and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Craig Silverman / BuzzFeed:
Researchers say publisher of Newsweek and IBTimes used fraudulent methods to inflate traffic to get ad deals; company acknowledges buying traffic, denies fraud — Several of Newsweek Media Group's business websites are buying and manipulating traffic that originates on pirated video streaming sites.
Discussion:
New York Post, Newsweek, USA Today, @joshfromalaska, @thejoshkeefe, Mic, The Wrap, @hadas_gold, @swiftonsecurity, @morninggloria, @metacurity, @daniel_knauf and Business Insider
RELATED:
Janko Rottgers / Variety:
Spotify is testing Stations, a Pandora-style free music app which includes some personalization options but is currently only available on some Android devices — Music streaming service Spotify released a new Android app that's all about free music Tuesday.
Discussion:
TechCrunch
Lucinda Southern / Digiday:
Financial Times acquires majority stake in London-based research and content firm Longitude — The Financial Times is bolstering its commercial offering for clients with the acquisition of London-based research company Longitude. — With 910,000 paying print and digital readers …
Discussion:
Financial Times, Media Star, Longitude and Talking Biz News
Financial Times:
Sources: BuzzFeed Editor Ben Smith has held preliminary talks with the Emerson Collective, funded by Laurene Powell Jobs, about investing in BuzzFeed News — The editor of BuzzFeed has had discussions with the company started by Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of the late Steve Jobs …
Pete Brown / Columbia Journalism Review:
One-day snapshot of Facebook Instant Articles usage shows 38 of 72 publishers did not post a single Instant Article; long-term analysis shows downward trend — More than half of Facebook's launch partners on Instant Articles appear to have abandoned the format, new Tow Center research suggests.
Jeff Baumgartner / Multichannel News:
AT&T looks to launch next-gen version of DirecTV Now this spring and a voice-controlled client that supports DirecTV Now and other OTT services by end of year — Will launch next-gen DirecTV Now platform this spring, new thin-client streaming device by end of year
Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:
Medium hires Siobhan O'Connor, who had been executive editor of Time, as vice president of editorial, reporting to Ev Williams — Time Inc. vet editor Siobhan O'Connor will be in charge of creating stories to pull readers past the paywall. — Medium, the pro-am Web-publishing outfit founded …
Discussion:
@joepompeo, @pierce and @sarahfrier
Ricardo Lopez / Variety:
Kimi Yoshino returns to LA Times following her suspension by D'Vorkin on suspicion of leaking to outside newspapers about internal turmoil — Kimi Yoshino, the Los Angeles Times business editor unceremoniously suspended last week without a public explanation, is returning to work Thursday.
Discussion:
@byandreachang, @davidfolkenflik, @shelbygrad and @kyoshino
Caroline Lees / European Journalism Observatory:
Reuters study: in Italy and France, false news sites' reach is much lower than that of news sites; Facebook interactions for a few false sites exceed news orgs — The first research into false news sites in Europe reveals that fake news sites in France and Italy have a far more limited reach than is often assumed.
Discussion:
@rasmus_kleis, @rasmus_kleis, Reuters Institute …, @mathewi, Nieman Lab, @melissakchan, @melissakchan, @jayrosen_nyu, @dpfunke, Reuters Institute … and @sohnic
Tatiana Siegel / Hollywood Reporter:
After dominating Sundance for the past two years, Amazon and Netflix skip acquisitions at the festival this year and instead focus on in-house productions — “Frankly, I was confused,” says one agent as the top streamers suddenly give festival fare the cold shoulder in favor of homegrown originals …
Discussion:
The New York Observer
Liz Moyer / CNBC:
CBS and Viacom say both companies have formed board committees to explore a merger — CBS and Viacom are nearer to officially starting talks on reuniting. — The companies said in separate statements Thursday that their boards have formed exploratory committees to mull a deal.
Discussion:
FierceCable, Wall Street Journal, Variety, Radio & Television …, Adweek, The Wrap, PR Newswire, Broadcasting & Cable, @asharma and Los Angeles Times
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