Mediagazer: Facebook appears to have deactivated a group planning to flood Rotten Tomatoes with negative audience scores for upcoming Black Panther film (Pamela McClintock/Hollywood Reporter)

3:50 PM ET, February 2, 2018

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Pamela McClintock / Hollywood Reporter:

Facebook appears to have deactivated a group planning to flood Rotten Tomatoes with negative audience scores for upcoming Black Panther film — Calling themselves “Down with Disney's Treatment of Franchises and its Fanboys,” the group is attempting to flood Rotten Tomatoes with poor audience scores …

Discussion: Marvel Studios News, Business Insider, Variety, The Wrap, The A.V. Club, Vanity Fair, The Verge, Polygon and The Daily Caller

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.

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Mya Frazier / Columbia Journalism Review:

Facebook, Amazon stifle public debate on tax incentives they receive by demanding prior notice before state and local govt. officials respond to FOIA requests — It was whispered like some secret oracle: Sidecat, sidecat is coming. — Negotiations over the tax incentive deal began in Ohio …

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Katelyn Polantz / CNN:

Federal judge denies request by CNN, USA Today, and the Daily Caller for DOJ memos about conversations between former FBI Director James Comey and Trump — Washington (CNN)The Justice Department will not have to release memos written by former FBI Director James Comey about conversations …

Reuters:

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Rebecca Morin / Politico:

Media was escorted from RNC's winter meeting on Thursday as Trump called them “haters” and criticized State of the Union address coverage — Media was escorted out of the Republican National Committee's winter meeting on Thursday just as President Donald Trump labeled them …

Discussion: Voice of America

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

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

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

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