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 …
RELATED:
Brian Heater / TechCrunch:
YouTube CEO Wojcicki promises more transparency, better appeals process for demonetization, including more human reviews, and consequences for “egregious” cases — YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki took to the service's Creator Blog last night to issue some broad goals for the year forward.
Discussion:
YouTube Creator Blog, Polygon, The Verge, Engadget, AndroidHeadlines.com, Android Central, VideoInk and Tubefilter, more at Techmeme »
Dylan Byers / CNNMoney:
Sources: LA Times troubles can be traced to Tronc board manipulation by Eddy Hartenstein, Michael Ferro; Ferro seems to be using Tronc for personal enrichment — After years of painful, protracted decline, the Los Angeles Times has recently descended into chaos: There have been three editors …
Discussion:
@whet, @cnn and @dylanbyers
RELATED:
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Spotify adds songwriter, producer, and musician credits to tracks on its desktop platform — Spotify has addressed a long-standing complaint about its service by adding songwriter, producer and musician credits for tracks on its desktop platform, effective today.
Discussion:
news.spotify.com, RAIN News, @kateo, @desmondchild, Music Week, PigeonsandPlanes, VentureBeat, Billboard, Pitchfork, TechCrunch, Engadget and Fast Company
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, Mashable, The A.V. Club, Variety, The Verge, Polygon, Vanity Fair, The Wrap and The Daily Caller
Ashley Cullins / Hollywood Reporter:
One of three founding partners of Charles Harder's law firm quits, says work for Trump and Hulk Hogan didn't square with interest in defending First Amendment — Media client concerns about the firm's docket contributed to Douglas Mirell's decision to leave.
Discussion:
@johnjcook
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 …
Discussion:
@samthielman, @econ_marshall, @sarahfrier, @jon_allsop, @lawrencehall105, @nitashatiku, @econ_marshall and @zephyrteachout
Gerry Smith / Bloomberg:
HBO has more than 5M online-only subscribers with about half of new customers signed up through HBO Now, other half from online-TV service subscriptions — New deals with distributors gave them more incentive to sell — HBO's online customers in the U.S. have more than doubled in the past year …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Reuters, New York Business Journal, CNBC, Fast Company, Business Wire, FierceCable and Business Insider
Reuters:
Charter Communications beats Q4 targets with revenue of $10.6B, up 3.2% YoY, while profit surges to $9.55B due to a $9.3B benefit from tax changes — (Reuters) - U.S. cable operator Charter Communications Inc (CHTR.O) said on Friday its quarterly profit surged due to a $9.3 billion benefit related …
Discussion:
Multichannel News, Multichannel News and MarketWatch
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.
Discussion:
The New York Observer, @rbilton and @orskov
Reuters:
Bild editor in chief Tanit Koch resigns from the German tabloid over a dispute with digital chief Julian Reichelt, who takes over as EIC — BERLIN (Reuters) - The editor-in-chief of German red-top tabloid Bild, Europe's best-selling newspaper, quit on Friday after losing a power struggle with the head of its digital edition.
Discussion:
New York Times
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 …
Discussion:
BuzzFeed, Washington Examiner and USA Today