Top News:
Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:
Unwilling to attack grieving students, the NRA turns to Trump's playbook, attacking the news media with claim that media “love mass shootings” — One of the more outrageous assertions in a week overrun with them was Dana Loesch's outright lie that journalists relish massacres of children.
Discussion:
@porter_anderson, @prrosado, @30bike, @andrewgraham88 and @joshtpm
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Hollywood Reporter:
Weinstein Co. board of directors says in letter to bidders Maria Contreras-Sweet and Ron Burkle that they will pursue bankruptcy as talks for a sale break down — Maria Contreras-Sweet and Ron Burkle were part of a bid to buy the embattled company. — The Weinstein Co. board of directors …
Discussion:
The Wrap, New York Daily News, Los Angeles Times and @sharonwaxman
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
After claims that CNN scripted words for a Florida student for town hall, CNN releases emails showing student was asked to use a question he submitted — CNN appears to have had enough. — On Friday afternoon, the network released email correspondence between one of its producers …
Discussion:
Vox, @alexwitt, iMediaEthics, Business Insider, @erikwemple, Slate, The Daily Caller, Deadline, True Pundit, @jaketapper, @upstreamism, @heidiprzybyla, @erikwemple, Mediaite, @erikwemple, TVNewser, @erikwemple, PolitiFact, Washington Examiner, @erikwemple, @erikwemple, Mediaite and Variety
Daniel Funke / Poynter:
Study: number of fact-checking projects up 3x over the last four years, with 149 projects in 53 countries; funding comes from membership, donations, syndication — A new report from the Duke Reporters' Lab offers a snapshot of the evolving fact-checking ecosystem around the world.
Discussion:
@raju and Nieman Lab
Will Oremus / Slate:
Current and former Newsweek staff on how an editorial strategy prioritizing clicks amid IBT Media's troubles led to firings and embarrassing editorial missteps — It stands accused of improper ties to a religious institution. Its newsroom has been gutted by firings and resignations.
Discussion:
@ericapishdadian, @davidsirota and iMediaEthics
Julia Alexander / Polygon:
Due to vague YouTube guidelines and unpredictable demonetization actions some YouTube creators promote the Brave browser, where users can tip via Brave Payments — Cryptocurrency hits YouTube — It's a scary time for YouTubers: YouTube's community guidelines are changing seemingly on the fly …
Timothy Cama / The Hill:
Judge dismisses coal baron Bob Murray's defamation suit against John Oliver and HBO, which was filed in response to a Last Week Tonight segment criticizing him — A West Virginia judge dismissed a coal mogul's defamation lawsuit this week against cable television host John Oliver and HBO.
Discussion:
@billinportland, Mashable, The Daily Caller, @eshap, @mike_stark, @garymwalters, The A.V. Club, Paste and Connecticut Post
Sahil Patel / Digiday:
NBC Sports and Refinery29 partner for a yearlong editorial and marketing Instagram project telling stories about women in sports called On Her Turf — NBC Sports and Refinery29 are embarking on a yearlong social editorial and marketing partnership focused on telling stories about female athletes and other women in sports.
Discussion:
@digiday
Paul P. Murphy / CNN:
YouTube removed Infowars video from The Alex Jones Channel claiming Florida student was paid actor; source: first of 3 strikes before YouTube terminates account — Shooting survivor: I'm not a crisis actor — (CNN)InfoWars, a far-right media organization run by Alex Jones and known …
Discussion:
New York Times, USA Today, Mediaite, @nytimesbusiness, Fortune, @cwarzel, @profcarroll, @darth, @davkat43, BetaNews, @kylegriffin1, @bruce_arthur, KFOR-TV, Hollywood Reporter, GOOD, CNET and The Next Web
Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
Facebook says it will drop 20, or 10%, of its metrics for advertisers that were redundant or outdated, will label metrics not derived directly as “estimated” — Social giant will more clearly label its data and remove about 10% of its metrics that it deems irrelevant
Max Willens / Digiday:
Media outlets' partnerships with Scroll, Invisibly, and Brave signal return of micropayments as solution to ad-blocking, poor user experience, low revenue — With digital ad revenue harder to come by, a growing number of publishers are considering micropayments again, albeit from different angles.
Jon Allsop / Columbia Journalism Review:
The Bay Journal, which covers Chesapeake Bay environmental issues, is suing the EPA, alleging the EPA cut the outlet's funding because of its coverage — The Thomas Point Shoal Light in the Chesapeake Bay. (Photo by Pete Milnes/United States Coast Guard)