Top News:


The 2018 Oscars experienced a 16% decline YoY in ratings, with 26.5M US viewers watching the four-hour broadcast; Trump mocked the figures on Twitter — Broadcast for 2018 Academy Awards attracted 26.5m viewers, a 16% drop on last year's ceremony … US president Donald Trump has mocked …
Discussion:
@realdonaldtrump, New York Times, Forbes, The Wrap, Mediaite, Washington Post, Decider, Variety, The Daily Caller, NPR, Splinter, Fox News Insider, Breitbart, Fox News, Vanity Fair and Mother Jones


Technology news aggregator Techmeme, sister site of Mediagazer, is launching a daily podcast called the Techmeme Ride Home — Because everyone has a podcast. (That's a good thing!) — Techmeme is an influential site that provides concise, headline-length summaries of the day's tech news.
Discussion:
Wired, Fast Company and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »


The Independent says BBC Media Editor Amol Rajan must have “misremembered” anecdote about traffic-boosting headline, mentioned during speech about press at uni — The Independent has said BBC media editor Amol Rajan “must have misremembered” an anecdote claiming he made a column …
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Transcript of BBC Media Editor Amol Rajan's lecture at the University of Kent in England, on the myths surrounding journalism — I had the privilege of delivering this year's Bob Friend Lecture at the University of Kent at Canterbury. Bob was part of the original Sky News line up …
Discussion:
Press Gazette


Subscription-based sports media site The Athletic has raised $20M Series C led by Evolution Media, plans to double staff from 120 to 200-350 employees in 2018 — The two-year-old startup plans to double staffing and expand across the U.S. and into international markets
Discussion:
@rafat, @bill_shea19, @dcsportsbog, @chadgraff, @_brian_hamilton, @benmullin and Awful Announcing


Right-wing journalist Peter Schweizer plans to release a documentary on tech companies' role in filtering the news, casting them as censorious and oppressive — Conservatives are zeroing in on a new enemy in the political culture wars: Big Tech. — Arguing that Silicon Valley is stifling …


Co-founder of conspiracy theory website Side Thorn arrested with partner for harassing father of Sutherland Springs victim, told him shooting didn't happen — Two conspiracy theorists who have pushed the idea that the mass shooting at Sutherland Springs on Nov. 5 didn't happen were arrested Monday …
Discussion:
@prehstrcforest, @erinscafe, @johnamato, @evenbev, @brianstelter and @lenpoz


Funny Or Die is retiring its website and migrating over to Vox Media's platform; both are exploring potential collaborations on long-form entertainment — Funny Or Die is putting its aging web platform out to pasture. — Starting this summer, the digital comedy outfit will move FunnyOrDie.com …
Discussion:
@mtmoe1, Tubefilter, @jackallisonlol, @zkahn, @reckless, @clockwerks, @bankoff, @melissabell and Splitsider


A look at the attempted revival of Rolling Stone under Jay Penske; sources say he approached Ryan Lizza about a job at the publication, after talks with staff — Jay Penske, the scion of an auto-racing empire, has a legitimate shot to turn the baby-boomer culture bible around—if he can make it safe for millennials.
Discussion:
@pkafka, Politico, @joepompeo and @joepompeo


Fox is aiming to reduce TV ad time to 2 minutes an hour by 2020, its ad sales chief Joe Marchese claimed at a private industry event in LA last week — Network announced the target at an event it hosted to discuss TV advertising's challenges — Fox Networks Group's ad sales chief …
Discussion:
Business Insider and The Wrap


Penske Media, owner of Variety and Deadline, has acquired SheKnows Media, including SheKnows.com, Stylecaster, and events business BlogHer — The deal for the network of female-focused sites and the BlogHer conference business is the latest acquisition for Penske Media …


Office of Special Counsel: Kellyanne Conway violated federal law in 2017 interviews with CNN and Fox News by using WH position to weigh in on a political race — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Kellyanne Conway, one of President Donald Trump's top advisers, violated federal law in two television interviews …