Top News:
NBC News:
Melania Trump has earned an estimated $100K-$1M in 2017 in royalties from a deal with Getty Images that mandates photos be used in positive coverage — The first lady earned six figures from an agreement with Getty Images that paid royalties to the Trumps and mandated photos be used in positive coverage.
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
The New York Times says reporter Ali Watkins, whose email and phone records were seized by the US government, will be transferred to a new beat in New York — Ali Watkins, the New York Times reporter whose email and phone records were secretly seized by the Trump administration …
Discussion:
@oliverdarcy, @perlberg, @katherinemiller, @grynbaum and @melbournecoal
Sarah Frier / Bloomberg:
Facebook's political ads disclosure algorithm blocks ads for lawn-mowing, waxing salons, Walmart, and more that use the words “bush” and “Clinton” — Under rules for the new archive that strives for transparency in politics, all sorts of organizations with names linked …
Discussion:
@sarahfrier, @sarahfrier, Digiday, @ericgeller, @chafkin, @claireeboston, @robaeprice, @cwarzel, The Hill and The Wrap
Parker Higgins / Freedom of the Press Foundation:
Freedom of the Press Foundation releases open source framework Track The News to help create Twitter bots that can track news subjects across sites — Freedom of the Press Foundation is releasing a free software Python program called Track The News, which for several months we've used …
Discussion:
@trevortimm
Jaclyn Peiser / New York Times:
Some high school newspapers find themselves censored by administrators for writing about school shootings, sexuality, and the reasons for a teacher's dismissal — High school educators across the country have been clamping down on students who publish articles on protests, sexuality and other hot-button issues.
Discussion:
@jackiepeiser, Columbia Journalism Review, @lkherman, @bgrueskin, @yabutaleb7 and @dangillmor
Jon Christian / BuzzFeed:
Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc., and others have run undisclosed articles from AudienceBloom writers, a marketing company that charges clients for mentions in media — If public relations is too hard, you can always just pay a journalist to write about your brand.
Discussion:
@opinion_joe, @maghielse, @jscros, @taylorlorenz, @richleighpr, @explorionary, @simonowens, @robenfarzad, @minethatdata, @ckrewson, @dangillmor and @lpolgreen
Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:
DirecTV Now prices go up by $5/month, but two months ago, AT&T said in a court filing that buying Time Warner would “enable the merged company to reduce prices” — Most DirecTV Now prices go up $5 a month, weeks after AT&T bought Time Warner.
Discussion:
@jbrodkin and CNBC, more at Techmeme »
Annie Gowen / Washington Post:
Mob lynchings fueled by WhatsApp messages continue to sweep India as authorities struggle to combat fake news; five were killed by a rumor-driven mob on Sunday — NEW DELHI — Five people were killed by a mob in India on Sunday after rumors spread on social media that they were child traffickers …
Discussion:
@caseynewton, Reuters, @mmasnick, @sivavaid, @jason_kint, @mhbergen, @rama_rajeswari, @karlbode, @nidhi, @anniegowen, @anniegowen, BBC, Engadget, Times of India and Hindustan Times, more at Techmeme »
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
Harvey Weinstein faces three more charges: one count of criminal sexual act and two counts of felony predatory sexual assault, involving third woman, from 2006 — Harvey Weinstein was indicted Monday on three additional felony sex charges, two of which carry the potential of life in prison.
Discussion:
Crain's New York Business, ThinkProgress, NPR, Refinery29, Manhattan District …, The Playlist, Deadline, abc7.com, NBC New York, The Daily Beast, TMZ.com, The Week, Business Insider, Page Six, The Guardian and CNN
Mark Sweney / The Guardian:
Source: BBC Worldwide is in talks with Channel 4 to purchase the 50% of UKTV it doesn't own from Discovery for £500M — Broadcaster, 50% controlled by BBC Worldwide, is major source of profit for the BBC — The BBC is in talks with Channel 4 tomount a £500m bid to take control of UKTV …
Discussion:
C21Media
Reuters:
Chinese state media group CMC says it raised $1.49B from Alibaba and Tencent in a deal valuing the company at around $60B — SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese state-backed media group CMC Inc said on Tuesday it raised around 10 billion yuan ($1.49 billion) in a fundraising round …
Discussion:
Variety
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz to leave ABC News after 24 years; Ross was suspended for four weeks in December following a flawed report on Flynn and Russia — Brian Ross, the veteran ABC News investigative correspondent who embarrassed the network late last year with an on-air report …
Discussion:
New York Times, ABC News Public Relations, Page Six, TVNewser, @brianross, Mediaite, CNNMoney, The Hill, Hollywood Reporter, NBC News, The Daily Beast, Fox News, The Wrap and @brianstelter