Top News:
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 …
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:
Digiday, @sarahfrier, @sarahfrier, The Daily Caller, @chafkin, @ericgeller, @cwarzel, @claireeboston, @robaeprice, The Hill and The Wrap
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, @cjr, Columbia Journalism Review, @dangillmor, @lkherman, @bgrueskin and @yabutaleb7
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
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 »
Sahil Patel / Digiday:
Sources say Verizon spent about $1.2B on the failed go90, including the purchase of OnCue and Vessel, in an effort without clear market research — As far as launch parties go, Verizon's September 2015 event for Go90 had it all: a Kanye West concert, a live performance of Funny or Die's …
Discussion:
Fortune and Light Reading, 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:
Reuters, @caseynewton, @bloombergquint, @mmasnick, @jason_kint, @sivavaid, Engadget, @mhbergen, @rama_rajeswari, @karlbode, @nidhi, @anniegowen, @anniegowen, BBC, Times of India and Hindustan Times, more at Techmeme »
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:
FierceCable
Hamilton Nolan / Splinter:
WaPo's open shop union, lacking leverage, encourages members to accept insulting terms of new two-year contract, like $15/week raises, cuts in overtime payments — If you can't work up any outrage at being ripped off by the richest man in America, how do you ever expect to win anything?
Discussion:
bna.com, @delwilber and @mattdpearce
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
Free Press:
New Jersey approves $5M for the Civic Information Consortium, a collaborative nonprofit effort focused on improving the quantity and quality of local news — Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838 — TRENTON — Late Sunday night, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy approved dedicating $5 million …
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, @colegoins, @nikkiusher, The Hill, The Daily Caller, New Jersey Online and Editor & Publisher
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, TVWeek.com, Page Six, Mediaite, @brianross, CNNMoney, The Hill, Hollywood Reporter, NBC News, The Daily Beast, Fox News and The Wrap