Top News:
CBS News:
In interview, Sheryl Sandberg says “we absolutely did not pay anyone to create fake news” and says she didn't know Facebook had hired Definers — A day after a searing investigation into Facebook by The New York Times, the company's chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, is defending herself and the social media giant.
RELATED:
Tim Miller:
Tim Miller, who has worked with Definers Public Affairs and Crooked Media, defends his work, including the effort to link Soros to anti-Facebook groups — Setting the Record Straight Regarding My Facebook Work — Over the past 48 hours I've had some extremely serious accusations leveled against my integrity and my work.
Nick Martin / Splinter:
With Tim Miller, suspended after NYT Facebook report, Crooked Media engaged in the familiar media exercise of featuring a Never Trumper in the name of “balance” — And we're back with friend of the pod Tim Miller, who this week has managed to sully the fine name of Pod Save America by being a dirtbag!
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, @ericrennerbrown, @lakshmigandhi, @bayarea4bernie, MediaPost, Washington Post, Business Insider and Mercury News
Donie O'Sullivan / CNN:
Definers Public Affairs pitched a story last summer suggesting Apple News editors were biased against the GOP, based on campaign donations of Apple News staff — New York (CNN)The conservative public affairs firm that worked for Facebook, and spread opposition research about the social media …
Discussion:
Business Insider, New York Times, Fast Company, The Daily Beast, The Verge, @stevekopack, @donie, @emilybell, The Verge, getrevue.co, Business Insider, Techdirt and NBC News, more at Techmeme »
CNN:
Judge orders White House to return Acosta's hard pass immediately citing violation of due process, thus granting CNN's request for a temporary restraining order — (CNN)Federal judge Timothy J. Kelly sided with CNN on Friday, ordering the White House to reinstate chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Press Gazette, @philiprucker, Wall Street Journal, TVNewser, Hollywood Reporter, Poynter, Bloomberg, @kimmasters, The Week, @erikwemple, NPR, @thr, @thr, @jameeljaffer, @farhip, @hadas_gold, @postbaron, @davidafrench, @erikwemple, @erikwemple, Vox, Senator Bob Menendez, France 24, New York Times and Fortune
RELATED:
Scott Nover / The Atlantic:
Press freedom advocates express cautious relief, for now, after the return of Jim Acosta's press press, and praise unity of most media outlets supporting access — A federal judge temporarily restored Jim Acosta's White House press credentials, but didn't rule on the CNN correspondent's First Amendment claims.
Discussion:
@scottnover, @scottnover, @spj_tweets, @medialawrocks, @loebvernon, @scottnover, @scottnover, CNN and The Week
Kevin Alexander / Thrillist:
The fate of Stanich's, a restaurant that closed after being rated #1 by Thrillist, prompts introspection regarding food critics' responsibilities and audiences — n my office, I have a coffee mug from Stanich's in Portland, Oregon. Under the restaurant name, it says “Great hamburgers since 1949.”
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, @jayrosen_nyu, @briankoppelman, @designsponge, @davidklion, @kalexander03 and kottke.org
Rebecca Keegan / Hollywood Reporter:
The Criterion Collection says it will launch a streaming service of classic films in the spring, after outcry over WarnerMedia's decision to shut FilmStruck — “Round up your buddies,” Steven Spielberg told Edgar Wright, when a campaign was launched to save FilmStruck.
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Criterion Collection, Engadget, @filmstruck, @devancoggan and @natjarv
Paul Linford / HoldtheFrontPage:
Johnston Press has been sold to JPIMedia, a new company formed by owners of Johnston's debt, which says all 200+ titles will continue to operate as normal — Regional publisher Johnston Press is tonight under new ownership after its bondholders agreed to wipe out £165m of the company's debts …
Discussion:
The Guardian, BBC and The Guardian
Glenn Greenwald / The Intercept:
The Obama DOJ didn't prosecute Julian Assange because it would have been a threat to press freedom, a reason as valid now, post-DNC leak, as it was then — The Trump Justice Department inadvertently revealed in a court filing that it has charged Julian Assange in a sealed indictment.
Discussion:
New York Times, @trevortimm, Columbia Journalism Review, @evan_greer, @chipgibbons89, CNBC, Mediaite, Law & Crime and The Guardian
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Court filings in an unrelated case and sources reveal prosecutors have charged Julian Assange under seal, but the nature of charges remains unclear
Court filings in an unrelated case and sources reveal prosecutors have charged Julian Assange under seal, but the nature of charges remains unclear
Discussion:
Washington Post, @seamushughes, Freedom of the Press …, emptywheel, Politico, @trevortimm, NPR, @pressfreedom, @jonathanwpeters, @jonathanwpeters, @razhael, Committee to Protect …, Gizmodo, @asharangappa_, @normeisen, Associated Press, Vanity Fair, Fortune, Mashable, @sparrowmedia, @jamesrbuk, @caitoz, @matthewamiller, @trevortimm, @devlinbarrett, @markszaidesq, @mattzap, @mattzap, @colmorrisdavis, @bradmossesq, @charlie_savage, @emptywheel, The Guardian, Slate, The Wrap, The Week, The Daily Caller, The Verge, TechCrunch, Al Jazeera, Reuters, The Daily Beast and Engadget
John Koblin / New York Times:
ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey, the first black executive to run the entertainment division at a major network, to leave the company — Channing Dungey, the first black executive to run the entertainment division at a major network, is leaving ABC, the company announced Friday.
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, @nytimesbusiness, Variety, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, EW.com, Broadcasting & Cable, Adweek, Deadline, Variety, AOL and TV Tattle
Steve O'Hear / TechCrunch:
Pirate Studios raises $20M for its self-service music studios that allow recording and live streaming while its cloud software handles mixing and mastering — Pirate Studios, the music technology company that operates fully automated and self-service 24 hour music studios, has secured $20 million.
Discussion:
Music Ally, more at Techmeme »
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
In earnings call, Paramount Pictures CEO said the studio signed a multi-picture film deal with Netflix following The Cloverfield Paradox release strategy — Paramount Pictures has signed a multi-picture film deal with Netflix, studio boss Jim Gianopulos revealed today during Viacom's fourth …
Discussion:
Observer and The Playlist