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.
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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:
New York Times, Business Insider, Fast Company, The Verge, The Daily Beast, @stevekopack, @donie, @emilybell, The Verge, Vanity Fair, getrevue.co, Business Insider, Techdirt and NBC News
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:
Business Insider, @ericrennerbrown, @lakshmigandhi, @bayarea4bernie, Nieman Lab, Washington Post, Mercury News and The Guardian
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, @kimmasters, The Week, Poynter, Bloomberg, @erikwemple, NPR, @thr, @thr, @jameeljaffer, @farhip, @hadas_gold, @postbaron, @davidafrench, @erikwemple, @erikwemple, Vox, Senator Bob Menendez, France 24, New York Times and Fortune
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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, @briankoppelman, @designsponge, @jayrosen_nyu, @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 Criterion Collection, The Wrap, Engadget, @filmstruck, @devancoggan and @natjarv
Garett Sloane / Ad Age:
YouTube quietly began showing ad-supported free feature-length movies in October, giving users access to around 100 titles including “The Terminator” — Last month YouTube quietly began showing ad-supported movies for the first time, giving viewers access to Hollywood titles including …
Discussion:
TechCrunch and Fortune, more at Techmeme »
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, The Guardian and BBC
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
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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
Discussion:
@seamushughes, Washington Post, Freedom of the Press …, emptywheel, NPR, Politico, @trevortimm, @razhael, @pressfreedom, @jonathanwpeters, @jonathanwpeters, 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
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
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
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