Top News:
New York Times:
Text messages show how former CBS CEO Les Moonves tried to bury an old sex assault claim amid a probe that could decide whether he collects a $120M exit package — A trove of text messages details a plan by Mr. Moonves and a faded Hollywood manager to bury a sexual assault allegation.
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Ronan Farrow / New Yorker:
Six women who had business dealings with Les Moonves in the 1980s to late 2000s say he sexually harassed or intimidated them; others detail a toxic CBS culture — Six women accuse the C.E.O. of harassment and intimidation, and dozens more describe abuse at his company.
Discussion:
@newyorker
Peter Kafka / Recode:
Sources: Mic.com is in talks to sell at least part of the company to Bustle, after Facebook ended a deal that could have earned Mic around $5M over 12 months — Sale talks started after Facebook ended a video deal with Mic. — Mic.com, a digital publisher with a millennial focus …
Discussion:
Adweek, @emilybell, @tribranchvo, @rafat, @kifleswing, @mikeisaac, @raju, @kelseymsutton, @maxwellstrachan, @jamesfdennin, @saschasegan, @rafat, @ingridostby and @kylepope
Ben Strauss / Washington Post:
ESPN's Darren Rovell moves to the Action Network, a media startup about sports gambling created last year by the Chernin Group: “They're buying me as a brand” — If sports gambling is going to sweep the country, Darren Rovell wants a piece of it.
Discussion:
@dcsportsbog, @richarddeitsch, @steverubel, @jbflint, @phkeane, @benjstrauss, @nickbromberg, @markjburns88 and Awful Announcing
Matthew Singer / Willamette Week:
Thrillist article on Portland restaurant Stanich's, which launched a debate about food criticism, left out important context about the owner's legal troubles — The personal life of the owner had been spiraling into chaos long before his restaurant landed on the national radar.
AllAccess.com:
Leon Neyfakh, a Slate reporter and host of the Slow Burn podcast, says he's leaving to launch a podcast on past political scandals in the first half of 2019 — SLATE reporter and “SLOW BURN” podcast host LEON NEYFAKH announced via TWITTER this morning that he is leaving SLATE and the podcast to launch a new podcast.
Discussion:
@leoncrawl, @leoncrawl, @leoncrawl, @leoncrawl, @leoncrawl, @gabrielroth and @leoncrawl
Media Matters for America:
Sinclair is forcing its ~100 news stations to air a segment featuring Boris Epshteyn defending the tear-gassing of migrants at the border, including children — The Trump administration has again unleashed particular cruelty and violence on Central American immigrants …
Discussion:
@wearesinclair, Mediaite, @jayrosen_nyu, @kfile, @jayrosen_nyu, New York Times, @brianstelter, @theplumlinegs, @boiarski, @brianstelter, HuffPost, Politico, CNN and The Wrap
Josh Constine / TechCrunch:
Facebook is launching its “Today In” local news digest in 400 US cities, after beginning testing it in January — Facebook has a new area of its app it will have to police for fake news and biased sensationalism. Facebook is launching “Today In”, its local news aggregator …
Discussion:
Facebook, RAPPLER, Business Insider, The Hill, @mattnavarra, @joshconstine and @mattnavarra, more at Techmeme »
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange threatens The Guardian with legal action over “fabricated” story alleging he met Paul Manafort three times — Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange is threatening legal action over a Guardian story claiming he met former Donald Trump campaign chairman …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Vanity Fair and The Guardian
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The Guardian:
Sources: Paul Manafort had multiple meetings with WikiLeaks, including one meeting in 2016, just months before WikiLeaks released DNC dossier
Discussion:
Politico, @woodruffbets, New York Times, Crikey, Fox News, The Week, NBC News, @ggreenwald, Slate, Vanity Fair, CNBC, NPR, The Gateway Pundit, Variety, @tribelaw, VICE News, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, @rising_serpent, Fox News Insider, The Daily Beast, @natashabertrand, @ggreenwald, @ggreenwald, @emptywheel, @benjaminwittes, The Intercept, NBC4 Washington, @drdenagrayson, @rschooley, @delavegalaw, @tribelaw, @kenbensinger, CNN, @k_jeanpierre, @tribelaw, @repadamschiff, @shadowingtrump, @kylegriffin1, @joycewhitevance, @sethabramson, @mollyjongfast, @marcushjohnson, @davidcorndc, @armandodkos, @kylegriffin1, @brianklaas, @kylegriffin1, FOX News Radio, Boing Boing, Wired, Fortune, Associated Press, NPR, Vox, Washington Post and Renato Mariotti
Voice of America:
Paul Manafort and WikiLeaks both deny that Manafort met with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange; Manafort threatens legal action against The Guardian
Discussion:
New York Times, Fortune, VICE News, @joepompeo, @emptywheel, @wikileaks, Talking Points Memo, @the_unsilent_, The Daily Beast, CNN, Vanity Fair and gofundme.com
Tim Molloy / The Wrap:
NPR fires film critic David Edelstein after he made a joke which alluded to a rape scene in Bernardo Bertolucci's"Last Tango in Paris" — NPR has fired film critic David Edelstein because of a joke he made after Bernardo Bertolucci's death that alluded to a much-discussed rape scene in the director's film “Last Tango in Paris.”
Brett Samuels / The Hill:
The White House press pool was left behind without explanation after the National Christmas Tree lighting as Trump returned to the White House — President Trump on Wednesday departed the National Christmas Tree lighting event without White House staff notifying a pool of reporters assigned …
Discussion:
@justinsink, @justinsink, @anitakumar01, @anitakumar01, @zekejmiller, @w7voa, @w7voa and ABC News
Amanda Bennett / Washington Post:
Trump recently suggested the US needs a state-controlled “Worldwide Network” as he again criticized media; it already exists as the independent Voice of America — “Something has to be done,” President Trump tweeted Monday. — Frustrated by CNN, with which he has an ongoing beef …
Discussion:
@realdonaldtrump, @kgyp, @27khv, @bearsaremean, @insidevoa, @kaedotcom, @w7voa, @w7voa, @w7voa, @greta and Ars Technica
Azam Ahmed / New York Times:
Friends of slain journalist Javier Valdez say there was an attempt to hack their phones the day after his murder — MEXICO CITY — The messages arrived at a familiar moment of crisis for Mexico's fragile journalist community — another reporter killed in the line of duty.
Discussion:
@dangillmor, @nytimesworld, @nbits60, The Citizen Lab, @rasmus_kleis and Metacurity
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