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.
Discussion:
@rachelabramsny, @flitteronfraud, @jimrutenberg, @lam_barrett and @davidenrich
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.
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, @steverubel, @nickbromberg, @markjburns88, @phkeane, @benjstrauss, Awful Announcing, @richarddeitsch and @jbflint
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:
CNN, The Daily Caller and VICE News
RELATED:
Voice of America:
Paul Manafort and WikiLeaks both deny that Manafort met with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange; Manafort threatens legal action against The Guardian
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, Talking Points Memo, Fortune, VICE News, @joepompeo, @emptywheel, @wikileaks, CNN, @tribelaw, The Daily Beast, gofundme.com and Vanity Fair
The Guardian:
Sources: Paul Manafort had multiple meetings with WikiLeaks, including one meeting in 2016, just months before WikiLeaks released DNC dossier
Sources: Paul Manafort had multiple meetings with WikiLeaks, including one meeting in 2016, just months before WikiLeaks released DNC dossier
Discussion:
New York Times, @woodruffbets, Variety, Mediaite, The Week, NBC News, CNBC, Politico, VICE News, Fox News Insider, NPR, @tribelaw, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Beast, @rising_serpent, The Intercept, The Daily Caller, CNN, @natashabertrand, Fast Company, @ggreenwald, @ggreenwald, Wired, @emptywheel, @benjaminwittes, Slate, NBC4 Washington, @drdenagrayson, @rschooley, @delavegalaw, @tribelaw, @kenbensinger, @k_jeanpierre, @repadamschiff, @tribelaw, @shadowingtrump, @joycewhitevance, @kylegriffin1, @sethabramson, @marcushjohnson, @mollyjongfast, @davidcorndc, @armandodkos, @kylegriffin1, @brianklaas, @kylegriffin1, FOX News Radio, Boing Boing, Vanity Fair, Fortune, Associated Press, NPR, Vox, Washington Post, Renato Mariotti, KTLA, Observer, The Verge, Hit & Run and ABC News
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, VentureBeat, The Hill, @joshconstine, Engadget and @mattnavarra, more at Techmeme »
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, @insidevoa, @bearsaremean, @w7voa, @w7voa, @kaedotcom, @27khv, @kgyp, @w7voa, @greta and Ars Technica
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.”
Craig Silverman / BuzzFeed News:
The DOJ indicts eight men on charges related to a global ad fraud scheme discovered with the help of about 15 tech companies, including Google and White Ops — In August 2017, the FBI organized a secret meeting of digital advertising and cybersecurity experts in a secure room in a Manhattan federal building.
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:
@nytimesworld, @nbits60 and Metacurity
Amanda Meade / The Guardian:
Philanthropist Judith Neilson says she is funding a AU$100M institute, The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism & Ideas, in Sydney — Neilson wants to 'support evidence-based journalism and the pursuit of truth in an increasingly complicated world' — Billionaire philanthropist …
Discussion:
Khaleej Times, Financial Review and jninstitute.org
Keith J. Kelly / New York Post:
New York-based weekly magazine City & State is launching a daily newsletter covering the intersection of tech and government regulation on January 6 — The political storm over Amazon's pending arrival with HQ2 in Long Island City has seemingly inspired one publishing entrepreneur …
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
Neil Shah / Wall Street Journal:
Q&A: Universal Music Executive VP Michele Anthony on becoming an artist lawyer, the problems faced by women in music, and the future of streaming — The Universal Music executive on cutting school, the hurdles women face in music and what's next for streaming services
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:
HuffPost, @theplumlinegs, @jayrosen_nyu, Politico, CNN and The Wrap
Eriq Gardner / Hollywood Reporter:
Whitney Houston's ex-husband is suing Showtime Networks, the BBC, and the producers of a documentary about the singer for $2M over footage used — Misappropriation of publicity rights is alleged in the $2 million complaint as well as breach of an agreement not to use footage from the Bravo reality series, “Being Bobby Brown”