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Studies suggest that less than 60% of web traffic is human, with fake metrics, news, and bot-driven conversations and transactions, leading to falling trust — In late November, the Justice Department unsealed indictments against eight people accused of fleecing advertisers of $36 million …
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@chronotope, @trumpery45, @johnb78, @slpng_giants, @scottwamplerbmd, @joshtpm, @mikeisaac, @mollymckew, @toryanarchist, @chronotope, @toad_spotted, @mantzarlis, @kristapley, @scottwamplerbmd, @mattdpearce, @taylorlorenz, @seldo, @fs0c131y, @politicalshort, @mdudas, @katienotopoulos, @ekp, @taylorholiday, @hselftax, @saschasegan, @robpegoraro, @mjrobbins, @chronotope, @sheril_ and Boing Boing, more at Techmeme »


Austin Murphy, a former senior writer at Sports Illustrated, on switching from a career in journalism to working for Amazon delivering packages — There's a certain novelty, after decades at a legacy media company, in playing for the team that's winning big.
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@brett_a_taylor, @byslprice, @ramonashelburne, @journalistslike, @kscheib, @alexandrascaggs, @alyssamastro44, @wajahatali, @ausmurph88, @claytravis, @robbysoave, @lizflock, @jozenc, @aliciakennedy, @freeblackgirl, @veenavenugopal, @ron_fournier, @lynn_henning, @abhishekmadan, @knittins, @mickfoley76, @davidwohl, @grantwahl, @sternbergh, @sitimlayden, @theatlantic, @johnsharkman, @kurtschlichter, @jposnanski, @adamduerson, @bwilliamsonnfl and @davidfolkenflik


What German media academics and journalists, including Mother Jones' CEO, are saying about the Der Spiegel scandal and the lessons to be learned — “Everyone who writes knows the seduction of the narrative.” — Bernhard Pörksen in Die Zeit — The German journalism world …


Lessons for journalists from 2018 and a look ahead: emphasis on subscriptions, possible newspaper chain consolidation, and regional news network experiments — We live in transgressive, new-Orwellian times. Fact has been subverted by forces beyond our imagination, both newly minted and old school.
Discussion:
@jayrosen_nyu and @niemanlab


MSNBC says it beat Fox News in the ratings for the first time in 17 years last week, surpassing it in total viewers between December 17-21 — MSNBC beat out Fox News last week in key ratings for first time in 17 years, topping its competitor in total viewers for the first time since 2000, according to a news release from MSNBC.
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NBC Universal


A look at Speakr, a social media influencer management platform that some influencers say has failed to pay them, with trouble starting in late 2017 — The agency Speakr set influencers up with brands for lucrative campaigns—and then stiffed them. — After rising to MySpace fame in the mid-aughts …
Discussion:
@bigmeaninternet, more at Techmeme »


An overview of journalism in 2018, from the revival of the LA Times to the horrific murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi — In 2018, those who follow the fortunes of journalism in America probably heard a name — and, separately, a terrible nickname — for the first time.
Discussion:
@dabeard, @sewellchan, @lfung, @deborahblum, @noelle_phillips, @cmonstah, @danielledknight, @ibarguen, @lenfestinst, @alanmillernlp, @knightfdn and @sulliview


A list of 44 BBC reporters working in Russia, most of them Russians, was leaked online along with their photos, amid growing pressure on the broadcaster there — Leak comes after Times published names of journalists working for Moscow-backed Sputnik's UK bureau
Discussion:
@jimwaterson


A look at Trump's relationship with the press in 2018: 70+ interviews granted but traditional briefings eschewed, anti-press rhetoric that led to violence, more — It can be easy to forget that, two years ago, the White House press briefing took place nearly every day.


CBS says its sports news streaming channel Sports HQ now delivers 10 hours of live programming daily on average with half of viewers watching on mobile devices — Armed with a new production studio in Connecticut and broadcast rights to this year's Super Bowl, CBS Sports is making a push behind …


Movie theater revenue bounced back in 2018 after a slow 2017; one analyst says investors are skeptical of sustained gains amid Netflix and Amazon competition — Reports of the death of movies are greatly exaggerated. — The exhibition business came roaring back in 2018, as blockbusters such as …
Discussion:
@lucas_shaw, CNBC, @lucas_shaw, @lucas_shaw and @lucas_shaw


As some prominent creators leave in protest after Patreon bans anti-feminist for hate speech, a look at its approach to policing speech with human moderators — Sam Harris, the polemical atheist neuroscientist known for his popular podcast “Waking Up,” was making tens of thousands of dollars …
Discussion:
@othersociology and @techethicist, more at Techmeme »