Top News:
Hadas Gold / CNN:
Netflix faced a tough balancing act when Saudi officials claimed an episode of Hasan Minhaj's Patriot Act violated local law — London (CNN Business)What's the price of censoring one episode of a Netflix show in Saudi Arabia? — Though Netflix has not released specifics on the number …
Discussion:
@krudell, @hasanminhaj, @ase, @gramatik, @karenattiah, @mazmhussain, @davidfrum, @akimcampbell and @arjunsethi81
Lexi Mainland / Los Angeles Times:
Podcasts are helping news organizations increase audience engagement, reach a younger demographic, and make a profit — I get emotional watching movies on airplanes. It doesn't matter what the story line is or how many times I've viewed it stoically on terra firma. At 40,000 feet, I submit to tears.
Discussion:
@aliciahannah, @theelsieescobar, @mikiebarb, @libsyn and KTLA
Max Willens / Digiday:
Forbes is testing an AI tool that writes rough drafts of stories for contributors, which they can then edit and post — This story and its headline have been updated. — Forbes is investing in tools to make its newsroom more bionic. — Over the summer, the business publisher …
Discussion:
@digiday, @harmongreg, @lisamurphyto, VentureBeat, @roboreport and @perfectpixels
Michael Calderone / Politico:
Former NYT Editor Jill Abramson says Fox News host Howard Kurtz took her new book “totally out of context” and attempted to “Foxify” it — FORMER NEW YORK TIMES EDITOR JILL ABRAMSON SAYS Fox News host Howard Kurtz took her forthcoming book, Merchants of Truth …
Discussion:
Newser, American Press Institute, @klerner, Fast Company, @daviduberti, Dan Froomkin's White …, @klerner, @mlcalderone and @klerner
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T.C. Sottek / The Verge:
AT&T files trademark applications for “Verge TV”, but The Verge notes its name is trademarked and highlights its existing YouTube channel — Nah, we'll keep it — Last month, AT&T filed several trademark applications for “Verge TV,” which suggests the company may be working …
Discussion:
@reckless, @shiraovide, @backlon, @jason_kint, @davezatz, @thedextriarchy, @chillmage and @declanganley
Li Yuan / New York Times:
Inside Beijing-based Beyondsoft and its “censorship factories”, with 4,000+ staff monitoring online content for media companies eager to please China's censors — Thousands of low-wage workers in “censorship factories” trawl the online world for forbidden content …
Discussion:
@panphil, @wingcommander1, @kemc, @puiwingtam, @camedwards, Boing Boing, @daschles, @jojjeols, @sophiehrw, @ewong, @mariancw, @altusda_ars, @dangillmor, @susanmaret, @suilee, @kevin2kelly, @b_p_sims, @ericfish85, @ephs_apcp, @puzzlereric, @jzheel, @jzheel and @kimmasters
Owen Churchill / South China Morning Post:
LinkedIn restores Chinese access to the profile of US-based activist Zhou Fengsuo after blocking it a day earlier, says the profile was blocked in error — - Zhou, a student leader during the bloody 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, says he thinks media attention led to the change
Discussion:
@samuel_wade, @owenschurchill, @owenschurchill, @lauriechenwords, @zhoufengsuo, @chubailiang and @zhoufengsuo
Michael Schneider / Variety:
NatGeo suspends episodes of Neil deGrasse Tyson's StarTalk amid probe of sexual misconduct allegations; results of probe expected in “the next few weeks” — National Geographic Channel has pulled its long-running Neil deGrasse Tyson chat show “StarTalk” off the air, at least for now …
Discussion:
@franklinavenue, New York Times, The Week and The A.V. Club
Tatyana Shumsky / Wall Street Journal:
Analysts say Spencer Neumann's focus as Netflix CFO will be to convince investors that expensive original content will pay off with subscriptions and profits — Spencer Neumann must convince investors that Netflix's billions of investments in original content will grow subscribers and earnings, analysts say
Discussion:
@snwirth and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »
Janko Roettgers / Variety:
London-based Synamedia launches Credentials Sharing Insight, which scores users of pay TV and streaming video services on likelihood they're sharing passwords — Still using your ex-roommates cable credentials to watch “Game of Thrones?” That may soon be getting a lot harder …
Discussion:
The A.V. Club
Jesse Damiani / The Verge:
Netflix's interactive format for films like Bandersnatch makes content harder to pirate, increases viewer engagement, and generates insightful data about users — Light spoilers for Black Mirror's interactive episode Bandersnatch ahead. — On Friday, December 28th, after months of speculation …
Discussion:
Mashable, @cheriehu42, @gloria_dgn, Marketing Dive, @nesalabs, @onekade and Ad Age, more at Techmeme »
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
Trump makes an unexpected appearance in the White House briefing room, tricking CNN and Fox News into airing a propaganda session live — President Trump hasn't said anything new about immigration in years. He's still convinced that a wall is the best measure for border security …
Discussion:
The White House, CNN, CNBC, @yamiche, @poniewozik, @poniewozik and @brianstelter
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