Top News:
Lucia Moses / Business Insider:
Three of Axios' top technical executives, including its CTO plus multiple design employees, have left in the last six months over tensions about product mission — - Axios has lost its top three technical executives, all in the past six months. — They were heads of technology, product …
Todd VanDerWerff / Vox:
As publications cut back on culture writing or eliminate it entirely, a look at why cultural criticism helps us understand our society better — Cultural criticism is journalism. And in an era when fewer outlets support it, we need more of it, not less — I've been thinking about The Hateful Eight a lot lately.
Discussion:
@tvoti, @wilw_writes, @bertha_c, @tedhope, @kvanaren, @coralmerfi and @voxdotcom
New York Times:
Los Angeles sues the company behind the Weather Channel app, which is owned by IBM, for slyly using location data for commercial purposes — The Weather Channel app deceptively collected, shared and profited from the location information of millions of American consumers …
Discussion:
@zackwhittaker, @lam_barrett, @jcrutchmer, @nytimesbusiness, Fortune and @dangillmor, more at Techmeme »
Jason Guerrasio / Business Insider:
Memo: MoviePass Product Manager Eric Jeng resigns from the company, citing its response to allegations of inappropriate behavior — - On Wednesday, MoviePass product manager Eric Jeng resigned after one year at the company. — In a 704-word letter sent to the entire company …
Discussion:
@nmcalone
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, @backlon, @jason_kint, @davezatz, @thedextriarchy, @chillmage, @shiraovide and @declanganley
Kendall Baker / Axios:
Axios has acquired Sports Internet, a newsletter run by ex-ESPN staffer and Bleacher Report writer Kendall Baker, and will relaunch it as Axios Sports on Monday — Dearest readers, I'm beyond excited to announce that Sports Internet has been acquired by Axios and will be relaunching as Axios Sports on Monday.
Marcus Baram / Fast Company:
In her new book, Jill Abramson says the NYT's publisher drafted a letter “all but apologizing” to the Chinese govt for a Pulitzer-winning story on corruption — In her new book Merchants of Truth, former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson claims that the news outlet's publisher drafted …
Discussion:
@klerner, Street Fight, @kemc, @billgertz, @libertarianblue, @klerner, American Press Institute, Newser and Politico
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:
The Week, @franklinavenue, New York Times, The A.V. Club and The Week
Benjamin Wallace-Wells / New Yorker:
How The Weekly Standard met its end, amid pressure from parent company execs and subscribers, as some editors plot an attempt to revive it — The Weekly Standard was killed last month, an act that had both a clear culprit and a muddy forensic trail. For twenty-three years …
Freddy Mayhew / Press Gazette:
The UK's i newspaper signs syndication deal with The Economist and will run two articles from the magazine a week — The i newspaper will run selected articles from The Economist, both in print and online, as part of a new deal between the two news titles.
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 and @libsyn
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