Top News:
Peter Kafka / Recode:
Sources: BuzzFeed and Group Nine have discussed merger; companies have ties via BuzzFeed's chairman Ken Lerer and his son Ben Lerer, CEO at Group Nine — BuzzFeed is cutting costs and getting leaner, but it still wants to get bigger — by exploring a deal with Group Nine.
Discussion:
New York Post, Splinter, The Daily Beast, @_alastair, @_alastair, @alex and @brianstelter, more at Techmeme »
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Splinter:
Some BuzzFeed staffers are reporting their own layoffs on Twitter as information trickles out: cuts hit BuzzFeed Spain bureau, national news team, and more — It's another terrible week to work in media. — After the news hit yesterday that BuzzFeed, HuffPost, and Gannett would slash their workforces …
Discussion:
@kevincollier, @csmcdaniel, @catesish, @lisatozzi, Columbia Journalism Review, @jeremymbarr, @blakersdozen, Business Insider, @rositaboland, New York Post, @natemcdermott, @kfile, @sarahjeong, @cairaconner, @emmacarew, @davechensky, @jgownder, @jameshercher, @fordm, Publishing Executive and CNN
Kurt Wagner / Recode:
In email to staff, CEO Jonah Peretti says BuzzFeed will make a 15% overall reduction in headcount next week, will share more about its future structure soon
Discussion:
CNN, The Wrap, @chrislhayes, Slate, Nieman Lab, Splinter, @adamserwer, @evanasmith, @laura_nelson, @freedomofpress, @maxjrosenthal, @stphn_lacey, @yourpappalardo, @davidcorndc, @emilybell, @benmullin, @_alastair, @perlberg, @pareene, Press Gazette, @scmitchp, @cwarzel, @clarajeffery, The Week, @mckaycoppins, @ericuman, @chrisgeidner, @mattgertz, @mattgertz, @jonmladd, @jamesrbuk, @selenalarson, @theferocity, @samanthastorey, @dawnc331, @pkafka, @jpodhoretz, @jeremymbarr, @awallenstein, @oliverdarcy, @jeremymbarr, @claudiakoerner, @hshaban, MediaPost, Tubefilter and The Hill
Daisuke Wakabayashi / New York Times:
YouTube says it will no longer suggest videos with “borderline content” or those that “misinform users in a harmful way” even if they don't violate guidelines — SAN FRANCISCO — Whether it is a video claiming the earth is flat or the moon landing was faked …
Discussion:
YouTube Blog, The Wrap, TheBlaze, @daiwaka, 9to5Google, Engadget, The Verge and @cwarzel, more at Techmeme »
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BuzzFeed News:
YouTube's “Up Next” still suggests conspiracy videos, hate group videos, and pirated videos after news searches; YouTube says it's still working to improve
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Variety, @cwarzel, Washington Post, The Week, Mashable, The Daily Beast, @ceodonovan, @arictoler, @gilgul, @drewmcweeny, @ceodonovan, @cwarzel and @cwarzel, more at Techmeme »
Engaged Journalism Accelerator:
A look at the eight latest media outlets to receive funding from the Engaged Journalism Accelerator program run by the European Journalism Centre — Engaged Journalism Accelerator director Kathryn Geels introduces our eight newest grantees, taking the total number of funded news organisations …
Discussion:
Journalism.co.uk, Nieman Lab, @vivian, @benwhitelaw and Journalism.co.uk
Washington Post:
Johns Hopkins is buying the building that houses the Newseum for $327.5M as the latter seeks a firmer financial footing — The $372.5 million deal will give the university a prime Pennsylvania Avenue address for graduate programs in international relations and other fields.
Discussion:
NPR, Baltimore Sun, The Guardian, @caseymcdermott, @mccanner, @johnkelly, @briankosh, @waltmossberg, @katielannan, @bfquinn and NB Blog
Sahil Patel / Digiday:
Sources: WarnerMedia Investments, which had invested in Mic, Maker Studios, and Mashable under Time Warner, is no longer its own corporate entity — Prior to becoming WarnerMedia, Time Warner was one of the most prominent investors in digital media and technology companies.
Discussion:
Dallas Business Journal, Top Digital Journal News and @rafat
Joshua Carroll / Columbia Journalism Review:
After Reuters covered Thai government negligence, it ran a native ad whitewashing the state's actions, raising questions about whose ads outlets should publish — When Aubrey Belford started work as a special correspondent for Reuters in Southeast Asia, his new colleagues in the Bangkok bureau …
Discussion:
Talking Biz News and @lionpubs
Jeremy Herb / CNN:
CNN describes the clues from events at the federal courthouse in Washington, DC, that led them to send a team to capture the early morning arrest of Roger Stone — (CNN)The rare, dramatic video from CNN Friday capturing the early morning FBI raid of longtime Donald Trump confidante Roger Stone's Florida home …
Discussion:
Variety, Mediaite, @oliverdarcy, The Wrap, Mediaite, @cnnpr, Media Matters for America, Sports Illustrated, @karaswisher, @greta, @brianstelter, Boston Magazine, Gizmodo, @poniewozik and TV Tattle
Freddy Mayhew / Press Gazette:
Mail Online's Q1 revenue is up 14% YoY, while ad revenue rose 11% YoY; ad revenue across Mail titles rose 4% with digital ad growth offsetting print ad decline — Mail titles owner, the Daily Mail and General Trust, has reported revenue growth of 2 per cent year-on-year for the first quarter of 2019.
Stephanie Nebehay / Reuters:
UN human rights office says a team of international experts will conduct an inquiry into the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, starting in Turkey on January 28 — GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office said on Friday that a team of international experts would conduct an inquiry …
Discussion:
Al Jazeera, New York Times and The Guardian
Eriq Gardner / Hollywood Reporter:
Stephen Elliott seeks to subpoena Google for the names of everyone who worked on and accessed the Shitty Media Men list and all emails connected to its creation — Stephen Elliott hunts for those who contributed, read and publicized a list of men allegedly behaving inappropriately toward women.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast
Alexandra Alter / New York Times:
Jay Asher, author of Thirteen Reasons Why, sues children's book writers group for defamation after his removal from the group following sexual harassment claims — More than a decade ago, Jay Asher's young adult novel, “Thirteen Reasons Why,” a dark story about a bullied teenager who kills herself, became an unexpected best-seller.
Discussion:
Publishers Weekly
Guilherme Rambo / 9to5Mac:
Apple's first beta of iOS 12.2 for developers includes images of a magazine subscription service, rumored since Apple first bought Texture — There have been rumors about an Apple News subscription service since mid-2018, starting with a report by Bloomberg that said Apple was planing …
Discussion:
MacRumors, BGR and Mashable, more at Techmeme »
Tom Kludt / CNN:
HuffPost layoffs: WGAE spokesperson says at least 15 union members laid off; non-union managers also affected; head of opinion section says unit is “no more” — New York (CNN)Some employees at HuffPost learned Thursday morning that their days in the newsroom are numbered, as layoffs hit the popular news website.
Discussion:
@jeremylittau, Columbia Journalism Review, The Guardian, @jasoncherkis, @bmaygers, @conz, threadreaderapp.com, @jeremymbarr, @zachdcarter, @jayrosen_nyu, Washington Post, @zachdcarter, Washington Post, Asian American Journalists …, @farhip, @anildash, @donttrythis, @laurenweberhp, @hotlinejosh, @oliverdarcy, @mccanner, @rafat, @brandyljensen, @drvox, @reporter_savino, @jmitchem, @_cingraham, @managewski, @yayitsrob, @alexmleo, HuffPost, @margarita, @benjysarlin, @chrislhayes, @citizencohn, @aterkel, @elanazak, @ashleyfeinberg, @elisefoley, @paigelav, @bmaygers, @iamandymcdonald, @bmaygers, @marinafang, @chloeangyal, Blog Network, @lebassett, The Wrap and Vanity Fair
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