Top News:


As some criticize horse-race political coverage, a look back at The Charlotte Observer's election work using a citizens agenda, from a reporter who was there — In 1992, the Charlotte Observer pioneered “public journalism” in its election coverage. Is that what voters need in 2020? — ARTICLE BY
Discussion:
Vanity Fair, @lauraelizdavis, @underoak, @niemanfdn, @jayrosen_nyu, @niemanlab, @jonfavs and @niemanreports


Distributed Denial of Secrets, a WikiLeaks-like online repository launched last month by transparency advocates, publishes 175 GB of leaked Russian documents — A group of transparency advocates on Friday posted a mammoth collection of hacked and leaked documents from inside Russia …
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, @drdenagrayson, @kpoulsen, @malwarejake, @nytimes, @justinhendrix and @ridt, more at Techmeme »


Q&A with Sam Felix, Director of Audience + Platforms at NYT, about her role at the paper, how NYT uses different platforms to promote its content, and more — This week, The Idea caught up with Sam Felix to discuss how The Times thinks about reaching new audiences …
Discussion:
@adriana_lacy and @ideanewsletter, Thanks:@steverubel


How the success of Netflix's Bird Box film, which was watched by 58% of its user base in its first month, drives Netflix's virtuous cycle as an aggregator — Bird Box, the Netflix original film, started streaming on December 21 while I was on vacation.1 That perhaps explains why the majority …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times


The Telegraph apologizes to Melania Trump for false statements in “The Mystery of Melania”, an article published last week, agrees to pay “substantial damages” — (CNN)A British magazine has issued an apology to first lady Melania Trump for an article it published …
Discussion:
Telegraph, Slate, Mediaite, The Daily Beast, The Daily Caller, The Wrap and The Gateway Pundit


Research at the University of Texas finds that when more than 75% of comments on news sites are uncivil, it negatively affects readers' perceptions of the site — You never get a second chance to make a first impression. — Grandma adage aside, the comments matter, folks.
Discussion:
@niemanreports


After appealing for paid subscriptions via a printed letter and social media, Arkansas Life magazine survives by gaining 1K subscribers, reducing print issues — How many fans does it take to keep a regional print magazine afloat? — In December, subscribers to Arkansas Life received a printed letter along with their January issue.


An excerpt from Jill Abramson's book “Merchants of Truth” on her time as the New York Times' executive editor as digital disruption took off — Adapted from the forthcoming book Merchants of Truth, by Jill Abramson. Copyright © 2019 by Jill Abramson. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, @newrepublic, @lauraelizdavis, @sesmith, @kpfinnerty and @jbenton


Edelman: number of people who read traditional news weekly rises 14% YoY to 40% as number of people who read traditional news less often drops 20% YoY to 28% — An urgent desire for societal change and a chaotic media environment is driving a renewed interest in fact-finding, according to Edelman's 2019 Trust Barometer.


Canadian Journalism Innovators, a journalist-led collaboration of nine media outlets including The Discourse, launches to support innovation in Canadian media — In the wake of massive journalism layoffs, a new journalist-led initiative aims to accelerate what is succeeding in Canadian media.
Discussion:
@thediscourse, @nordicfreelance and @sprawlcalgary


Interview with Kate Lewis, the Chief Content Officer of Hearst Magazines, about the future of print, what advertisers really want, and more — The new chief content officer of Hearst Magazines on what people read “secretly,” whether magazines will last another 20 years and much more.


Wattpad, the online reading and writing community, is launching its own publishing division, Wattpad Books, this fall with six YA titles — Wattpad, the Toronto-based online reading and writing community that says it has received 565 million story uploads since its launch, is starting its own publishing division, Wattpad Books.