Mediagazer: The Financial Times has acquired a majority stake in Amsterdam-based tech blog and events company The Next Web (Financial Times)

3:00 PM ET, March 5, 2019

Top News:

The Financial Times has acquired a majority stake in Amsterdam-based tech blog and events company The Next Web — 5 March 2019: The Financial Times has acquired a controlling stake in TNW (The Next Web), an events and media company with a focus on new technology and startups in Europe.

Discussion: Digiday, @thekenyeung, @rafat, @oliversmitheu, @jonsjanssens, @bryanclark, @fedecherubini, @robertgaal, @nalden, @hlp, @steverubel, @bmorrissey, @m4tt, @emilybell and Fast Company, more at Techmeme »

Ashley Carman / The Verge:

A look at how Spotify plans to crack the podcast market: making it easier to find podcasts, investing in creation tools and exclusive original content, and more — Spotify has been on a media blitz to hype up its plans. Most everyone involved in the deals, including Spotify CEO Daniel Ek …

Discussion: Nieman Lab, MacRumors, @backlon, @ashleyrcarman, @dansinker, @leoncrawl and @letsgoayo, more at Techmeme »

Ben Collins / NBC News:

On Amazon, a book pushing QAnon conspiracy theories climbs the charts, aided by Amazon's algorithmically generated recommendations — The book is currently No. 9 in all books about politics and No. 1 in all books about “Censorship,” one slot ahead of Ray Bradbury's “Farhenheit 451,”

Nick Statt / The Verge:

Comedian Miel Bredouw's fight with Barstool Sports after they posted her video without credit shows how Twitter's copyright system can hurt creators — “It's insane to me that the platform is allowing them to do this.” — Earlier today, Los Angeles-based writer and comedian Miel Bredouw claims …

Discussion: Business Insider, TechCrunch, @kerrymflynn, @anildash, Deadspin, @jason_kint, @nickstatt and Mashable, more at Techmeme »

Rick Edmonds / Poynter:

Blockchain journalism startup Civil will try relaunching on Wed., after it failed to sell blockchain tokens before, but is still hampered by an opaque structure — Civil, an ambitious and idealistic venture to nurture journalism startups, will “relaunch” Wednesday.

Tom Cardoso / Globe and Mail:

Google to ban political ads in Canada ahead of federal election, says complying with new ad transparency rules required by Bill C-76 would be too challenging — Google is banning political advertising on its platforms ahead of the Canadian federal election because of new ad transparency rules …

Discussion: Mashable, @andybeal, @danaditomaso, @tonyromm, @amarapossian, @baekdal, @ctv_jon, Beyond Search, Engadget and Fortune, more at Techmeme »

Benjy Egel / Sacramento Bee:

Police detained a Sacramento Bee reporter and shoved a staff photographer down, damaging his camera, during a protest over the lack of prosecution of two cops — Sacramento Bee reporter Dale Kasler was detained Monday night while covering a Stephon Clark protest in East Sacramento.

Discussion: New York Times, Sacramento Bee, Hit & Run and VICE News

Recode:

Q&A with David Chavern, president and CEO of the News Media Alliance, on how Google and Facebook are the de facto regulators of the news industry and more — Chavern's organization advocates on behalf of 2,000 print and online media outlets. — On the latest episode of Recode Decode …

Patience Haggin / Wall Street Journal:

Content recommendation engine Taboola is buying Israeli-based startup Start Magazine to bolster its service for Android users — Deal will put Taboola recommendations on more Android phones' lock screens — Taboola Inc., the “content recommendation” engine best known for placing sponsored links …

Discussion: @jackshafer

James Walker / Press Gazette:

Investigative site Bellingcat has been awarded €500K which it is using to launch an office and training centre in The Hague — Investigative journalism group Bellingcat has been awarded €500,000 of funding which it will use to set up an office and training centre in The Hague.

Ronn Blitzer / Law & Crime:

Report: former FoxNews.com reporter Diana Falzone settled lawsuit with Fox News, after suing following demotion over Stormy Daniels story which was spiked — A massive New Yorker report on the ongoing and evolving relationship between Fox News and President Donald Trump included details …

Discussion: @janemayernyer, Slate, Mediaite, @zevshalev, @michaelavenatti, @drdenagrayson, @carolecadwalla and @bobcywinski

Jane Mayer / New Yorker:
Since Trump was elected, Fox News has swerved from being a partisan news network to the closest thing the US has to state TV

Discussion: @hadas_gold, @theplumlinegs, @mikiebarb, Poynter, Columbia Journalism Review, Axios, Slate, Deadline, @tedlieu, @gabrielsherman, @maggienyt, Vox, Washington Post, BloombergQuint, The Week, bookforum.com, Mediaite, CNN, @brizzyc, The Daily Beast, TVNewser, Recode, Ars Technica, @repadamschiff, @garossino, @mollymckew, @janemayernyer, @wilson__valdez, @nycsouthpaw, @ianbremmer, @eliothiggins, @neal_katyal, @kazweida, @mehdirhasan, @bretstephensnyt, @chriscuomo, @jeffjarvis, @brianschatz, @brianklaas, @renato_mariotti, @maggienyt, @mattwaxman1, @ange_amene, @lolgop, @scout_finch, @adamgoldmannyt, @cfidd, @goldietaylor, @dandrezner, @athertonkd, @sifill_ldf, @anneapplebaum, @peterbakernyt, @janemayernyer, @azalben, @joycewhitevance, @tribelaw, @fawfulfan, @karpmj, @jwgop, Multichannel News, The Daily Caller, The Hill, Boing Boing, The Guardian, Jezebel, Vanity Fair, The Wrap, Contemptor, Splinter, Newser, Variety, Media Matters for America, Fast Company, kottke.org and Politico

Beth Daley / The Conversation:

The Conversation US names Beth Daley, formerly of The Boston Globe and InsideClimate News, as its new editor — I am thrilled to join this nonprofit journalism organization so singular in our nation's crowded media landscape. — The Conversation US plays an indispensable role in our democracy …

Discussion: @dabeard and @conversationus

Christine Schmidt / Nieman Lab:

Democracy Fund report details the history and current state of African-American press, including black digital media, and offers recommendations for advocates — “We are watching organizations like Huffington Post determine what Black stories are elevated to national news stories.

Discussion: @spj_tweets, @niemanlab, @niemanlab and @niemanlab

Cynthia Littleton / Variety:

Q&A with Bob Greenblatt, chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment, who has been tasked with leading AT&T's forthcoming streaming service — AT&T has just handed the keys to WarnerMedia's most high-profile business initiative to Bob Greenblatt, the seasoned TV executive whose resume includes helping …

Discussion: Yahoo Finance, Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, The Verge, @murrelldan, @gerryfsmith, @benmullin and MediaPost

Lesley Goldberg / Hollywood Reporter:
Bob Greenblatt named as chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment; Jeff Zucker named chairman of WarnerMedia News & Sports and remains President of CNN

Discussion: Variety, Variety, @bristei, @melsil, TechCrunch, Vanity Fair, Observer and Ad Age

Gabriel Sherman / Vanity Fair:

Source: Jeff Bezos' security chief is preparing a 90-page investigative report that alleges The Enquirer published exposé to curry favor with Saudi investors — “At the end of this, we're all going to look really, really bad,” says Michael Sanchez. — Improbably, given all that's happened, they're still together.

Discussion: Jezebel, @vanityfair and Business Insider

Meg James / Los Angeles Times:

Disney names Fox Networks Group CFO Ravi Ahuja as president of its business operations and CFO of Walt Disney television — Walt Disney Co. is continuing to bolster its television team with Fox executives, this time bringing over Ravi Ahuja to serve as president of business operations …

Discussion: Variety, Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable