Mediagazer: Alphabet's Jigsaw releases Tune, a Chrome extension that filters out “toxic” comments on Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Disqus using its Perspective AI (Alfred Ng/CNET)

Stuart Dredge / Music Ally:

Spotify files complaint against Apple in Europe accusing it of anti-competitive behavior, claims App Store rules limit choice and stifle competition — Spotify is filing a complaint against Apple with the European Commission, accusing the latter company of anticompetitive behaviour …

Discussion: Spotify, Variety, VentureBeat, USA Today, @pkafka, Hollywood Reporter, @jamesliamcook, @m4tt and @spotifynews, more at Techmeme »

Laura Hazard Owen / Nieman Lab:

Seven organizations are receiving $750K in funding for projects combining AI and news, including The Seattle Times — How will artificial intelligence change society? How should journalists cover it? And how can AI actually be helpful to newsrooms and reporters?

Discussion: AI Initiative, Poynter, @timhwang, @mantzarlis, @degarciaknight, @jeffjarvis, @pilhofer, TechCrunch and Muckrock News

The Information:

Sources: Vice Media is seeking to raise up to $200M, possibly through a mix of debt and equity, and aims for profitability in the next 12 months — Vice Media is looking to raise a new round of financing of up to $200 million, which the company hopes will give it enough cash to reach its goal …

Discussion: @cityofthetown, @jessicalessin, @felixsalmon, @emilybell, @dansinker, @amir and @gadyepstein

Mike Farrell / Multichannel News:

Tribune Media's shareholders overwhelmingly approve its acquisition by Nexstar Media Group, a deal that will create the largest TV station group in the US — $6.4B purchase will create country's largest station group — Tribune Media said its shareholders overwhelmingly approved …

Discussion: Deadline

Cynthia Littleton / Variety:

CBS buys out Lionsgate's 50% ownership of the Pop TV cable channel, formerly the TV Guide Network, gaining full control — CBS has taken full ownership of the Pop TV cable channel after buying out the 50% stake held by Lionsgate. — CBS said it aims to better integrate Pop with the rest …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, @benfritz, Adweek, Broadcasting & Cable, MediaPost, Deadline, Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:

Twitter has launched its first ever podcast, “Character Count”, a series about its advertising business with interviews with companies like Dropbox — Twitter today is joining the podcasting arena. This morning, the social network is launching its first-ever podcast series …

Discussion: Adweek

Alfred Ng / CNET:

Alphabet's Jigsaw releases Tune, a Chrome extension that filters out “toxic” comments on Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Disqus using its Perspective AI — The comments sections of websites bring out the best and worst of the internet — engaging insights are often found right next to enraging insults.

Discussion: Jigsaw and Engadget, more at Techmeme »

Media Matters for America:

Media Matters study: nearly one-third of climate change coverage by the networks came from a single episode of Meet the Press on December 30 — For this study, Media Matters examined 2018 news coverage of climate change on broadcast TV networks, counting and analyzing segments devoted …

Discussion: @blkahn, @mmfa, @weatherprof, @marisakabas, @ericgeller, @ue, @billmckibben, @drjoehanson, @jayrosen_nyu and @bruce_arthur

Bloomberg:

Sources: Apple's video service will feature mostly content from partners at launch, with the first slew of its own shows coming later in the year — - IPhone maker is said to push for HBO, Showtime and Starz deals — Magazine bundle, Apple Pay upgrades are also coming this month

Discussion: 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »

Luke Mullins / Washingtonian:

How lobbyists are using geofencing of ads on digital platforms and hiring TV pundits to send policy messages to the president and those who influence him — Paying shills who go on Fox News, planting super-targeted ads in the President's Twitter feed, and all the other eyebrow-raising ways lobbyists …

Discussion: @annalecta, @washingtonian, @jeffsmithmo, @crewcrew, @sbg1, @jonathanchait, @lmullinsdc, @mollymckew, @asmith83, @douglevin, Slate, @crewcrew and @digiphile

The Daily Beast:

Court documents: Nicholas Sandmann, a student who was part of a viral confrontation with a Native American elder, sues CNN; he sued The Washington Post earlier — Nicholas Sandmann, a Kentucky high-school student who was at the center of a viral confrontation with a Native American elder in Washington …

Discussion: Mediaite

Bloomberg:

Venezuelan police have released journalist Luis Carlos Diaz after holding him overnight, accusing him of taking part in a plot to cause a nationwide blackout — - Luis Carlos Diaz was detained while cycling home Monday — Diaz to appear in court every eight days, can't leave country

Discussion: Committee to Protect …, WPLG-TV, @rsf_en, @jilliancyork and @caracaschron