Top News:
Stuart Dredge / Music Ally:
Spotify files an anti-trust complaint against Apple with the European Commission, 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 in the way it manages …
Discussion:
Spotify, Variety, VentureBeat, USA Today, TechCrunch, @pkafka, @viticci, Hollywood Reporter, @neilcybart, @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:
American Press Institute, 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
Jeanine Poggi / Ad Age:
NBC Universal, CBS, Disney Media Networks, Discovery, AMC, and others launch Project OAR, a consortium to establish an open standard in addressable advertising — NBCU, Turner, CBS, Disney, among media companies forming yet another industry consortium — Yet another consortium …
Discussion:
Adweek, @digitalshields, Engadget, What's New in Publishing and Broadcasting & Cable
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
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:
VentureBeat, TechCrunch, Engadget, MacRumors and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »
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
Financial Times:
Sources: News Corp and Axel Springer are expected to bid for the financial news company Acuris, which owns Mergermarket and could be valued at more than £1B — Traditional media companies, including Rupert Murdoch's news business, and the world's largest rating agencies are set to enter …
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
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
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 »
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