Top News:
Wall Street Journal:
Visualizations show the stark divide between a handful of national newspapers that have managed to make the digital transition, and the struggling local outlets — After suffering a historic meltdown a decade ago in the financial crisis, American newspapers began racing to transform into digital businesses …
Discussion:
@alecmacgillis, Media Nation, @wsj, @jasonalcorn, @mathewi, @emilybell, @waltmossberg, @chick_in_kiev, @jonahshai, @lenfestinst, @kenwardjr, @melaniesill, @ben_baby, @keachhagey, @anncurry, @michaelluo, @charlesornstein, @institute_trust, @cdcarter13, @seamushughes, @dnvolz, @chrisjollyhale, @charlesornstein, @mattdpearce, @asharma, @markianhawryluk, @markberman and Dan Kennedy
CNN:
After Facebook bans seven extremists, Trump, in a series of tweets, complains about the ban, retweeting extremists' tweets, and issuing vague threats — New York (CNN)Facebook barred seven users from its services earlier this week, citing its policies against “dangerous individuals and organizations.”
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Jack Shafer / Politico:
Facebook could have limited the reach of Alex Jones and other “dangerous” figures without outright bans, which erode the US' strong free speech traditions — Free speech took a whacking Thursday as Facebook cited its policies against “dangerous individuals and organizations” …
Discussion:
New York Times, Reason, @politico, @nickgillespie, NPR, Wired and The Week
Teresa Mioli / Journalism in the Americas:
Journalists and press freedom advocates are highlighting a theme of media for democracy in times of disinformation for the 26th World Press Freedom Day — Each May 3 is a global celebration of press freedom and its importance to society. For this year's World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) …
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Amelia Nitz / The Reporters Committee …:
US Press Freedom Tracker: in 2018, US journalists were targets of 35 physical attacks, 5 cases of prior restraint, 13 instances of access denial, and 11 arrests
Discussion:
@klasfeldreports, @acosta, @rcfp, Reporters Committee … and RTDNA Recent Articles
Keith J. Kelly / New York Post:
Recently acquired Times-Picayune will lay off all of its 161 staff, including 65 reporters and editors, a notice filed with Louisiana Workforce Commission says — The Newhouse family sold the 182-year-old daily The Times-Picayune and its website, nola.com, to a scrappy New Orleans competitor, and the entire staff is being laid off.
Discussion:
@petesibley, @mfosmoe, @sebastiansings, @rachelholliday, @keithroysdon, @tmorris504, @studentactivism, @seungminkim, @textfiles and @abigaildisney
Alexandria Neason / Columbia Journalism Review:
Media Matters study of 2,000 tweets by major news outlets shows they amplified false or misleading Trump claims 19 times/day on average, without disputing them — When a president speaks, what he says is, by journalistic norms, inherently newsworthy. But when a president lies—on social media …
Discussion:
Media Matters for America, @parkermolloy, @laurahelmuth, @mepfuller, @terawhunter, @lexalexander, @mattgertz, The Week, Engadget and Boing Boing
Ruth Graham / Slate:
Rachel Held Evans, an influential progressive Christian writer and speaker who challenged the evangelical establishment, is dead at age 37 — Rachel Held Evans, an influential progressive Christian writer and speaker who cheerfully challenged American evangelical culture, died on Saturday at a hospital in Nashville.
Discussion:
Religion News Service, New York Times, @jacobbrenton, Washington Post, @saraschaefer1, @mikemchargue, @abellejm, @berniceking, @jonah_ven, @shannonrwatts, @sarahbessey, @annehelen, @shannonrwatts, @jamilsmith, John Pavlovitz, Rachel Held Evans, @jackmjenkins, @pixieauthoress and @jackmjenkins
New York Times:
Sinclair Broadcast announces it will buy 21 regional sports networks from Disney in a deal valued at $10.6B; deal does not include YES Network — Sinclair Broadcast Group said Friday that it had agreed to acquire 21 regional sports networks from Walt Disney Company in a deal worth $10.6 billion …
Discussion:
Variety, @jgsiegel, @nytmedia, PR Newswire, @andrewgreif, Hollywood Reporter, CNBC and Los Angeles Times
Kurt Badenhausen / Forbes:
A profile of sports streaming company DAZN, which is paying well over $1B for media rights annually and is using boxing to drive subscriber growth in the US — The first Saturday in May is one of the biggest sports days of the year. In addition to the gambling-friendly Kentucky Derby …
Discussion:
@forbes, @kbadenhausen, @forbes, @forbes and @forbessports
Lillian Rizzo / Wall Street Journal:
Vice Media says it has raised $250M in debt from a group of investors; sources: the group is led by 23 Capital and includes George Soros' investment fund — Once-hot new media company had been looking to raise additional capital amid stalling growth — Vice Media said it has raised $250 million …
Discussion:
Politico, @jrreed, @lilliannnn and Deadline
Jason Del Rey / Vox:
In an oral history of Amazon Prime, current and former Amazon executives discuss the pivotal role of Prime Video in driving the membership program's success — An oral history of the subscription service that changed online shopping forever. — It's easy to forget now, but Amazon wasn't always the king of online shopping.
Discussion:
@sarthakgh, @recode, @delrey, @voxdotcom and kottke.org, more at Techmeme »
Nicholas Thompson / Wired:
Fifteen months after the paywall launch, Wired EIC discusses the effectiveness of newsletters, gifts, phrasing in turning readers into subscribers — A LITTLE OVER a year ago, we introduced a paywall at WIRED. The idea, as I wrote back then, was largely about us.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, @elanazak, @techjournalist, @mathewi and @dlberes
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