Top News:
Mark Sweney / The Guardian:
UK competition agency launches investigation into how Google and Facebook collect and use user data and if they've abused their power to dominate the ad market — Competition watchdog to investigate potential abuse of power and control of user data — The UK competition watchdog has launched …
Discussion:
GOV.UK, MediaPost, CNET, The Drum and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »
Rebecca Traister / The Cut:
Despite diversity in presidential candidates, punditry still belongs to guys who give us mediocre analysis, grotesque speech on women, and cluelessness on race — In past weeks, the curtain has officially been raised on the vast and diverse field of candidates for the Democratic nomination …
Kali Hays / WWD:
Sources: W staffers were first given one day to sign on to work for Future, later extended to two; all contracts stipulate a three-month “introductory period” — Goodbye Condé Nast and “Summer Fridays.” Hello a “revenue-comes-first” editorial outlook. — Saoirse Ronan on W's cover in 2019
Discussion:
@mattbruenig, Jezebel, @mattdpearce, @itstheannmarie and @amguarnieri_
Jeremy Barr / Hollywood Reporter:
A look inside Fox Nation: a fresh misconduct claim, issues about hosts' political activities, and scrutiny of leader John Finley, who faced a 2011 HR complaint — The network said it has “resolved” a claim that host Britt McHenry leveled against co-host Tyrus. She has hired an employment lawyer.
Discussion:
Mediaite, @jeremymbarr, @bluechoochoo, @maxwelltani, @media_evan and @jeremymbarr
Meredith Lerner / CREW:
Heather Nauert reported a salary from 21st Century Fox while working for the govt despite an ethics waiver contingent upon not having financial interest in Fox — Heather Nauert, a former State Department spokesperson and President Trump's original pick to replace Nikki Haley …
Discussion:
@heathernauert, U.S. Office …, @miafarrow and @underoak
Tara Lachapelle / Bloomberg:
Box Office Mojo: $5.62B of tickets have been sold in H1 2019, a 10% fall YoY; Disney drove one third of ticket sales, not including 21st Century Fox movies — Disney's streak of blockbusters hasn't yet reversed a tough year for the box office and cinema chains such as AMC Entertainment.
Ciara Linnane / MarketWatch:
BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield says legacy media companies that are reclaiming content for direct-to consumer streaming services are taking the wrong approach — Direct-to-consumer streaming services miss the point that content is just a small part of the equation, says BTIG's Richard Greenfield
Tess Bonn / The Hill:
In a survey of 1,000 American adults, 33% said the news media was “the enemy of the people” while 67% said it was an important part of democracy — One-third of Americans say the news media is “the enemy of the people,” according to a new Hill-Harris X poll survey.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and Mediaite
Lucinda Southern / Digiday:
A look at the measures WSJ has implemented to fight deepfakes, including forming a 21-person team for detecting them and holding training sessions for staff — To combat the growing threat of spreading misinformation ahead of the U.S. 2020 general election, The Wall Street Journal has formed …
Discussion:
@jonathanstray and @rjcc
Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
Breitbart News has continued to lose advertisers and traffic, bottoming out at 4.6M unique visitors in May, down from 17.3M at the start of 2017, per Comscore — In January 2017, Breitbart.com was flying high. Donald Trump, the candidate it had backed during the 2016 campaign, was sworn in as president.
Discussion:
@daviddtss, @kurtbardella, @nigmanoname, @chuckrossdc, @thesarcasmshow, @slpng_giants and @mlcalderone
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Guardian News and Media reported a median pay gap of 4.9%, favoring men, in April 2019, down from 8.4% in 2018, and 12.1% in 2017 — The publisher of the Guardian and Observer newspapers has cut its gender pay gap by 40 per cent in the past year. — Guardian News and Media reported a median pay gap …
Discussion:
Press Gazette and Financial Times
Devjyot Ghoshal / Reuters:
Three major Indian newspaper groups say the government has cut ads in retaliation for negative coverage; Telegraph publisher says it has experienced a 15% drop — NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's government has cut off advertisements to at least three major newspaper groups in a move that executives …
Jon Allsop / Columbia Journalism Review:
Survey of news media employment between January and June 2019: thousands laid off or offered buyouts; the industry is on course for its worst year since 2009 — Between January and May this year, approximately 3,000 people working in the news industry were laid off or offered a buyout.
Travis Yeh / Facebook:
Facebook updates News Feed ranking algorithm to reduce the distribution of sensational health claims or promotion of products with health-related claims — People come together on Facebook to talk about, advocate for, and connect around things like nutrition, fitness and health issues.