Top News:
Craig Timberg / Washington Post:
Facebook to unveil news tab at an event Friday with News Corp's Robert Thomson; sources: direct payments to 200 publishers will go up to millions of dollars — Facebook plans to launch a “News” tab on Friday that will offer stories from hundreds of news organizations, some of which will be paid fees …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Politico, CNET, @b52malmet, CBS News, Observer, @craigtimberg and Mediaite, more at Techmeme »
Sarah Lacy / Pando:
Sarah Lacy and Paul Carr sell Pando to ad-tech company BuySellAds, which bought Digg in 2018; Lacy announces she is leaving journalism — If there is a single moment when it seemed like my journalism career suddenly caught fire, it was the 2006 Business Week cover story I wrote about the rise of Web 2.0 companies.
Jessica Toonkel / The Information:
CNN says it is planning a news aggregation service, internally called “NewsCo”, which will likely be a mix of subscription- and advertising-based content — First there was Knewz. Now there is “Newsco.” Media companies are ramping up their efforts to take on Facebook and Apple with digital news services.
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, @jessicalessin, 9to5Mac, @thesheetztweetz, Engadget and AppleInsider
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Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:
While CNN's news aggregation app will probably not succeed, wanting to protect its brand by becoming more than a tiny icon in another company's app makes sense — Like News Corp with Knewz, it's trying to build its own platform for news, using its own content and work from other news organizations, to compete with the tech giants.
Discussion:
The Atlantic
BBC:
BBC News launches dark web mirror of its international site, accessible via Tor, as it seeks to thwart censorship from states such as China, Iran, and Vietnam — The BBC has made its international news website available via Tor, in a bid to thwart censorship attempts.
Discussion:
@ridt, @amywebb, @darkdotfail, @mshelton and @opentechfund
RELATED:
Jeremy Barr / Hollywood Reporter:
Fox Business, CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, NYT, and FT say they will not serve as media partners at Saudi Arabia's Future of Investment Initiative event this year — Jared Kushner and Steven Mnuchin are attending, but major media firms are still a no-go at the Saudi conference following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
Discussion:
Axios, @teddyschleifer, @peter_tl, @p_brady, @jeremymbarr and Axios
Associated Press:
AP is using Data Skrive automation and Sportradar data to produce automated text previews of Major League Soccer games — The Associated Press announced today that it is using automation technology from Data Skrive and data from Sportradar to produce data-driven text previews of all Major League Soccer games.
Discussion:
@cltledger and @herosportsnews
Gretchen Frazee / PBS NewsHour:
The US Postal Service is honoring the late Gwen Ifill with a stamp in 2020; she worked at PBS NewsHour for 17 years and covered eight presidential campaigns — The U.S. Postal Service is honoring the late PBS NewsHour anchor Gwen Ifill with a commemorative Forever stamp.
Discussion:
ABC News, @jelani9, @yamiche, @sifill_ldf, Baltimore Sun, theGrio, @kamalaharris, NBC News, The Hill, The Week and TVNewser
Christine Schmidt / Nieman Lab:
A deep look at local news newsletters from individual reporters, who often use tools like Substack and Revue and sometimes earn subscription revenue — Just as blogging allowed a new cadre of journalists to work outside established news organizations in the early 2000s, the email newsletter boom has done the same in local communities.
Knight Foundation:
Knight Foundation announces funding for Charlotte's West End, including $125,000 for a journalism initiative with Qcitymetro, to host events and hire a reporter — Contact: Lauren Dickinson, Communications Officer, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 305.908.2694, [email protected]
Discussion:
@svalder, @cthomasclt, @melaniesill and @westside_clt
Kerry Flynn / CNN:
Tinder says it will roll out its “Swipe Night” choose-your-own adventure series globally in February, after messages rose 12% compared to a typical Sunday night — New York (CNN Business)Would you save a person or a puppy during an apocalypse? — To some, that's an obvious choice.
Discussion:
@72andsunny and @kerrymflynn, more at Techmeme »
Siri Holstad Johannessen / INMA:
How Norway's Aftenposten increased subscriber revenue and decreased churn through Wine Club, its wine-focused newsletter started in 2017 — Aftenposten has a long history with its loyalty programme for subscribers, which is called A-kortet. With unique offers on events, concerts …
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