Top News:
Ryan Glasspiegel / The Big Lead:
Deadspin's interim editor-in-chief, Barry Petchesky, who has worked for the publication for 10 years, says he has been fired for “not sticking to sports” — It was a solid bet when The Daily Beast reported that G/O Media management issued an edict to Deadspin to stick to sports …
Discussion:
@barry, Wall Street Journal, @kerrymflynn, The Outline, @gmgunion, Deadline, @dansolomon, @gmgunion, The Wrap, @bubbaprog, Fox News, @sarahspain, @byjoelanderson, @megreenwell, @maxkennerly, @ryanlcooper, @stephentotilo, @dansolomon, @libbycwatson, @bruce_arthur, @mlcalderone, @sportsrapport, @catmsilverman, Washington Post, @brianpshea, @dceiver, Awful Announcing, @maxwelltani, @ashleyfeinberg, @jonbolds, @robneyer, @kentremendous, @sdkstl, @weareyourfek, @taylorcocke and @natalieweiner
RELATED:
Maxwell Tani / The Daily Beast:
G/O Media Editorial Director Paul Maidment calls Deadspin's focus an “incredibly broad mandate”: “We are sorry that some on the Deadspin staff don't agree” — “We are sorry that some on the Deadspin staff don't agree with that editorial direction, and refuse to work within that incredibly broad mandate."
Discussion:
Sports Media Guy, @sgtjanedoe, @andrewkirell, Mother Jones, Mediaite, Business Insider, @kantrowitz and @shortformernie
Kelsey Mckinney / @mckinneykelsey:
Deadspin writer says G/O Media management removed a letter to the readers from Deadspin staff that criticised the recent addition of autoplay videos to the site
Deadspin writer says G/O Media management removed a letter to the readers from Deadspin staff that criticised the recent addition of autoplay videos to the site
Discussion:
@gmgunion, @chronotope, CNN, VICE, @sueonthetown, Awful Announcing, @barry, @williamfleitch, @katiedrumm, @mckinneykelsey, @ashleyfeinberg, Gizmodo and The Daily Beast
Peter Kafka / Vox:
HBO Max to launch in May and cost $15 a month, same as the existing HBO; AT&T plans to bundle free subscriptions for some customers of its other services — HBOMax, WarnerMedia's new streaming service, will feature all of HBO's shows, like Game of Thrones, plus new programing. HBO
Discussion:
The Wrap, Crain's New York Business, The Wrap, Variety, @hbomax, Variety, The Streamable, /Film, CNBC, Variety, Multichannel News, The Streamable, @marvelology, @mgsiegler, @pkafka, @xpangler, @richlightshed, @xpangler, Hollywood Reporter, @xpangler, Wall Street Journal and @xpangler, more at Techmeme »
Jason Gurwin / The Streamable:
Sony says it will shut down its PlayStation Vue live TV subscription service on January 30 — The Streamable is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission when you sign up with our links. — This is breaking news, the story will be updated. — After much speculation …
Discussion:
PlayStation.Blog, USA Today, Variety, MediaPost, /Film, @pkafka, Awful Announcing and @pkafka, more at Techmeme »
Mike Isaac / New York Times:
Sources: over 250 Facebook employees have signed a letter visible on an internal forum that says letting politicians lie in ads is “a threat” to the company — In an open letter, the social network's employees said letting politicians post false claims in ads was “a threat” to the company.
Discussion:
@mikeisaac, USA Today, CNN, The Guardian, @donie, New York Times, @carolecadwalla, KTLA, @sarahfrier, @aoc, Fortune, @bariawilliams, @peterwsinger, @mattlech, @davmicrot, USA Today, The A.V. Club, The Hill, @thegrugq, @senblumenthal, @wiczipedia, @mikeisaac, @cnbc, @profcarroll, @nickconfessore, Politico, @rmac18, @donttrythis, Breitbart, @donie, The Independent, Mercury News, MediaPost, VICE, @wiczipedia, @benioff, @ewarren, @brianstelter, @oneunderscore__, Business Insider, The Next Web, The Verge, Ad Age, RAPPLER, TechCrunch, Beyond Search, Wall Street Journal, Memex 1.1, The Wrap, The Week, Mashable, Gizmodo and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
Ben Terris / Washington Post:
James Bennet may be a candidate for NYT EIC; he has wrestled with family allegiances, like to brother Michael, but has recused himself from coverage in the past — Michael Bennet is running for president. His sibling James is a big shot at the New York Times.
Discussion:
@justinjm1, @mlcalderone, @shanegoldmacher, @mlcalderone, @drvox, @ashleyfeinberg, @drewharwell and @lam_barrett
John Sands / Knight Foundation:
Local news survey: 45% of Americans trust it “quite a lot” or more; 53% of Americans view it as balanced though 50% of Democrats trust it vs. 27% of Republicans — When it comes to trust, local news media continue to outperform their national counterparts.
Discussion:
Knight Foundation, Nieman Lab, @maryellenklas, The Rural Blog, @newsalliance, @newsbyschmidt, @niemanlab, @brizzyc, @dangillmor and Fast Company
Will Cathcart / Washington Post:
WhatsApp sues NSO Group after investigating an attack that sent malware to 1,400 devices, targeting 100+ journalists and human rights defenders — Will Cathcart is head of WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook. — In May, WhatsApp announced that we had detected and blocked a new kind …
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Sources: NBC News Digital is expanding its staff by 20% over the next year, amounting to ~70 new jobs, and shutting down its digital video studio NBC Left Field — NBC News Digital is expanding its staff by 20% over the next year, an addition of roughly 70 jobs across multiple departments …
Discussion:
Variety, @sarafischer and @oliverdarcy
Committee to Protect Journalists:
CPJ's 2019 Global Impunity Index: Somalia, Syria, Iraq have the worst records for prosecuting murderers of journalists; Philippines, Mexico top unsolved cases — CPJ's 2019 Global Impunity Index spotlights countries where journalists are slain and their killers go free
Discussion:
@nujp, @joshua__frank, @pressfreedom, @spj_tweets, @dillidurast, @pressfreedom, @pressfreedom and RAPPLER
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
70+ female MPs release a letter supporting Meghan Markle and criticizing the “often distasteful and misleading nature” of UK newspaper stories about her — A cross-party group of female MPs have written to Meghan Markle to express solidarity over what they called …
Discussion:
Metro.co.uk, WWD, Los Angeles Times, @hollylynch5, The Hill and The Guardian
Michael Calderone / Politico:
The RedState reporter who published the Katie Hill photo has since promoted GOP candidates for her seat, a blurring of roles unacceptable in mainstream outlets — The RedState writer who published a nude picture of the congresswoman has a long history of supporting Hill's opponents.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Mother Jones, @moorehn, @politico, @stellinitweets, @joshuahol, VICE, Washington Free Beacon, @jenvanlaar, @mlcalderone, @mattdpearce, The Week, Vox, New York Post, Breitbart and Talking Points Memo