Mediagazer: GateHouse Media CEO Kirk Davis to leave upon the close of the Gannett-GateHouse merger, according to an internal memo sent from New Media CEO Mike Reed to staff (Dan Kennedy/Media Nation)

9:15 AM ET, November 4, 2019

Top News:

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Deadspin's entire editorial staff has now resigned; G/O Media says the company is recruiting new staff — Deadspin is dead, for the time being. — The site is now without any editors or writers — after a staff revolt that erupted this week when parent company G/O Media demanded …

Megan Greenwell / @megreenwell:

Former Deadspin EIC Megan Greenwell says the site no longer employs a single writer or editor — And with that, it's over. Deadspin no longer employs a single writer or editor. I am gutted but so very proud of this group of people. Deadspin was a good website.

Discussion: Digiday, Los Angeles Times, @barry, NPR, @kimjnews, @shrimpalert, @mousterpiece, @manadurphy, @om, @matthew_peddie, @david_j_roth, @deadspin, @jbillinson, @thebafflermag, @timmarchman, @goldengateblond, @foldablehuman, @wrbolen, @lindseyadler, The Wrap, On my Om, @bobsaietta, @jatayler, @albertburneko, @ashleyfeinberg, @frankpasquale, @thetomzone, @bjanosch, @rauchway, @michaelroston, @dianamoskovitz, Washington Post, @bubbaprog, @xpangler, @alexknobel, @palewire, @erikwemple, @lexialex, @samanthamvb, @priyakkumar, @theisen95, @cpoff, @labuzamovies, @bjbetheltweets, @dianamoskovitz, @ryanlcooper, @lukeoneil47, @lukeoneil47, @lukeoneil47, @mollieebryant, @blakeweirfpn, @tomgara, @mathewi, @justin_ling, @byjoelanderson, @ericgeller, @emptyseatspics, @jeremymbarr, @davezatz, @lindaholmes, @thrasherxy, @nick422, @dreamoforgonon, @drewmagary, @geedee215, @ryanlcooper, @maxwelltani, @maxkennerly, @patrick_hruby, @jillian_schulz and @mckinneykelsey

New York Times:

Trump has integrated Twitter into the fabric of his administration, reshaping the presidency with 11,000+ tweets while in office, lately posting even more often — With a single tweet last fall, Mr. Trump sent his administration into a tailspin. “I must, in the strongest of terms …

Siva Vaidhyanathan / New York Times:

Vetting political ads effectively and consistently at global scale is impossible; Congress should restrict ad targeting to the level of an electoral district — It's not about free speech. — Siva Vaidhyanathan is a professor of media studies at the University of Virginia.

Discussion: Financial Times, The Guardian, Washington Post, The Drum, What's New in Publishing, @nxthompson, @pierce, @dylanbyers, @hblodget, @jameeljaffer and @karaswisher, more at Techmeme »

Julia Carrie Wong / The Guardian:

The debate over Facebook's political ads policy has been too US-centric and the company hasn't explained how that policy will work in other countries — What do Zuckerberg's bromides about American values mean to Facebook users in Kashmir or the Philippines? — @juliacarriew Email

Discussion: @carnage4life, @stevesi, @juliacarriew, @mathewi, @juddlegum, @juliacarriew, @brooklynmarie, @juliacarriew, @juliacarriew, @juliacarriew, @brooklynmarie, @juliacarriew, @edifiedlistener, @kreissdaniel, @jacob_montg and Columbia Journalism Review

Makena Kelly / The Verge:
Facebook and Google's self-imposed ban on political ads in Washington state, which led to uneven enforcement and confusing rules, is a cautionary tale for 2020

Discussion: @willoremus, @kellymakena and Washington Post

CNN:
Facebook says it will not fact-check ads by UK political parties and candidates running in December election, but will fact-check political groups like Leave.EU

Discussion: Washington Post, The Guardian, @gossithedog, @ellenlweintraub, @axios, @nakatomitim, @theprolestar, @clare_jennifer, @tig_james, @damiancollins, @marxdeane, @marmel, @peterjukes, The Hill, Engadget, MSPoweruser and Gizmodo

Freddy Mayhew / Press Gazette:

BBC says it will establish a new standalone non-profit body to run the Local News Partnership, which will be expanded to cover local councils and NHS trusts — The BBC has laid out plans to expand its local democracy reporting service, recruiting new reporters to cover local councils …

Discussion: The Guardian, bbc.co.uk and @jgibbins

Tim Peterson / Digiday:

Complex Networks, which sells hot sauces in connection to its popular talk show “Hot Ones”, forms Climate, a new division to create products for other companies — Complex Networks is often held up as a role model in digital media for its commitment to building franchises that can be multifaceted businesses.

George P. Slefo / Ad Age:

Meredith sells the remaining 60% stake in the ad tech company Viant, that is has acquired when it bought Time, to Viant's co-founders who owned 40% — The news comes roughly two weeks after Roku said it was buying DSP Dataxu — Viant has acquired itself from media publishing powerhouse Meredith, the companies said Monday.

Discussion: Broadcasting & Cable

Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:

An explanation of “data voids” in search, based on a Data & Society report, and how understanding them is vital for journalists especially amid breaking news — One day fifteen long years ago, in 2004, some SEO consultants decided to have a contest to determine quién …

Discussion: @pizza4justice, @iconycpromo, @scribulatora, @datasociety, @datasociety and @anildash

John McDermott / New York Times:

How journalists, academics, and opinion writers shunned for their conservative or offensive opinions publish at Quillette, and befriend each other — Depriving people of a platform works — in unexpected ways. — Katie Herzog was a largely unknown freelance journalist living in Seattle.

Discussion: @anildash, @wagatwe and @meghan_daum

Nicole Sperling / New York Times:

Theater chain owners upset at Netflix after talks stalled over short theater run for Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, which will be weeks shorter than standard — LOS ANGELES — Netflix and the owners of the major theater chains could have made a lot of money together, if only they had seen eye to eye on the release of “The Irishman.”

Dan Kennedy / Media Nation:

GateHouse Media CEO Kirk Davis to leave upon the close of the Gannett-GateHouse merger, according to an internal memo sent from New Media CEO Mike Reed to staff — I posted this on Twitter and Facebook on Thursday, but it seems significant enough that I ought to share it here as well.

Discussion: @bosbizdon and @dankennedy_nu