Top News:
Tribune Publishing Company:
Tribune Publishing says Alden Global Capital is now the company's largest shareholder, buying 25.2% of the company from Merrick Ventures and Michael Ferro Jr. — Tribune Publishing Company (NASDAQ: TPCO), one of the nation's leading media companies, today announced that funds managed …
Ben Smith / BuzzFeed News:
Sources: NYT is facing a succession contest to replace Dean Baquet before September 2022, with three top candidates: Joe Kahn, James Bennet, and Cliff Levy — If you're following the news these days, you'll notice that a high percentage is about the New York Times — the headlines …
Marc Tracy / New York Times:
Gannett and New Media Investment Group's merger became official Tuesday, with executives hoping “efficiencies” will save about $300M/year — The deal to create the largest newspaper company in the nation — which became official at 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday — came about with remarkable speed …
Discussion:
@maxwelltani, @joshsternberg, @amandahess, @jamesebriggs, @kerrymflynn, @sethklamann, @joemfox, @spsullivan, @baltsunguild, @jcrutchmer, @jenwsheehan, @alexkotch, @marcatracy, @rebekahlsanders, @simonowens, @mathewi, @jbenton, @cooperoncourts, @mattdpearce, @caspernewsguild, @melissayeagr, @indyemapolis, @jbenton, @vicky_jacobsen, @reporterdavidj, @darrendcarroll, @dtohl, @courantguild, @pmalonedc, @emilyoverholt, KIFI-TV and Brookings
Christopher Cheung / The Tyee:
Torstar announces 121 layoffs, with 73 to be cut as it closes StarMetro Vancouver and four other free dailies on Dec. 20; more layoffs are in southern Ontario — Five more daily newspapers shuttered, 73 jobs lost across Canada. — Christopher Cheung is a reporter at The Tyee.
Discussion:
@tarynalgrant, @anna_desmarais, @sdbcraig, @ayan604, Canada NewsWire Group, @jsource, The Conversation, @sdbcraig, @jsource and @bychrischeung
Jim Waterson / The Guardian:
During Tuesday's debate, UK's Conservative party renamed its main media Twitter account as “factcheckUK” and changed its logo to push anti-Labour material — Party accused of misleading public by tweeting anti-Labour posts as ‘factcheckUK’ — The Conservatives have been accused …
Discussion:
Press Gazette, First Draft, @alexhern, Financial Times, @lisaocarroll, @alexhern, @aljwhite, @johnedwards33, @carljackmiller, @daveleebbc, @joe_stone, @peterstefanovi2, @alexhern, @dsquareddigest, @pickardje, @midlandsound, @lisaocarroll, @dsquareddigest, @grodaeu, @jimwaterson, @broderick, @emilybell, @sdp, @cononeilluk, @alexhern and Financial Times
Evan Smith / The Texas Tribune:
Texas Tribune EIC and chief audience officer are stepping down to launch a national nonprofit news organization aimed at giving women “facts, tools, and info” — They'll exit their leadership roles at The Texas Tribune at the end of the year. We couldn't be more grateful …
Discussion:
@amzam, @jwharris, @lmcgaughy, @jeffjarvis, @natalie_choate, @eramshaw, @amzam, @amzam, @jayrosen_nyu, @eramshaw, @amzam, @emilybell and The Wrap
Saheli Roy Choudhury / CNBC:
Disney says there's no indication of a Disney+ security breach, in response to reports of thousands of users' accounts being hijacked and sold online for $3-$11 — - Thousands of Disney+ user accounts have been stolen by hackers and put up for sale on the dark web, according to multiple reports.
Discussion:
ZDNet, BBC, The Tech Portal, Variety, Bloomberg, @kaspersky and New York Post
RELATED:
Dieter Bohn / The Verge:
Google announces Your News Update, an Assistant-powered audio feature that chooses stories based on interests, location, and more, available first in the US — It plays from a variety of sources instead of just the few you hand-pick — Google is rolling out a new service for Google Assistant that it's calling “Your News Update.”
Discussion:
Digiday, The Keyword, TechCrunch, @reckless, @chelseactv, @backlon, @google, Search Engine Land, CNET, RAIN News, Engadget and Fortune, more at Techmeme »
Ken Doctor / Nieman Lab:
A deep look at McClatchy's options for a sale, restructuring or bankruptcy, and the influence of the federal pension agency and Chatham Asset Management — The nation's second-largest newspaper company had paid off most of its old debt and still generates positive cashflow.
Discussion:
Bloomberg
Matt Novak / Gizmodo:
Facebook exec defends Breitbart on Facebook News, saying Breitbart is not being paid and balances out “far left” outlets, but it's unclear which ones she meant — Facebook recently announced that white supremacist propaganda site Breitbart would be considered a “high quality” …
Discussion:
@ranimolla, Vox, @alibreland, @jaredlholt, @deborahblum, @ceciliakang, @voxdotcom, Right Wing Watch, @bgrueskin, @teddyschleifer, @slpng_giants, @ericboehlert, @oliverdarcy and Memex 1.1
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Trump's antagonism toward Bezos, WaPo, and Amazon, followed by denial of a $10B cloud contract, should be a larger scandal than it has been treated so far — The saga of President Trump's reprisals against Amazon has lurked on the margin of the news, largely overshadowed by the Ukraine scandal.
Discussion:
@jonathanchait, @taralogrady, @szreports, @andreweversden1, @danrather, @adamblickstein, @washtimes and Washington Times
Christine Schmidt / Nieman Lab:
The Shawnee Mission Post in northeast Kansas has grown to 2,650 paying subscribers with an annual run rate of ~$190K, two years after launching its paywall — Paywalls are working at some (inter)national news organizations. But how are they working on the local — or even the hyperlocal — level?
Discussion:
American Press Institute, @shawmissionpost, The Rural Blog, @mikeachim, @jay_senter and @niemanreports
Output Producer, CA — 
China Markets Correspondent, Shanghai — 
Senior Assignment Editor, DC — 
Breaking News Editor, Tokyo — 
Senior Correspondent - Wealth, NY — 
Reporter - Ottawa Bureau — 
Local Government Reporter, IA — 
Research Director, CA — 
Immigration Enforcement Reporter — 
Presque Island Reporter, ME — 
Contributing Parks Ed. - SW, CA — 
AI Content Editor, WA — 
Legislative Reporter, TN — 
Editorial Assistant, Remote US — 
Elon Musk Reporter, NY or CA — 
Government & Politics Editor, WA — 
Business & GA Reporter. VT — 
Sports Reporter, WA — 
Energy Reporter, TX — 
Senior Reporter, SC — 
Trade & Climate Correspondent, DC — 
Reporter, WI — 
Political Newsletter Writer, CO — 
Jackson Reporter, MS — 
Music Editor, AZ — 
Breaking News Reporter, NV — 
Fearless Reporter/Producer, IA — 
Reporter II - Technology, Remote — 
Editor, Remote US — 
City Reporter, WA — 
Executive Editor, OR — 
Education & Budget Reporter, CA — 
Senior Writer/Editor, FL — 
Media Editor, Remote — 
