Top News:
Priyanjana Bengani / Columbia Journalism Review:
Investigation finds 450 “pink slime” websites, including 189 local news outlets, in 12 states, distributing algorithmic stories and conservative talking points — An increasingly popular tactic challenges conventional wisdom on the spread of electoral disinformation …
Discussion:
@emilybell, @benbradleytv, @cjr, Lansing Sun, @emilybell, @owillis, @cornerrobot, @samthielman, @slpng_giants, @3r1ng, @legalnomads, @grovesprof and @brooklynmarie
Max Willens / Digiday:
Time will launch an invite-only tiered membership program in 2020; prices start at $1,750/year, and the most expensive, at $20K/year, includes an event at Davos — Time thinks it can build membership revenue by going ultra-expensive and ultra-affordable at the same time.
Discussion:
Politico and @kerrymflynn
Rob Pegoraro / USA Today:
More than 100 PBS affiliated stations launch on YouTube TV, Google's $50/month cable alternative, available on the web and in apps — A missing link for cord-cutters just clicked into place: After the arrival of many PBS affiliates on YouTube TV Tuesday, viewers eager to flee high-priced cable …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, PBS Main Product Support, Fast Company, The Streamable, 9to5Google, Broadcasting & Cable, CNET and Android Police
Andy Serwer / Yahoo News:
Talking Biz News, which tracks business journalists, was quietly sold to Qwoted, a site owned by two PR firms whose clients include newsrooms like Bloomberg — Talking Biz News unless you're a business journalist, in which case you're probably familiar. The site, which was founded and run …
Discussion:
@serwer, @alexandrascaggs, @jayshams, @anthony, @readdanwrite, @bendwalsh, @johnjcook, @edmundlee, @jamesfdennin, @craigsilverman and @jayshams
BBC:
Investigation finds the Russian network connected to a leak of US-UK trade documents used Quora and the community section of BuzzFeed to spread misinformation — A network of social media accounts connected to a leak of US-UK trade documents has also spread false news stories online, a BBC investigation has discovered.
Discussion:
@isaacstanbecker, @jerry_jtaylor, @rasmus_kleis and Washington Post
Committee to Protect Journalists:
Report: 25 journalists were killed in 2019, down from 56 killed in 2018 and the lowest figure since 2002; Syria and Mexico were the deadliest countries — As wars subsided and a record low number of journalists were murdered in reprisal for reporting, the total number of journalists killed because of their work fell sharply in 2019.
Discussion:
Press Gazette, @pressfreedom, @chrissiemurray, @hisham_melhem, @andrecaramante, @pressfreedom, @raju, @cbctom, YouTube and CNN
Paul Blest / The Outline:
Publishers like Hearst should realize that opposing unions is counterproductive, as it delays the inevitable, costs money, and could ruin morale — Hearst is pushing back against its employees' union drive, but it would be advantageous for them to support it.
Discussion:
@jscros
Sarah Larson / New Yorker:
Profile of Hallmark, which started printing cards in 1914 and has grown to include a cable network which has produced 103 original movies in the past year — By “leaning into Christmas”—and claiming to avoid politics—the greeting-card company has come to dominate screens across America.
Discussion:
@yoda and @newyorker
Elizabeth Jensen / NPR:
On-air source diversity data for NPR for FY 2018 shows 83% of sources were white, up from 73% in FY 2015, and 33% were female — New research into the diversity of NPR's on-air sources shows that in fiscal year 2018 (ended Sept. 30, 2018), the voices heard on NPR weekday newsmagazines were 83% white and 33% female.
Joshua Fruhlinger / Thinknum Media:
Vox Media job listings show a drop in postings seeking freelancers for SB Nation starting in September, when California's AB5 law passed; staff openings rose 3x — On Monday, Vox Media ($VOXMEDIA) announced plans to cut hundreds of freelance writers and editors in California, blaming AB-5 …
Discussion:
SFGATE, @vox_union, @mattdpearce, Awful Announcing and American Society of Journalists and Authors
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: several companies have expressed interest in buying Univision Communications, including Hemisphere Media Group and private equity firm Platinum Equity — Hemisphere Media Group and Platinum Equity have made overtures — Several firms have expressed interest in acquiring Univision …
Sahil Patel / Wall Street Journal:
Finnish social ad-tech company Smartly.io receives a €200M investment from Providence Equity Partners, sources say at a €300M valuation — Smartly.io provides social ad creation, distribution and management services — Providence Equity Partners LLC is taking a majority stake …
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