Top News:
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 …
Discussion:
Multichannel News, @felixsalmon, @benmullin, @raju and Forbes
Evette Alexander / Knight Foundation:
Knight study of 86M+ tweets: CNN and Yahoo! News attract a politically balanced following; the center left is the most vocal segment discussing political news — On Dec. 17, 2019, Knight Foundation released a two-part study analyzing the political dynamics of 86 million tweets.
Discussion:
@jackshafer, @wagatwe, @tyadkisson, @ddp and @daviduberti
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, @emilybell, @owillis, @benbradleytv, @cjr, @cornerrobot, @samthielman, @anotheracronym, @slpng_giants, @3r1ng, @legalnomads, @marklittlenews, @grovesprof, @brooklynmarie and Lansing Sun
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, @jayshams, @alexandrascaggs, @anthony, @readdanwrite, @bendwalsh, @edmundlee, @jamesfdennin, @jayshams, @johnjcook and @craigsilverman
Raissa Robles / South China Morning Post:
Philippine court finds an ex-mayor and four family members guilty of murder of 57 in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, which included a large group of journalists — Ampatuan political dynasty sought to quash an election challenge by rounding up rivals and journalists, killing them and dumping bodies …
Discussion:
BBC, RAPPLER, ABS-CBN News, philstar.com, Inquirer News, Committee to Protect …, Agence France-Presse, New York Times, cnn, ABS-CBN News, cnn and Inquirer News
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:
@sizpatel, @kerrymflynn and Politico
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, 9to5Google, The Streamable, Android Police, Broadcasting & Cable and CNET
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:
@pblest, @emilygmonster, @flyingwithsara, @economicpolicy, @leahfinnegan and @jscros
Josh Constine / TechCrunch:
Spotify is prototyping Tastebuds, a social feature that allows users to interact with and discover music by searching the people they follow — Spotify is prototyping a new way to see what friends have been listening to, called “Tastebuds.” Despite how discovering music is inherently social …
Discussion:
Digital Trends, Android Police and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
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:
@stillgray, @democracyjourno, @senwhitehouse, @jerry_jtaylor, @charliearchy, @isaacstanbecker, @rasmus_kleis and Washington Post
Independence Media:
Philadelphia's Independence Public Media Foundation announces a second round of grants, totaling $4.3M, to Media Mobilizing Project, Free Press, Chalkbeat, more — IPM is delighted to announce its second round of grants, totaling $4.3 million, including $3.6 million to six organizations …
Discussion:
Medium, @mollydeaguiar, @mollydeaguiar, @mollydeaguiar, @mollydeaguiar, @notaaroncraig, @rispolimike, @mollydeaguiar and Free Press
Nick Corasaniti / New York Times:
A group formed by 3 former Fox News staffers who sued Fox or Roger Ailes ask presidential candidates to condemn NDAs dealing with workplace environment issues — A letter from three former Fox News employees is designed to pressure presidential campaigns to do away with NDAs, calling them “a driving force in silencing workers.”
Discussion:
@katiephang, @julieroginsky, @gretchencarlson, @johnjcook, @dianafalzone, @wgrz_stevebrown and The Week