Mediagazer: Russia Today says all 35 staffers of Sputnik Estonia have resigned due to the threat of prosecution from Estonia over EU sanctions against Russia Today CEO (Meduza.io)

Siva Vaidhyanathan / The Guardian:

Boycotting the NYT after Bret Stephens' column would be a mistake due to its important journalism; shaming is sufficient as the NYT cares about its reputation — Bret Stephens' article was ridiculous, eugenicist garbage. But calls to boycott the newspaper won't help

Discussion: Politico, Media Nation, @tmorris504, @kengoldsholl, @lauramlippman, @jonmalesic, @notaaroncraig, @bruceholsinger, @evanselinger, @harrymccracken, @sivavaid and Washington Post

Zoe Schiffer / The Verge:

In its first transparency report, TikTok says it received most requests for user data and content takedowns from India and USA, claims zero requests from China — The highest number of requests came from India and the US — TikTok released its first transparency report yesterday …

Discussion: Military.com, NBC News, Newsroom | TikTok and TikTok

Ben Casselman / @bencasselman:

[Thread] NYT reporter tracks his source list for gender and racial diversity, concludes the effort improved his journalism and forced him to be more thoughtful — One of my goals this year was to be more aware of the diversity (or lack thereof) of my source list. To that end, I've been tracking (as best I can) the gender and race of everyone I quote in my stories. In the interest of accountability, some stats:

Discussion: @tcwittes and @asteadwesley

Meduza.io:

Russia Today says all 35 staffers of Sputnik Estonia have resigned due to the threat of prosecution from Estonia over EU sanctions against Russia Today CEO — The news agency Sputnik Estonia, which is owned by the Russian state media conglomerate Russia Today, has ground to a halt after every one of its 35 employees resigned.

Discussion: Radio Free Europe/Radio …, @meduza_en, TASS, ERR and @natashabertrand

Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:

Seven UK higher education institutions adopted the methods of BBC's 50:50 Project so that journalism students can track gender balance as they learn to report — The BBC is hoping to help improve the representation of women within student journalism by sharing its own methodology relating to on-air gender balance.

Discussion: @vivian

Shira Schoenberg / Union-News:

MA court rules that journalists are not liable for defamation when publishing police blotters, regardless of the accuracy of the claims in the police report — The editor of a University of Massachusetts student newspaper cannot be held liable for defamation for publishing information …

Discussion: @maureeneboyle1, @bzref, @ko_reporter, @bobmcgovernjr, @dankennedy_nu, @ko_reporter and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

Ida Bae Wells / @nhannahjones:

[Thread] NYT Mag writer who spearheaded the 1619 Project reflects on her struggle in newsrooms that hired her for diversity but didn't let her write about race — In 2009, I nearly left journalism. I was punished for wanting to write about race. My pitches were shut down and I could not get a story on the front page of my regional newspaper. Newsrooms were bleeding staff so I had nowhere to go. I felt had to quit or lose my sanity.

Discussion: @madfckingwitch, @jeffbradynews and @joyannreid

Jim Waterson / The Guardian:

Sources: BBC is seeking to settle potential equal pay cases ahead of Samira Ahmed verdict, to stop embarrassing details of its inner workings being made public — Broadcaster in apparent attempt to avoid repeat of tribunal embarrassment — The BBC has approached women who are bringing equal pay cases …

Discussion: @mrsnickyclark and @jennietweetz

Sean Burch / The Wrap:

Roku's stock has increased 302% since early January, from $32.52 per share; it has been the top performing stock of the year out of all companies worth $5B+ — It's been a wild and lucrative ride for Roku and its shareholders in 2019. — Roku, known for its array of streaming devices …

Discussion: CNBC

Victor Pickard / Nieman Lab:

In 2020, journalism's crisis will be seen as an opportunity to reclaim and reinvent a public good that will include more newsrooms switching to nonprofit status — Victor Pickard is an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication.

Discussion: @ntnsndr

Mehdi Hasan / The Intercept:

Ivanka Trump should be asked tough questions as she is a senior White House adviser, but Face The Nation treated her as a political pundit and “first daughter” — The morning after Donald Trump became only the third president in U.S. history to be impeached, his senior adviser Ivanka Trump …

Discussion: Vox, Unprecedented, @mehdirhasan, @cbsnews, @metaquest, @yashar, @gadyepstein, @lolgop, @wajahatali, @atrupar, @dangillmor, @daniellemisiak, @ericboehlert, @mehdirhasan, CBS News and Vanity Fair

Mark Sweney / The Guardian:

Universal Music Group has sold a 10% stake to a consortium led by Tencent in a deal valuing the world's largest music company at €30B — Parent company Vivendi to offload 10% stake with more deals likely amid music revival — Universal Music Group, the home of stars including Taylor Swift …

Discussion: Variety, The Wrap, Hollywood Reporter, Reuters and Bloomberg