Top News:
Stephanie Kirchgaessner / The Guardian:
Sources: analysis shows a message from Saudi Crown Prince MbS' WhatsApp account to Jeff Bezos in 2018 included file “highly” likely to have hacked Bezos' phone — Exclusive: investigation suggests Washington Post owner was targeted five months before murder of Jamal Khashoggi
Discussion:
Washington Post, Financial Times, The Wrap, @mazmhussain, The Guardian, @tomgara, @bing_chris, Softpedia News, The Week, Ars Technica, The Daily Beast, @jaketapper, @glennkesslerwp, The Atlantic, The Hill, @clarajeffery, Business Insider, @financialtimes, @nickconfessore, @mattgarrahan, @paulvieira, @karenattiah, Engadget, @dylanbyers, @hxhassan, @thedailybeast, @pressfreedom, @iyad_elbaghdadi, @iyad_elbaghdadi, @wajahatali, @meridithmcgraw, @iyad_elbaghdadi, @selectedwisdom, Raw Story, Vanity Fair, @akiperitz, @niubi, The Verge, @dinabass, @kantrowitz, @xor, @kazweida, @skirchy, Law & Crime, New York Post, Mediaite, CNET and GeekWire, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Mehul Srivastava / Financial Times: Saudi crown prince implicated in hacking of Jeff Bezos's phone
Ross A. Lincoln / The Wrap: Saudi Crown Prince Hacked Jezz Bezos' Phone in 2018, According to UN Investigation
Murtaza M. Hussain / @mazmhussain: The guy literally murdered a Washington Post journalist and personally hacked the phone of its wealthy funder. If there is this much impunity at even the elite level what hope do ordinary people have. https://twitter.com/...
Stephanie Kirchgaessner / The Guardian: Revealed: the Saudi heir and the alleged plot to undermine Jeff Bezos
Tom Gara / @tomgara: When this headline says “Amazon boss Jeff Bezos's phone ‘hacked by Saudi crown prince’” it doesn't mean it figuratively — Mohamed bin Salman personally hacked Jeff Bezos' phone. Incredible. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Chris Bing / @bing_chris: Per this report: Bezos was in a WhatsApp chat with Saudi's MBS when unprompted the crown prince sent him a random file. The file it appears contained malware, which allowed Bezos' phone to be hacked ... leading to leaks of photos designed to embarass him https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Peter Weber / The Week: Saudis get dragged for requesting an investigation of ‘absurd’ claims crown prince hacked Jeff Bezos' phone
Dan Goodin / Ars Technica: Report: Bezos phone uploaded GBs of personal data after getting Saudi prince's WhatsApp message
Jake Tapper / @jaketapper: Great idea. There was a respected Washington Post columnist who i would love to have investigate the matter but you killed him https://twitter.com/...
Glenn Kessler / @glennkesslerwp: If this is true, the next question: Who in the Trump administration is MBS trading WhatsApp messages with? Amazon boss Jeff Bezos's phone ‘hacked by Saudi crown prince’ https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Alexis C. Madrigal / The Atlantic: What Jeff Bezos's Reported Phone Hack Says About Billionaires
Clara Jeffery / @clarajeffery: A lesson may be...don't chat with dictators of a murderous misogynist dictatorship after he'd already imprisoned womens rights activists and his own family members? https://twitter.com/...
Business Insider: 6 big things we still don't know in the bombshell report of how Jeff Bezos' phone was hacked …
@financialtimes: Experts hired by Jeff Bezos have concluded with a ‘medium to high confidence’ that a WhatsApp account used by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was directly involved in a 2018 hack of the Amazon founder's phone https://www.ft.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Nick Confessore / @nickconfessore: The @FT has seen the report too, and has an apparent screenshot of the WhatsApp message MBS allegedly sent to Bezos, part of a security analysis by @FTIConsulting. https://www.ft.com/...
Matthew Garrahan / @mattgarrahan: We've seen the Jeff Bezos-commissioned report into how his phone was hacked - and the conclusion with “medium to high confidence” was that malware came via a WhatsApp msg from Prince Mohammed bin Salman https://www.ft.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Paul Vieira / @paulvieira: @skirchy More from Guardian story: “The disclosure is likely to raise difficult questions for the kingdom about the circumstances around how US tabloid the National Enquirer came to publish intimate details about Bezos's private life - including text messages - nine months later.”
Karen Attiah / @karenattiah: I wasn't gonna tweet the colorful language I would like to say about this. I was going to say this is f***king insane. But it's not. This is MBS being drunk and high on impunity. He's never been held accountable for any single f**king thing, ever. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Dylan Byers / @dylanbyers: FT's Mehul Srivastava has more details on the Bezos-MBS bombshell... including that the two men exchanged numbers at a dinner in Los Angeles during MBS's 2018 U.S. tour >> https://www.ft.com/...
Hassan Hassan / @hxhassan: Unbelievable the more you think about — the Saudi crown prince actually hacked Bezos's phone. Like the Saudi crown prince used his access to hacking capabilities to infiltrate the world's richest man. An American. In the US. https://twitter.com/...
@thedailybeast: Jeff Bezos' security chief Gavin De Becker exclusively revealed in The Beast 10 months ago that Bezos' phone had been compromised by the Saudis. Now, a report in The Guardian says Bezos was hacked through a WhatsApp message from MBS https://www.thedailybeast.com/ ...
@pressfreedom: Saudi experts told @guardian's @skirchy “they believed Bezos was probably targeted because of his ownership of the Post and its coverage of Saudi Arabia. Khashoggi's critical columns about Mohammed bin Salman...rankled the crown prince and his inner circle"https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
@iyad_elbaghdadi: Let's put it this way - MBS was only emboldened enough to murder Jamal Khashoggi *after* he had compromising material on Jeff Bezos, who owns the Washington Post for which Jamal Khashoggi worked.
@iyad_elbaghdadi: 4. The Bezos hack was not about Amazon. It was about the Washington Post 5. There is an extensive forensic report upcoming 6. Full details around this will become available to the public in a few months
@wajahatali: I've tweeted this story 3 times today because it is so insane and huge and MBS is so utterly corrupt and villainous and has bragged that Kushner is in “his pocket.” Carry on. https://twitter.com/...
Meridith McGraw / @meridithmcgraw: Jared Kushner's attorney Abbe Lowell confirmed that he has used WhatsApp (he did not say whether or not it was with foreign leaders but CNN reported he used the app to talk to MBS) https://www.documentcloud.org/ ... https://twitter.com/...
@iyad_elbaghdadi: 7. Yes it was Pegasus, the cyberweapon made by Israeli company NSO 8. You think you're safe if you use Signal with disappearing messages? Think again 9. Between May and October 2018, the Saudis also hacked many others. All were about free speech, not business.
Clint Watts / @selectedwisdom: Remarkable, head of a major US company hacked by head of a foreign state. Why isn't the US government protecting .com? Is this cyberwar? “Amazon boss Jeff Bezos's phone ‘hacked by Saudi crown prince’ | Jeff Bezos |” https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Sky Palma / Raw Story: Mohammed bin Salman's phone responsible for hack of Jeff Bezos' phone: report
Bess Levin / Vanity Fair: Adam Schiff Shreds Trump Lawyer Pat Cipollone for Outright Impeachment Lies
Aki Peritz / @akiperitz: Jeff Bezos' obvious move is to sue the firms that provided this tech to the Saudis into the ground. In every jurisdiction. Show there are serious financial consequences to hacking private citizens. Burn these companies to the ground with your infinite wealth. https://twitter.com/...
Nick Statt / The Verge: Saudi Arabian prince reportedly hacked Jeff Bezos' phone with malicious WhatsApp message
Alex Kantrowitz / @kantrowitz: For a tech genius, Bezos is terrible at infosec https://www.theguardian.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Parker Higgins / @xor: The details in this story—the crown prince of Saudi Arabia casually sent malware to the world's richest man to exfiltrate sensitive info from his phone—are absolutely jaw-dropping https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Kaz Weida / @kazweida: I'll give you one guess why MBS targeted Bezos. It starts with Khash and ends with oggi and it was something to do with a little newspaper Amazon owns called the Washington Post. https://twitter.com/...
Stephanie Kirchgaessner / @skirchy: The alleged hacking of Jeff Bezos in 2018 by an account belonging to Mohammed bin Salman was not an isolated incident. It was part of a pattern. You can read more about it here. Jamal Khashoggi was dead 6 months later. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Jerry Lambe / Law & Crime: Saudi Crown Prince MBS Hacked Amazon Founder, WaPo Owner Jeff Bezos: Report
Josh Feldman / Mediaite: Jeff Bezos' Phone Was ‘Hacked’ By Saudi Crown Prince, Claims Bombshell New Report
Carrie Mihalcik / CNET: Jeff Bezos' phone was hacked after message from Saudi crown prince, report says
Ernesto Londoño / New York Times:
Federal prosecutors in Brazil charge Glenn Greenwald with cybercrimes, alleging he was part of a “criminal organization” hacking phones of public officials — Mr. Greenwald is accused of being part of a “criminal investigation” that hacked into the cellphones of prosecutors and public officials.
Discussion:
ACLU, The Guardian, Electronic Frontier Foundation, NPR, Freedom of the Press, @ashtonpittman, @meaganmday, @rvilkomerson, @dylanmatt, @daviduberti, @eff, @petersterne, The Week, @yashar, @eff, @zaidjilani, @edgeofsports, @ezraklein, @susan_hennessey, @rosental, @swin24, @repdonbeyer, @noahshachtman, @rulajebreal, @mtracey, @aaronjmate, @ryangrim, @bainjal, @byrontau, @digiphile, @tomgara, @michaelbd, Ars Technica, The Intercept, @johnwhuber, @trevortimm, @jeremyscahill, @peoples_pundit, @trevortimm, VICE, @digiphile, @bgrueskin, @jeremyscahill, Newser, @petersterne, @tvietor08, @mehdirhasan, @sulliview, @digiphile, CNET, Engadget, Techdirt, Politico, Raw Story, The Verge, Talking Points Memo, The Wrap, Mediaite and Law & Crime
Discussion:
Merrit Kennedy / NPR: Glenn Greenwald Accused By Brazilian Prosecutors In Hacking Probe
Freedom of the Press: Our statement on Brazil's outrageous charges against journalist Glenn Greenwald
Ashton Pittman / @ashtonpittman: Glenn Greenwald is a truly awful person. I agree with y'all. But you should support him and speak out for his rights in this case anyway, because it's about far more than just him. https://twitter.com/...
Meagan Day / @meaganmday: “Many courageous Brazilians sacrificed their liberty and even life for Brazilian democracy and against repression, and I feel an obligation to continue their noble work.” Solidarity with @ggreenwald https://theintercept.com/...
Rebecca Vilkomerson / @rvilkomerson: Solidarity with @ggreenwald. This is hugely dangerous https://twitter.com/...
Dylan Matthews / @dylanmatt: Regardless of your personal feelings about Glenn, this is a regime with deep authoritarian tendencies personally targeting a critical journalist. It's a horrendous abuse of power that everyone should denounce. https://www.nytimes.com/...
David Uberti / @daviduberti: Sure sounds like Glenn Greenwald is being prosecuted for committing acts of journalism https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@eff: It's a threat to democracy when authorities like the Brazilian government use computer crime laws to threaten critics like @ggreenwald, and it discourages all journalists from using technology to best serve the public. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Peter Sterne / @petersterne: @trevortimm @ggreenwald @TheInterceptBr That's probably why Brazilian prosecutors are trying to frame Glenn as a hacker's accomplice instead of a journalist, so that press freedom considerations won't apply. That's why it's so important for press freedom groups to stand in solidarity with Glenn.
@yashar: No matter what you think of @ggreenwald, this is clearly an investigation motivated by Brazil's homophobic President who behaves like an autocrat and doesn't want to have corruption exposed. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Zaid Jilani / @zaidjilani: In my life, @ggreenwald was one of the bravest and most influential journalists. I hope that everyone on left, right, and center can put aside their squabbles and say that an authoritarian government in Brazil seeking to punish a political opponent is wrong.
Dave Zirin / @edgeofsports: A fascistic, authoritarian government that genuflects towards Trump is now charging journalists for doing their job. Should be acknowledged as an international outrage. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Ezra Klein / @ezraklein: Like others, I've had my disagreements with @ggreenwald over the years. But this isn't the time for those. The Bolsonaro government's effort to intimidate and threaten him is chilling. Everyone who cares about press freedom anywhere should denounce it. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Susan Hennessey / @susan_hennessey: Glenn Greenwald has called me a “deceitful” mouthpiece of the national security state and I assure you I've rarely had a nice thing to say about him. But this is an outrageous assault on press freedom that should alarm every American. https://www.nytimes.com/...
@rosental: This is an absurd accusation, a stretch. The prosecutors who were exposed by @ggreenwald seem to be seeking revenge. The dialogue cited by them shows that Glenn was trying to protect his sources in the leak and not participating in criminal activities. https://twitter.com/...
Asawin Suebsaeng / @swin24: fwiwi Bolsonaro is a major international Trump ally and what @ggreenwald and @theintercept revealed that the pro-Bolsonaro right wing in Brazil did is a successful, way scarier version of what Trump did re: ukraine / Bidens https://twitter.com/...
Rep. Don Beyer / @repdonbeyer: I've been criticized, I think unfairly, by Greenwald - but public officials deserve scrutiny and criticism. That's what happens under a free press, which is vital in a democratic society. The alternative is far worse. Persecuting critics is a step backwards that hurts Brazil. https://twitter.com/...
Noah Shachtman / @noahshachtman: This is utterly, completely fucked up. Shows how weak the Brazilian government is. @ggreenwald is many things, but a hacker ain't one of 'em. https://twitter.com/...
Rula Jebreal / @rulajebreal: This is a disgrace. This is how authoritarian police states, such as the Bolsonaro regime, weaponize “investigations” with the intent to criminalize, intimdate & silence journalists like @ggreenwald https://twitter.com/...
Michael Tracey / @mtracey: Outrageous but predictable consequence of journalism that actually challenges power https://www.nytimes.com/...
Aaron Mat / @aaronjmate: Outrageous, but not out of character for the far-right, criminal government that @ggreenwald has so bravely exposed. https://twitter.com/...
Ryan Grim / @ryangrim: This is the correct take. Even if you hate Glenn — *especially* if you hate Glenn — this is a time to stand up for journalism and against authoritarianism. https://twitter.com/...
Swati Chaturvedi / @bainjal: And, our chief guest at the Republic Day. Modi & his friend. Birds of a feather..... https://twitter.com/...
Byron Tau / @byrontau: Journalist Glenn Greenwald, who won a Pulitzer Prize for publishing the Snowden revelations about the NSA, has been criminally charged in Brazil over the publication of hacked cellphone messages of Brazilian officials, the New York Times reports. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Alex Howard / @digiphile: @ggreenwald @TheInterceptBr This sharpens the question about how the US government views journalists & supports press freedom: https://twitter.com/... Is it the official @StateDept position? Or @realDonaldTrump's illiberal @WhiteHouse? Or will @SecPompeo remain silent & smile at enemies of the free press? https://twitter.com/...
Tom Gara / @tomgara: I hope everyone here can call a temporary truce to stand with Glenn Greenwald, who could be in a genuinely dangerous situation right now https://www.nytimes.com/...
Michael Brendan Dougherty / @michaelbd: This is almost certainly garbage. One of the proofs of Glenn Greenwald's value to journalism is that his work genuinely bothers people with power. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Undercover Huber / @johnwhuber: Disturbing no matter his politics https://twitter.com/...
Trevor Timm / @trevortimm: @ggreenwald The Brazilian Supreme Court ruled a few months ago that the Bolsonaro admin *must* drop its investigation into @ggreenwald and @TheInterceptBr because it violated their press freedom rights. Clearly they ignored the court order. https://theintercept.com/...
Jeremy Scahill / @jeremyscahill: The reporting that my friend & colleague @ggreenwald has done in Brazil has been incredible, brave and has had a tremendous impact. He has done this reporting under threats from the fascist Bolsonaro regime. This is a tyrant's desperate attempt to silence independent journalism.
Richard Baris / @peoples_pundit: Did you denounce the indictment of Julian Assange, as well? It's the same argument. Almost identical. https://twitter.com/...
Trevor Timm / @trevortimm: The @ACLU on @ggreenwald: “The United States must immediately condemn this outrageous assault on the freedom of the press and recognize that its attacks on press freedoms at home have consequences for American journalists doing their jobs abroad.” https://www.aclu.org/...
Alex Howard / @digiphile: @ggreenwald @TheInterceptBr @StateDept @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse @SecPompeo In the US, reporting on hacked or leaked materials isn't a crime. Cf. @NYTimes vs. USA: https://www.oyez.org/... (Assisting hackers may be, under the CFAA: Watch Assange case.) But to criminalize reporting on leaked docs would be to literally criminalize journalism. Brazil teeters
Bill Grueskin / @bgrueskin: At least half the Greenwald tweets today are prefaced by some version of, “I can't stand this guy, but nevertheless ...” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Jeremy Scahill / @jeremyscahill: This is despicable, dangerous and a crime against journalism. https://www.nytimes.com/... via @NYTimes
Peter Sterne / @petersterne: @trevortimm @ggreenwald @TheInterceptBr Just as I thought. The point is to criminalize investigative journalism by treating journalists as criminal co-conspirators rather than journalists. And it's not just Brazil; federal prosecutors in the US have made similar arguments. https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Tommy Vietor / @tvietor08: This is a blatant effort by an authoritarian regime to silence @ggreenwald and intimidate the press. Bolsonaro is a corrupt b-team fascist. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Mehdi Hasan / @mehdirhasan: This is an outrage. Whatever your political views, or views of Glenn, every journalist and activist in America should be standing with @ggreenwald today and against the Bolsonaro government's self-serving crackdown on journalism. https://twitter.com/...
Margaret Sullivan / @sulliview: @ggreenwald According to @guardian reporting, Brazil's own federal police stated it was “not possible to identify (his) moral or material participation” in any illegal activity. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Alex Howard / @digiphile: 🚨 Brazilian prosecutors charged @ggreenwald for reporting on text messages, claiming he's part of a “criminal organization” that hacked into cellphones: https://www.nytimes.com/... Context: @TheInterceptBr published records from an anti-corruption taskforce: https://theintercept.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Laura Hautala / CNET: Journalist Glenn Greenwald accused of hacking crimes in Brazil
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget: Brazil charges journalist Glenn Greenwald for colluding with hackers
Mike Masnick / Techdirt: In A Blatant Attack On Press Freedom, Brazilian Government Charges Glenn Greenwald With 'Cybercrimes …
Eoin Higgins / Raw Story: ‘Beyond disturbing’: Right-wing Bolsonaro government charges US journalist Glenn Greenwald with cybercrimes
Adi Robertson / The Verge: Journalist Glenn Greenwald charged with cybercrimes for reporting in Brazil
Matt Shuham / Talking Points Memo: Report: Glenn Greenwald Charged In Brazil Over Stories That Embarrassed Bolsonaro Gov't
Lindsey Ellefson / The Wrap: Glenn Greenwald Charged With Cybercrimes in Brazil
RELATED:
The Intercept:
The Intercept condemns Brazil's action against Glenn Greenwald and calls the move a “blatantly politically motivated charge” made as “apparent retaliation” — On Tuesday, a federal prosecutor in Brazil announced a denunciation of American journalist …
Discussion:
@venanalysis: All of our solidarity with @ggreenwald in the face of the @jairbolsonaro government's fascist persecution. https://twitter.com/...
Joseph Cox / @josephfcox: Greenwald responds to potential ‘cybercrime’ charges in Brazil. Points to previous investigation from the country's federal police which found he “exercised extreme caution as a journalist never even to get close to any participation.” https://theintercept.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Lloyd Grove / The Daily Beast:
Glenn Greenwald calls Brazil's allegations an attack on journalism: “I did nothing more than do my job as a journalist—ethically and within the law” — The charges are “an obvious attempt to attack a free press in retaliation for the revelations we reported about …
Discussion:
Washington Post, @sulliview, BBC, Wired, @russforus2020, @ashahshahani, @terrence_mccoy and The Week
Discussion:
Washington Post: Brazil charges American journalist Glenn Greenwald for reports exposing alleged corruption
Margaret Sullivan / @sulliview: Journalism is not a crime, and these charges against @ggreenwald are an outrage and a threat to press freedom. ....Prosecutors in Brazil charge Greenwald with cybercrimes after Lava Jato revelations https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Lily Hay Newman / Wired: Free Press Advocates Decry Cybercrime Charges Against Glenn Greenwald
@russforus2020: Journalism is NOT A CRIME: Deeply disturbed to hear that the homophobic, fascist Bolsonaro regime is charging @ggreenwald with ‘cybercrimes,’ an attempt to silence his courageous reporting of widespread govt corruption in Brazil. Solidarity w/ Glenn ✊ http://www.thedailybeast.com/ ...
Azadeh Shahshahani / @ashahshahani: This is truly outrageous & sets a dangerous precedent. Criminalizing courageous journalism b/c the info @ggreenwald & his team revealed is embarrassing to #Bolsonaro & the Fascist regime in #Brazil. Everyone who cares about a #FreePress should speak up! https://www.thedailybeast.com/ ...
Terrence McCoy / @terrence_mccoy: I just got off the phone with Glenn Greenwald. The allegations took him by complete surprise, considering the federal police had, in December, just cleared him of any suspicion and went so far as to praise how cautious he'd been in his work. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Netflix:
Netflix Q4 revenue grew 31% YoY to $5.467B and net income rose to $587M, surpassing 100M paid memberships outside the US; global paid net additions totaled 8.8M — Fellow shareholders, We had a strong finish to 2019, with Q4 revenue growing 31% year over year, bringing full year 2019 revenue …
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, Ad Age, The Verge, TechCrunch, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Variety, VentureBeat, Broadcasting & Cable, @marceloplima, The Drum, @jyarow, @sizpatel, AdExchanger, @lanceulanoff, Fast Company, TVWeek.com, The Streamable, Engadget and CNN, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Todd Spangler / Variety: ‘The Witcher’ on Track to Be Netflix's Biggest TV Show Premiere Ever, Company Claims
Sean Burch / The Wrap: Netflix Tops 100 Million International Subscribers, Beats Q4 Earnings Estimates
Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge: Netflix reveals that 76 million people watched at least two minutes of The Witcher
Annie Palmer / CNBC: Netflix shares fall after missing domestic subscriber estimates
Emily McCormick / Yahoo Finance: Netflix 4Q subscriber growth tops expectations, but guidance disappoints
Todd Spangler / Variety: Netflix CEO Reiterates Zero Interest in Advertising Business: 'There's Not Easy Money There'
Jon Lafayette / Broadcasting & Cable: Netflix Adds 8.8M Subs in Fourth Quarter
Marcelo P. Lima / @marceloplima: This is very impressive, from Netflix's Q4 letter: “As an example, in Q4, despite the big debut of Disney+ and the launch of Apple TV+, our viewing per membership grew both globally and in the US on a year over year basis, consistent with recent quarters.” https://s22.q4cdn.com/...
Andrew Blustein / The Drum: Netflix, facing ‘muted’ international competition, ups marketing spend by $325m
Jay Yarow / @jyarow: “During December, we also launched The Witcher, which is tracking to be our biggest season one TV series ever” https://s22.q4cdn.com/...
Sahil Patel / @sizpatel: Netflix will now count a “view” as any account that has watched something for at least 2 minutes—or in web terms, 40 Facebook video “views”! https://s22.q4cdn.com/...
Allison Schiff / AdExchanger: Reed Hastings Explains Why Netflix Won't Ever Sell Ads
Lance Ulanoff / @lanceulanoff: Checking out Netflix earnings. They have 100M subs outside the U.S. On the streaming wars: “We have a big headstart in streaming and will work to build on that by focusing on the same thing we have focused on for the past 22 years - pleasing members.” https://s22.q4cdn.com/...
Harrison Weber / Fast Company: Netflix holds steady under threat from Disney and Apple, but it may be feeling the heat already
Stephanie Sengwe / The Streamable: Netflix Surpasses 61 Million U.S., 100 Million International Subscribers in Q4 2019 Earnings Report
Frank Pallotta / CNN: Netflix adds subscribers as competition ramps up
RELATED:
Joshua Fruhlinger / Thinknum Media:
Analysis: Netflix now boasts 1,211 originals and has been adding one show a day on average over the past eight months
Analysis: Netflix now boasts 1,211 originals and has been adding one show a day on average over the past eight months
The Information:
Sources: Quibi's CEO Meg Whitman, in an internal meeting, compared reporters' friendly rapport with their sources to how sexual predators groom their targets — Quibi CEO Meg Whitman lashed out against the media at an “all-hands” staff meeting last Thursday, drawing an analogy between reporters …
Discussion:
@kantrowitz, @nickwingfield, @bborrman, @eliotwb, @yoda, @yoda, @ahhensel, @zoesaintbernard, @jason_kint, @sherman4949, @brooksbarnesnyt, @amir, @peterhimler, @rmac18, @alexeheath, @mollyjongfast, @jaketapper and @rafat, more at Techmeme », Thanks:@beet_tv
Discussion:
Alex Kantrowitz / @kantrowitz: Quibi CEO Meg Whitman compared reporters to sexual predators who prey on young victims. What the actual fuck. https://www.theinformation.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Nick Wingfield / @nickwingfield: If you thought “fake news” was worrisome, get a load of how CEOs are now trying to scare employees out of talking to the media. An ugly development reported by @cityofthetown and @jtoonkel https://www.theinformation.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Brandon Borrman / @bborrman: It's good this came out. This is a real problem. The press play a critical role in society, and companies need to be held accountable. https://twitter.com/...
Eliot Brown / @eliotwb: Media outlet: “according to two people who heard her comments” Company: “It is not our policy to comment on speculation of what was or was not alleged to be said” Note: ‘speculation’ not equal to real people directly told something https://www.theinformation.com/ ...
Drew Olanoff / @yoda: Are you kidding me https://twitter.com/...
@ahhensel: Stop painting people whose job it is to be persistent as creepy. I mean seriously — you know who else has to build a rapport with people and get them to trust them? Sales people! Pretty much all executives! https://www.theinformation.com/ ...
@zoesaintbernard: Quibi CEO Meg Whitman lashed out against the media at an “all-hands” staff meeting..drawing an analogy between reporters who cultivate sources and sexual predators who prey on underage victims https://www.theinformation.com/ ...
Jason Kint / @jason_kint: Super disappointed to see this. I think about what we don't see/hear. As someone who sits both sides - frequent source for reporters & also works on the business interests funding newsrooms, it's 100% out of line and deserved an apology rather than hiding behind confidentiality. https://twitter.com/...
Alex Sherman / @sherman4949: Putting aside the story itself, Quibi's statement is not good. It calls the article materially inaccurate and then doesn't say what's wrong. It then moves to a straw man argument about Quibi being accessible to the media in the past, which doesn't address the story's content. https://twitter.com/...
Brooks Barnes / @brooksbarnesnyt: Quibi's CEO Meg Whitman Compared Reporters Cultivating Sources to Sexual Predators https://www.theinformation.com/ ...
Amir Efrati / @amir: 👀😳👀😳 Meg Whitman compared how reporters develop a friendly rapport with sources to how sexual predators “groom” children they're targeting. http://thein.fo/... by @cityofthetown who has been writing a lot about Quibi financials & having an impact.
Peter Himler / @peterhimler: Not a good look for @Quibi's Meg Whitman (@theinformation) https://www.theinformation.com/ ...
Alex Heath / @alexeheath: The mix of hostility and ignorance that many in the tech industry, up to the very senior ranks of companies, have towards the media and how reporters do their jobs is truly concerning. Excellent reporting by @cityofthetown & @jtoonkel http://thein.fo/...
Molly Jong-Fast / @mollyjongfast: Oh you have to be Fucking kidding me https://www.theinformation.com/ ...
Jake Tapper / @jaketapper: Is she objecting to the leak that led to the publication of this report? https://www.theinformation.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Thanks:@beet_tv
Sara Jerde / Adweek:
Bloomberg Media debuts Bloomberg Green, a vertical on climate change, with five ad partners, a daily newsletter, podcast, events, and an upcoming print magazine — Bloomberg Green goes live with a constantly updating data dashboard — Key insights: — Bloomberg Media went live …
Discussion:
John Micklethwait / Bloomberg: Welcome to Green: A Letter From Bloomberg's Editor in Chief
Lucia Moses / Business Insider: Bloomberg Media is launching a new brand, Bloomberg Green, that aims to be the ‘definitive’ source …
Carbon Tracker / @carbonbubble: #ClimateChange - & the transformation it is prompting in politics, biz, technology & human behaviour is the biggest shift of our time. Yet there is no media brand that has become a symbol of that revolution... https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Michael Grunwald / @mikegrunwald: This is great but the problem is going to be deciding what's a climate story and what's not when just about everything is a climate story. https://twitter.com/...
@endclimtsilence: We are happy to see that @business has created @climate, who will report on the transition to a sustainable economy. We hope they will cover not what is politically “realistic,” but what is necessary to preserve the living world. #EndClimateSilence https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Justin B. Smith / @justin_b_smith: Thrilled for the launch of Bloomberg Green, our ambitious, global multi-platform news brand covering the biggest issue of our time - @climate, a great example of @BBGMedia's strategy of invention-led growth https://www.adweek.com/...
Kelly Gilblom / @kellygilblom: Very pleased to have written about @ActonClimate100 for Bloomberg's brand new climate change reporting vertical Bloomberg Green. Check it out and expect big things! https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Akshat Rathi / @akshatrathi: @business “Our ambition is clear: We want Bloomberg Green to be the indispensable guide to anyone who wants to understand this great transition,” says Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Jesse Felder / @jessefelder: ‘Media usually reflects society. If you look back at the history of journalism, big geopolitical shifts or cultural changes tend to throw up one or two media properties that epitomize that moment in time. Climate change is the biggest shift of our time.’ https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Ethan Jakob Craft / Ad Age: Bloomberg Media launches ‘Bloomberg Green’ to focus on climate change
Alice Ross / @aliceemross: Interesting. This also mentions the thirst for solutions to climate change and the wave of investment going into them - the main topic of the book I'm writing, which bodes well. https://twitter.com/...
Will Kennedy / @wenkennedy: Today we launch Bloomberg Green, a step change in the way we cover the energy transition and the impact of climate change. Follow @climate and read our Editor-in-Chief's letter introducing the new platform... https://www.bloomberg.com/...
@amazonnews: Pleased to support a wider understanding of climate change and solutions through Bloomberg Green. With our #ClimatePledge, we're working to reach the Paris Agreement ten years early. https://twitter.com/...
Eric Holthaus / @ericholthaus: Love the ambition of @climate and its leadership. (@aaronrutkoff was my very first editor in journalism) It will be really interesting to see hard-hitting climate journalism from inside the mothership. “Capitalism can't be left to the capitalists.” https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple is weighing producing original podcasts tied to shows on its TV+ streaming service, including for original shows, and sought pitches last summer — - Apple has approached producers about coming up with ideas — The move is latest signal of Apple's entertainment ambitions
Discussion:
Vox, @cianaf, @nwquah, MacRumors.com, @jamiemottram, @lucas_shaw, @samsanders, @nwquah, @pkafka, Engadget, @scottygb, 9to5Mac, @johnmoe, @baekdal and @mmccarthyrev
Discussion:
Peter Kafka / Vox: Spotify may buy The Ringer. Here's why that makes sense.
Insurance Lizard / @nwquah: if that's all that it is, then we're not talking about the apocalyptic scenario (some) folks are worried about https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Jamie Mottram / @jamiemottram: Simmons wanting $200M for the Ringer when “a more accurate valuation is $90M-$100M” is a good sign Simmons really doesn't need to sell the Ringer. https://frntofficesport.com/ ...
Lucas Shaw / @lucas_shaw: Scoop with @markgurman: Apple plans to make original podcasts related to its TV shows, another sign of its growing ambitions in Hollywood (and its first dip into original podcasts). https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Insurance Lizard / @nwquah: @samsanders If there's a four special on the Brad-Jennifer SAG moment I don't even need a spotify
Peter Kafka / @pkafka: @benfritz @JBFlint @Lucas_Shaw @markgurman Here, shorter: Apple has also talked to podcast companies about making a handful of exclusive podcasts, but so far those seem limited to companion podcasts for other Apple projects, like its Apple TV shows. https://www.vox.com/...
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget: Apple could promote TV+ with companion podcasts
Scott Bryan / @scottygb: Netflix also expanding their podcast offerings too - launching a British one this Friday. https://twitter.com/...
Michael Potuck / 9to5Mac: Upcoming Apple Podcasts expansion into original content will include companion content for TV+
Thomas Baekdal / @baekdal: Apple doesn't have the faintest idea about what to do. Their strategy is: 'let's ask someone else if they have some ideas' https://twitter.com/...
Michael McCarthy / @mmccarthyrev: @BillSimmons @Spotify @theringer If @BillSimmons gets a $200 million offer for The Ringer from @Spotify or other bidders, The Sports Guy ‘should take it in a heartbeat,’ says media/tech investor @ericjackson. “$200 million would be a whopping multiple for a media company at this time.” https://frntofficesport.com/ ...
Andrew Wallender / Bloomberg Law:
Barstool Sports reaches settlement with NLRB that calls for deletion of anti-union tweets from co-founder David Portnoy, removal of other anti-union material — Four months after Barstool Sports co-founder David Portnoy drew criticism for posting anti-union tweets, the company reached …
Discussion:
@iwwfju, @dogfather, @kfcbarstool, @sethdmichaels, @jamieson, @mattdpearce, @imraansiddiqi, @kevinmdraper, @thejimoleary, @coldbrewedtool, @floozyesq, @jordylancaster, @hassankanu, @shanmho, @katzonearth, @nickconfessore, @wallenderandrew, Raw Story, @walldo, @danriffle, @kirkminshow, @qualityrye, @maura and @unionsaltbae
Discussion:
KFC / @kfcbarstool: Do you think anybody in politics...ANYBODY at all...is letting AOC and any of the political writers know that we are laughing about this the entire way? You think they feel foolish at all about celebrating this big win that nobody at Barstool even understand or cares about? 😂😂 https://twitter.com/...
Seth D. Michaels / @sethdmichaels: imagine pretending your brand is devil-may-care, rebellious, edgy, and using that identity to shill for the Boss https://twitter.com/...
Dave Jamieson / @jamieson: Classic NLRB settlement: hang a couple posters and delete those tweets, mister https://twitter.com/...
Matt Pearce / @mattdpearce: do I believe my eyes, or did the Wobblies just land a punch on Barstool Sports https://twitter.com/...
Imraan Siddiqi / @imraansiddiqi: .@AOC is a national treasure https://twitter.com/...
Jim O'Leary / @thejimoleary: Not only is this a win for labor rights, but it's also the first time @stoolpresidente has written something that isn't complete irredeemable garbage. Proud to be a member of the @IWWFJU. #OneBigUnion https://twitter.com/...
Christina / @floozyesq: this is the online equivalent of 3 frat guys stacked in a trench coat trying to trick their buds into collectively organizing https://twitter.com/...
Walmart Brand Tulsi Gabbard / @jordylancaster: portnoy's tweet was funny and this is lame https://twitter.com/...
Hassan Ali Kanu / @hassankanu: The settlement also confirms that Barstool was behind a Twitter account calling itself the Barstool Sports Union that purported to be ‘the labor movement inside Barstool Sports.’ The account was really a ploy to uncover employee union support, attorney David Rosenfeld said. https://twitter.com/...
Shannon Ho / @shanmho: Dave Portnoy has been forced to delete his anti-union tweets after the NRLB responds to @IWWFJU's complaint https://twitter.com/...
Jonathan Myerson Katz / @katzonearth: Re-upping this one: Union-busting: First as tragedy, then as [fart] https://katz.substack.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Nick Confessore / @nickconfessore: Huh laws matter. https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Wallender / @wallenderandrew: NEW: Barstool Sports reached a settlement with the federal labor board over its founder's anti-union tweets this past August. The company said the tweets and other anti-union material would be deleted: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ ...
Matthew Chapman / Raw Story: Businessman who challenged AOC to debate him on union law agrees to settle with Labor Board for violations
Brandon Wall / @walldo: Gross: ‘The settlement...also provided confirmation that Barstool Sports was behind a Twitter account... purported to be “the labor movement inside Barstool Sports.”...really a ploy to uncover whether any employees supported efforts to unionize’ https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ ...
@kirkminshow: Doesn't sound like the @EKANardini we know. But way to misgender her. https://twitter.com/...
Ryan Sutton / @qualityrye: Barstool Sports created a fake Barstool Sports Union twitter account to “uncover whether any employees supported efforts to unionize” by soliciting DMs....this is truly insane and outrageous https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ ...
The New York Times Company:
NYT memo: the Standards department, led by Phil Corbett, will absorb much of the work of the Reader Center; Corbett also will work with the Opinion department — Nothing is more important than maintaining our readers' trust. It's why we long ago established a Standards department to ensure …
Discussion:
VICE, @sulliview, @vice, @drphilgoff, @adriana_lacy, @jbenton, @kievaliant, @jessicahuseman, @blackamazon, @allanschlosser and @sulliview
Discussion:
Margaret Sullivan / @sulliview: NYT to expand its newsroom standards department, eliminate (it seems) the reader center, and —notably — include Opinion dept. All under standards editor Phil Corbett, highly regarded. https://www.nytco.com/...
@vice: It looks like the New York Times is reining in the Opinion section—or at least wants to be seen as doing so. https://www.vice.com/...
Phillip Atiba Goff / @drphilgoff: “Today, following a series of embarrassing incidents, Times brass announced in an email to the company that the Opinion section will be subject to some level of counsel from the paper's well-regarded standards editor, Phil Corbett.” https://www.vice.com/...
@adriana_lacy: 👀 “The department will now review significantly more stories before publication; provide greater oversight and consultation in areas beyond traditional articles, including social media, audio, video, TV and newsletters.” https://www.nytco.com/...
Joshua Benton / @jbenton: Sorry, @nytimes staffers, the best time to have a bad tweet is now officially yesterday
Eliot Kieval / @kievaliant: @Sulliview This is great news! Readers unfamiliar with Mr. Corbett's knowledge, ethics & writing style might enjoy looking at archived entries from his “After Deadline” blog. https://afterdeadline.blogs.nytimes.com / #journalism https://twitter.com/...
Jessica Huseman / @jessicahuseman: Just a reminder that news organizations aren't obligated to publish editorials or opinion pieces that aren't fact checked or whose content punches down on vulnerable populations just because someone has an opinion they'd like to voice.
@blackamazon: After how many people got endangered , after how many critics were treated like trash and ostracized , after how many employees were made uncomfortable https://twitter.com/...
Amelia Nitz / The Reporters Committee …:
Reporters Committee will launch its Local Legal Initiative in CO, OK, OR, PA, and TN to provide pro bono legal support to local journalists and news outlets — Lawyers will provide local news organizations in Colorado, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Tennessee with pro bono legal support
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, The Philadelphia Inquirer, @billy_penn, @ckrewson, @knightfdn, @cofoic, @jess_aloe, @dgambacorta, @spjoregon, @davidlauter, @davidcuillier, @leszaitz, @evanwyloge, @racheldissell, @niemanlab and @rcfp
Discussion:
Hanaa' Tameez / Nieman Lab: To boost accountability reporting, journalists in five states will get pro bono legal support
Joseph A. Gambardello / The Philadelphia Inquirer: Journalists in Pa., four other states can now get free legal advice
Billy Penn / @billy_penn: A lawyer from the D.C.-based Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is coming to PA to help local journalists overcome legal roadblocks in accessing govt info https://www.rcfp.org/...
@knightfdn: .@rcfp's newly-launched Local Legal Initiative is giving pro bono legal support to #localnews orgs on the ground. The program will fund attorneys in #CO, #OK, #OR, #PA and #TN, supported by a $10M Knight investment. More: https://www.rcfp.org/... #lovelocalnews
@cofoic: The additional legal firepower will make it easier for news organizations across our state to fight wrongful denials of access to the records and proceedings of government. It will help us break through barriers that make it difficult for reporters to keep Coloradans informed. https://twitter.com/...
Jess Aloe / @jess_aloe: This is huge. The cost of this kind of legal help is a huge barrier for small newsrooms. https://twitter.com/...
David Gambacorta / @dgambacorta: Great news for journalists in PA, probably not-so-great news for people and powerful interests who enjoy trying to silence journalists or withhold public information: https://www.inquirer.com/...
Oregon Territory Spj / @spjoregon: We're beyond excited to be part of this effort, which brings together @OPB, @Oregonian, @Oregon_Law, @thebulletin, @JPRnews, @Salem_Statesman, @MalheurNews, @SalemReporter, @ThePortlandTrib, @eugeneweekly, @wweek, @EastOregonian & more https://www.spjoregon.com/... https://twitter.com/...
David Lauter / @davidlauter: A major step to promote and protect local journalism in the US — providing legal support to reporters & editors on the ground in four states. The Local Legal Initiative from @rcfp debuts today. https://twitter.com/...
David Cuillier / @davidcuillier: Great program by @rcfp in states ripe for active press freedom and #FOI legal defense and offense. The fight for good journalism marches on! https://twitter.com/...
Les Zaitz / @leszaitz: This is a tremendous development. In Oregon, @MalheurNews and @SalemReporter are proudly part of the collaboration that should crack open government file drawers across the state. #FOIA https://twitter.com/...
@evanwyloge: This is great news for Colorado. The state's public records law has acute weaknesses and this will surely provide support for those trying to report on the workings of government. https://twitter.com/...
Rachel Dissell / @racheldissell: Congrats to these states. Ohio wasn't awarded but if any lawyers out there want to form a pro bono open records/free press committee here, holler at me. Reporters and citizens need the support! https://twitter.com/...
Sara Fischer / Axios:
The Athletic raises $50M Series D sources say at a ~$500M valuation; cofounder says it will soon hit 1M subscribers and expects it to be profitable in 2020 — The Athletic, a subscription-based digital sports media company, has raised $50 million in a Series D funding round, executives tell Axios.
Discussion:
Bob Williams / @williamsbob75: At what point do they stop raising capital and rely on subscriptions etc to fund the project? https://twitter.com/...
Ryan Bernardoni / @dangercart: Same caveat as usual: I hope they succeed and that all the people working there have long and happy careers. The history of the Internet tells me that rich people valuing unprofitable websites at $500M means that rich people aren't always smart people. https://www.axios.com/...
Mark Little / @marklittlenews: “Retention is really what sets The Athletic apart.” ... winning new customers is only half of the battle in the subscription economy (and may not even be the most important half) https://www.axios.com/...
Ken Wiebe / @wiebeathletic: More good news for @TheAthletic - thanks to those who have already subscribed and made a personal investment in the product. And thanks in advance to those who will come on board in 2020 as @TheAthleticWPG continues its growth https://twitter.com/...
@kerrymflynn: 🤔 Interesting claim because I used to get nonstop Athletic ads on Facebook for a discounted subscription: “Stromberg says he ‘likely’ expects profitability next year because the company doesn't spend a lot of money acquiring customers.”
Aaron Gleeman / @aarongleeman: Lede, buried: “Matthew McConaughey also participated in the round.” https://www.axios.com/...
Nando Di Fino / @nandodifino: I think this quote captures what we do best. We can't clickbait, we don't have ads popping up... it's just good stuff (although you may disagree with the fantasy advice, but whatever) with the end product and reader in mind 100% of the time. https://www.axios.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Mike Zimmermann / @mikeczim: “That's what I love about The Athletic subscriptions... I get older, they stay the same price” - Matthew McConaughey, probably https://www.axios.com/...
Pablo Maurer / @mlsist: I hear they're calling this $50mil capital raise the “Landon Donovan water fountain effect.” https://twitter.com/...
@johndiesattheen: This is a site where 100% of the content is behind a paywall, and it's apparently thriving. On one hand I hate the thought that this is the future of the internet, but on the other, they apparently do great, high-quality work: https://www.axios.com/...
Daniel Gulati / @danielgulati: Outstanding consumer companies usually start with a superior wedge, and earn the right to unlock massive opportunities over time. Exciting to witness @TheAthletic's quiet evolution from ‘just’ a site to an incredible direct-to-consumer bundle. https://twitter.com/...
Chris Krewson / @ckrewson: ... for a sense of scale Philly's Cheeto-delivery service goPuff just nabbed $1b in investment from SoftBank so
Eric Stephens / @icemancometh: Might get a couple more bills paid off. Can I get an amen? (cross fingers) https://www.axios.com/...
Jane McManus / @janesports: Good news about the financial health of The Athletic via Axios. You may not work for or read The Athletic, but it is an important source of sports news and jobs. https://www.axios.com/...
Ian Casselberry / Awful Announcing: The Athletic raises $50 million in new round of investor funding