Top News:
Dylan Byers / NBC News:
EIC Ben Smith is leaving BuzzFeed in early March to join NYT to write the Media Equation column made famous by David Carr — Smith will serve as the writer of the publication's “Media Equation” column, which became a must-read for media industry insiders under the David Carr, who died in 2015.
Discussion:
@buzzfeedben, Mediaite, The Hill, @katienotopoulos, @justinhendrix, Variety, CNN, @erinleecarr, The Wrap, Breitbart, @sulliview, @thegarance, @juliareinstein, @jimrutenberg, @jscros, @theferocity, @lapresmidi, @streetsblognyc, @nickconfessore, @joshgerstein, @shani_o, @raju, @peretti, @janinegibson, @jayrosen_nyu, @pfpicardi, @rolandsmartin, @kantrowitz, @yashar, @mitrakalita, @kevinroose, @micahgrimes, @freedlander, @donie, @exjon, @rudoren, @carrasquillo, @perlberg, @brianstelter, @jimwaterson, @lpolgreen, @markdistef, @annehelen, @elcush, @lolacoaster, @alexis_levinson, @joeconchatv, @eramshaw and @stuartmillar159
Discussion:
Ben Smith / @buzzfeedben: It's been an incredible 8 years @BuzzFeedNews. Here's the note I just sent to our staff. https://twitter.com/...
Matthew Kassel / Mediaite: BuzzFeed Chief Ben Smith Named NY Times Media Columnist
Kaelan Deese / The Hill: BuzzFeed editor-in-chief to become NY Times columnist
Katie Notopoulos / @katienotopoulos: A while ago I published something really gross and stupid, and Ben told me that if the day ever came we weren't allowed to publish stuff that gross and stupid, that how we'd know it's time for us to leave. So I guess he attempted to post goatse and had to go to the times https://twitter.com/...
Justin Hendrix / @justinhendrix: Godspeed, Ben. Looking forward to your insights on media. https://twitter.com/...
ELC / @erinleecarr: Great, lovely to hear that @BuzzFeedBen will be covering the amorphous, ever-changing environ that is media and + media column at the @nytimes. I think my dad would like the hire. Give em' hell Ben. https://www.nbcnews.com/...
Lindsey Ellefson / The Wrap: BuzzFeed News Editor in Chief Ben Smith Exits to Join the New York Times
Margaret Sullivan / @sulliview: @BuzzFeedBen And @BuzzFeedNews will get a new leader after a wide search that will include internal and external candidates. That's a talent-rich, 200-person newsroom. Incredible opportunity for somebody.
Garance Franke-Ruta / @thegarance: Amazing get by the NYT! Though what it means for/about BuzzFeed... https://twitter.com/...
Julia Reinstein / @juliareinstein: Any reporter in this newsroom could tell you there are few wilder reporting days than when @BuzzFeedBen himself personally assigns you a story. I've learned so much from him and he will be missed! https://twitter.com/...
@jimrutenberg: Ben Smith to NYT Media column! This is gonna be fun. @sulliview with the deets https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Jack Crosbie / @jscros: seeing as it takes him about five months to recognize a union we can probably expect him to do a media labor column in july https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Saeed Jones / @theferocity: In November 2012, @BuzzFeedBen hired me — a poet with no newsroom experience — to launch @BuzzFeedLGBT. And that was just the start. He's one of the best mentors I've ever had. Proud to have worked for him and with him for six, wild years. End of an era. https://twitter.com/...
Lauren Sherman / @lapresmidi: This is secretly my dream job https://www.nbcnews.com/...
Streetsblog New York / @streetsblognyc: Congrats to @BuzzFeedBen, a great friend of Streetsblog. Let's hope that first (ok, second or third) @nytimes media column is about the pernicious effect of CAR CULTURE on all media (amirite, @cliffordlevy)? https://twitter.com/...
Nick Confessore / @nickconfessore: Can't decide whether hiring @BuzzFeedBen is a sign of our continuing Borg assimilation of amazing BuzzFeed talent or the final act of our Borg assimilation of Politico 1.0.
Josh Gerstein / @joshgerstein: Hats off to @BuzzFeedBen, who has overseen an impressive string of work from a keen set of reporters. @BuzzFeedNews has also proved the naysayers wrong about cultivating quality journalism alongside more entertaining content. (P.S. Newspapers do this every day and always have.) https://twitter.com/...
Shani Olisa Hilton / @shani_o: I know that I owe so much to Ben — end of an era. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Raju Narisetti / @raju: A smart hire by @nytimes. Congratulations, Ben. And, in so many ways, also marks the approaching end of the news(y) @BuzzFeed that we got to know over the years in terms of its serious journalism. It has been a terrific run. https://twitter.com/...
Jonah Peretti / @peretti: My note to the team about @BuzzFeedBen leaving....Thank you, Ben! I'll always be grateful for your partnership, the adventures we shared, and the newsroom you built. I know we'll break big stories and make you proud in the years ahead. https://twitter.com/...
Janine Gibson / @janinegibson: Can't believe @BuzzFeedBen who I once had to convince that media was a beat just as good as politics has taken my dream job but he will be a worthy successor to David Carr https://twitter.com/...
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: Wowzer. @BuzzFeedBen leaves Buzz Feed to become media columnist at the New York Times. He had been the editor of @BuzzFeedNews. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Phillip Picardi / @pfpicardi: Woooooow. Ben truly did incredible work, and @buzzfeednews has a stellar team. I hope whoever comes in next realizes what talent is on staff! https://twitter.com/...
@rolandsmartin: Ummmmm. Wow. To go from the top editor at @BuzzFeedNews to a media columnist at the @nytimes. Really @BuzzFeedBen? Shocking https://twitter.com/...
Alex Kantrowitz / @kantrowitz: It's been a dream come true working with @BuzzFeedBen. Wishing you luck and looking forward to reading, Ben. We'll miss you very much here. https://www.nbcnews.com/...
Yashar Ali / @yashar: . @BuzzFeedBen has always been good to me, but a few years ago he gave me advice that changed my life. I can't wait to read his column (Look at my reply to Dylan's tweet below for a less diplomatic response) https://twitter.com/...
S. Mitra Kalita / @mitrakalita: Thank you, Ben. For so much - but above all, listening, good internet and your friendship. Fully expect that to continue even when you at brand x. https://twitter.com/...
Kevin Roose / @kevinroose: In addition to having a good forehand, @BuzzFeedBen is sharp as hell and this is very exciting. https://www.nbcnews.com/...
David Freedlander / @freedlander: Kind of love that one half of Politico's 2011 media blog is breaking news on the other half https://www.nbcnews.com/...
Donie O'Sullivan / @donie: the replies https://twitter.com/...
Jon Gabriel / @exjon: I'll be taking over at BuzzFeed; creating new verticals on Byzantinium, indie rock, and Stoicism. https://twitter.com/...
Jodi Rudoren / @rudoren: Congratulations to @BuzzFeedBen and @nytimes Hard to imagine a wiser media mind, better sourced reporter, sharper writer or nicer guy for this critical role at this critical moment. Can't wait to read the column. https://twitter.com/...
Adrian Carrasquillo / @carrasquillo: .@BuzzFeedBen awakened a brand of reporter in me that will always be part of who I am and I'm grateful for how he challenged me. Now I'm just happy he's following his heart. You better get a scoop soon after starting or people will wonder if you lost your fastball.. https://twitter.com/...
Steven Perlberg / @perlberg: Like many reporters on here, I owe @BuzzFeedBen a lot. He taught me many things, like how you can write whatever you want about someone in a profile if you call them “fashionable” at some point. NYT media columnist is the perfect job for him until Dean Baquet retires https://twitter.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: >> @sulliview: “Smith and I have been friendly for several years, & I want to welcome him as a fellow media columnist. We need sharp-eyed critics, daring truth-tellers & clear heads in this increasingly crazy sphere. I'm confident he has all that and more” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Jim Waterson / @jimwaterson: Ben Smith was a totally fantastic editor. Always without fail had the backs of his reporters, took a punt on people, and saw where media was going for good and bad. Anyway, as he always taught, never miss a chance for a story: So if you know who's going to replace him.... https://twitter.com/...
Lydia Polgreen / @lpolgreen: .@BuzzFeedBen is the best and this is amazing news for NYT readers. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Mark Di Stefano / @markdistef: A giant of news on the internet. So many of us owe him everything. https://twitter.com/...
Anne Helen Petersen / @annehelen: .@BuzzFeedBen took a true chance on a PhD from the quasi-middle of nowhere with no journalism experience. He once told me that books are “paywalled content.” He's a brilliant editor and an effortless writer and this is indeed the end of a BuzzFeed era: https://www.nbcnews.com/...
Ellen Cushing / @elcush: A generation of reporters owe their careers, their sensibilities, and their fearlessness to Ben, and I am wildly, impossibly lucky to be one of them. I can't wait to read him every week. https://twitter.com/...
Kristin Chirico / @lolacoaster: I remember when BuzzFeed was small enough where Ben would write me little emails when things I wrote went viral and would take me to coffee to try and figure out my deal even though we make diametrically different internet things and that's the kinda guy Ben is. https://twitter.com/...
Alexis Levinson / @alexis_levinson: Working for @BuzzFeedBen meant getting really frustrated by one of his harebrained ideas and then eventually realizing that he was totally dead on. I loved working for him, and can't wait to read the new column. https://twitter.com/...
Joe Concha / @joeconchatv: Makes sense: https://www.nbcnews.com/...
Emily Ramshaw / @eramshaw: Wow wow wow. Good for you! https://twitter.com/...
Stuart Millar / @stuartmillar159: .@BuzzFeedBen is everything a top editor should be - brave, exacting and fiercely loyal to the story and the reporters. Unusually for a top editor, he doesn't mind being told he's got something wrong. Annoyingly, he's usually right. Cannot wait to read his NYT media columns
RELATED:
Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:
Ben Smith turned BuzzFeed News, once seen as a clickbait factory, into an outlet that was twice a Pulitzer finalist and a winner of the George Polk Award — His name is so closely associated with BuzzFeed News that his Twitter handle is BuzzFeedBen. — But Ben Smith — who turned …
Discussion:
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: “Smith said that he's proudest of two accomplishments at BuzzFeed News: proving that ‘tough, ambitious journalism’ cannot only be done on the Internet but that 'it's a superior medium to print'; and fostering journalism about the Internet itself...” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Margaret Sullivan / @sulliview: Ben Smith of BuzzFeed News @buzzfeedben departs the site he built from scratch, heading for the New York Times. My column. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Keith Hernandez / @keithrhernandez: Congrats @BuzzFeedBen can't wait to see who you call a viral hot dog first. One time, I was talking to Ben about an annoying business thing and I was like “this motherfucker is not paying attention, he's on his phone” I left the meeting + already had an email approval from him
Caroline Moss / @carolinemoss: The only boss who can both listen and thoughtfully reply to your every word while simultaneously sending sixteen emails. A coveted skill. https://twitter.com/...
Peter Kafka / @pkafka: Requisite reminder that when BuzzFeed published the NYT Innovation Report of 2014, NYT was scared shitless of BuzzFeed and its digital ilk. Now the digital guys are stalled, and NYT hires their stars.
Peter Kafka / @pkafka: *Smith says he started talking to NYT in late December *Peretti says he was surprised *Both say the move had nothing to do with BuzzFeed News cuts (But NYT was certainly watching) *Peretti says BuzzFeed will make money this year; BuzzFeed News won't, and that's OK. https://twitter.com/...
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
WaPo reinstates reporter Felicia Sonmez after her suspension following her tweets about a rape allegation against Kobe Bryant and her response to backlash — The Washington Post said it has reinstated political reporter Felicia Sonmez, who was suspended for a series of tweets about Kobe Bryant …
Discussion:
@feliciasonmez, @postguild, New York Times, Variety, The Wrap, @mlcalderone, @dabeard, Axios, CNN, Adweek, The Hill, @feliciasonmez, @feliciasonmez, @feliciasonmez, The Daily Caller, @ericmgarcia, @maxwelltani, Washington Post, @wesleylowery, @jeffyoung, @dcampoamor, @philoso_foster, @jamisonfoser, @pkafka, @davidgura, @ashleyfeinberg, @maxwelltani, @dhberman, @ron_fournier, iMediaEthics, @tball, Vox, @allisongeroi, @rhodes_dawn, @aricohn, @oliverdarcy, @mlcalderone and @macloo
Discussion:
Felicia Sonmez / @feliciasonmez: I believe that Washington Post readers and employees, including myself, deserve to hear directly from @PostBaron on the newspaper's handling of this matter. My statement on The Post's decision tonight: https://twitter.com/...
Washington Post Guild / @postguild: Our statement regarding the reinstatement of our colleague Felicia Sonmez: https://twitter.com/...
Elaine Low / Variety: Washington Post Says Reporter's Kobe Bryant Tweets Did Not Violate Social Media Policy
Ross A. Lincoln / The Wrap: Reinstated Washington Post Reporter Calls Out Top Editor Marty Baron Over Kobe Bryant Tweet Suspension
Michael Calderone / @mlcalderone: WaPo says @feliciasonmez did not violate social media policy. Statement from managing editor Tracy Grant: https://twitter.com/...
David Beard / @dabeard: @PENamerica @feliciasonmez @washingtonpost @pressfreedom @RSF_en @mccarrennews @kathykiely @soledadobrien @mathewi @Sifill_LDF @PostGuild After reinstating Felicia Sonmez, Post leadership told its newsroom that the paper's “policies on the use of social media — which date from 2011 — are in need of an update.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Oliver Darcy / CNN: Washington Post reinstates reporter who it suspended over Kobe Bryant tweets, saying she didn't violate policy
Felicia Sonmez / @feliciasonmez: Washington Post journalists endeavor to live up to the paper's mission statement, which states, “The newspaper shall tell ALL the truth so far as it can learn it, concerning the important affairs of America and the world.”
Felicia Sonmez / @feliciasonmez: My suspension, and @PostBaron's Jan. 26 email warning me that my tweets about a matter of public record were “hurting this institution,” have unfortunately sown confusion about the depth of management's commitment to this goal.
Felicia Sonmez / @feliciasonmez: I hope Washington Post newsroom leaders will not only prioritize their employees' safety in the face of threats of physical harm but also ensure that no journalist will be punished for speaking the truth.
Shelby Talcott / The Daily Caller: WaPo Clears Reporter Responsible For Kobe Tweets, ‘Regrets’ Speaking Publicly About The Situation
Eric Michael Garcia / @ericmgarcia: Welcome back, @feliciasonmez. And thanks to @postguild for sticking up for a colleague. https://twitter.com/...
Max Tani / @maxwelltani: WaPo union says it is “disappointed that The Post's statement did not include an apology to Felicia. We remain concerned that The Post did not take swift action to provide her with protection and support.” https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
David Von Drehle / Washington Post: Remembering Kobe Bryant required the hammer of truth
Danielle Campoamor / @dcampoamor: Not a single “we're sorry” to @feliciasonmez or even an acknowledgment of the credence the WaPo gave to misogynistic asshats who berated, harassed, and threatened her. This statement is as pathetic as it is lacking. https://twitter.com/...
Jennifer Nicole / @philoso_foster: Even after 2016, and the Kavanaugh hearings, and the last four years generally, I somehow have never felt more shocked, or cognitively unmoored, by the *fact* of a normative disagreement than after reading the replies to this tweet. https://twitter.com/...
Jamison Foser / @jamisonfoser: If you unjustly suspend your employee and tell the world about it, thus tarnishing her reputation, your acknowledgment that you were wrong should be accompanied by an apology. Preschoolers learn that underlying concept. https://twitter.com/...
Ashley Feinberg / @ashleyfeinberg: incredible, they still manage to throw their reporter under the bus in the first line https://twitter.com/...
Max Tani / @maxwelltani: Kudos to Felicia's WaPo colleagues, who stood up and did the right thing defending her. Top editors, on the other hand, seem incredibly reluctant to do so https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Dan Berman / @dhberman: In which The Washington Post publicly criticizes its reporter but then said she didn't violate its rules. https://twitter.com/...
Ron Fournier / @ron_fournier: That last sentence is kinda lame. She tweeted a relevant and reliable story. https://twitter.com/...
Sydney Smith / iMediaEthics: WashPost: Felicia Sonmez's tweets about Kobe Bryant ‘ill-timed’ but not breach of social media policy, suspension ends
Tim Ball / @tball: So they walk it back after an “internal review,” which was what? Re-reading her tweets? https://twitter.com/...
Allison / @allisongeroi: when does the Post think it's a good time to post about rape (and the subsequent death threats you get for talking about rape) https://twitter.com/...
Dawn Rhodes / @rhodes_dawn: “We regret having spoken publicly about a personnel matter.” WOW. https://twitter.com/...
Ari Cohn / @aricohn: It's difficult to find words to describe @washingtonpost's actions. “Shame” is the one that keeps floating through my head. https://twitter.com/...
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy: The Washington Post has reinstated @feliciasonmez after it suspended her over tweets posted after Kobe Bryant's death. The paper says Sonmez didn't violate its policies. Its managing editor adds, “We regret having spoken publicly about a personnel matter.” https://www.cnn.com/...
Mary Louise Kelly / New York Times:
Journalists don't interview senior government officials to score political points, but rather to share the answers to tough questions when the stakes are high — Journalists are supposed to ask tough questions, then share the answers — or lack thereof — with the world.
Discussion:
Mary Louise Kelly / @nprkelly: Journalists don't sit down with senior officials to score political points. We do it in the service of asking tough questions, on behalf of our fellow citizens. And then sharing the answers—or lack thereof—with the world. My take for @NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/...
Joe Cirincione / @cirincione: “Recently the risk of miscalculation has felt very real. It occurs to me that swapping insults through interviews with journalists such as me might, terrifyingly, be as close as the top diplomats of the US and Iran came to communicating this month.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
@nytopinion: @NPRKelly Kelly was most bothered by what her conversation with Pompeo revealed about the United States's future with Iran. Here is the relevant portion from that interview. https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
NPR Extra / @nprextra: “Not every day, but on the best ones, we get to put questions to powerful people and hold them to account. This is both a privilege and a responsibility.” @NPRKelly via @nytopinion https://www.nytimes.com/...
Casey Kelly / @caseyriankelly: “I write about all this now to refocus attention on the substance of the interviews, which has been overshadowed by Mr. Pompeo's subsequently swearing at me, calling me a liar and challenging me to find Ukraine on an unmarked map.” Good for @NPRKelly: https://www.nytimes.com/...
Kyle Griffin / @kylegriffin1: NPR's Mary Louise Kelly: “There is a reason that freedom of the press is enshrined in the Constitution. There is a reason it matters that people in positions of power —people charged with steering the foreign policy of entire nations— be held to account.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
RELATED:
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
Trump praises Pompeo for his behavior with NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly: “That was very impressive....I think you did a good job on her, actually.” — At a White House ceremony with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump noted the presence of Pompeo and said, “That was very impressive.
Discussion:
Aaron Rupar / @atrupar: Trump praises Pompeo after he bullied an NPR reporter and then prohibited another NPR reporter from traveling with him: “That reporter couldn't have done too good a job on you ... I think you did a good job on her actually.” https://twitter.com/...
Katie Cooper / @thekatiecoop: And here's Dershowitz giving Pompeo an attaboy pat on the back after Trump praises the secretary of state for berating @NPRKelly. https://twitter.com/...
Morgan Chalfant / The Hill: Trump praises Pompeo over handling of NPR reporter: ‘You did a good job on her’
Casey Morell / @csymrl: eternally proud and grateful to work with people like @NPRKelly & the entire staff at @NPR https://twitter.com/...
Dareh Gregorian / NBC News: ‘You did a good job on her’: Trump praises Pompeo for confrontation with NPR reporter
Evan McMurry / @evanmcmurry: Pres. Trump to Sec. of State Mike Pompeo: “That reporter couldn't have done too good a job on you yesterday, huh? I think you did a good job on her, actually.” https://abcnews.go.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Bess Levin / Vanity Fair: Surprise: Trump Praises Mike Pompeo for Cursing Out Reporter, Suggesting She's an Idiot
Staci D Kramer / @sdkstl: What's worse than hearing the president praise his SecState for lying and berating a woman reporter? Watching men laugh and nod along, then seeing someone who spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate last night, who senators are using to excuse their votes, pat him on the back. https://twitter.com/...
Inae Oh / Mother Jones: Trump Praises Pompeo for Cursing Out Female Reporter: “You Did a Good Job on Her”
Maya Earls / McClatchy Washington Bureau: Trump praises Pompeo on treatment of NPR reporter: ‘I think you did a good job on her’
Don Moynihan / @donmoyn: Congrats to all of those in the audience laughing along to attacks on the free press. https://twitter.com/...
Elizabeth de la Vega / @delavegalaw: Why did the journalists not just walk out of the room en masse? https://twitter.com/...
Mallory Yu / @mallory_yu: “That reporter” has a name - Mary Louise Kelly - a celebrated body of work, the deep respect and admiration of her colleagues here at NPR and within the journalism community, and the ethics and trustworthiness of the kind of journalists this country needs now more than ever. https://twitter.com/...
Molly Jong-Fast / @mollyjongfast: People will say he's kidding because there's laughter but when your whole platform is “believe no women” it's hard to find this funny. https://twitter.com/...
Juliette Kayyem / @juliettekayyem: “on her” https://twitter.com/...
M.M. Schill / @mm_schill: Seriously, Mary Louise Kelly is a national treasure. Start treating her like she is one, America. She didn't deserve that treatment. https://twitter.com/...
Steve Marmel / @marmel: EVERY REPORTER SHOULD HAVE WALKED OUT. #IStandWithNPR https://twitter.com/...
John Lansing / @johnlansing: I stand behind the NPR newsroom, which has some of the most respected, truthful, factual, professional and ethical journalists in the United States. Our mission is to serve the American public by seeking and reporting the truth.
Bill Chappell / NPR:
NPR's CEO announces the outlet is asking the State Department to explain why it denied credentials for an NPR reporter to travel with Mike Pompeo to Europe
NPR's CEO announces the outlet is asking the State Department to explain why it denied credentials for an NPR reporter to travel with Mike Pompeo to Europe
Discussion:
Justin Wise / The Hill: NPR sends letter to State Dept. demanding answers for reporter's removal from trip
Erik Wemple / Washington Post: Trump signals to Cabinet: Abuse reporters at will
@npr: NPR has sent a letter to the State Department “demanding answers” about its decision to deny an NPR reporter press credentials to travel with Mike Pompeo on an upcoming Europe trip, NPR's CEO John Lansing has announced. More: https://www.npr.org/... Read the letter here 👇 https://twitter.com/...
Brian Stelter / CNN:
NPR's Michele Kelemen has been removed from Mike Pompeo's press pool for a trip to UK and Ukraine, a few days after Pompeo responded angrily to an NPR interview
NPR's Michele Kelemen has been removed from Mike Pompeo's press pool for a trip to UK and Ukraine, a few days after Pompeo responded angrily to an NPR interview
Discussion:
CNN, @jakesnyt, @nickschifrin, @mitchellreports, Vox, Vanity Fair, @jameeljaffer, @whca, The Week, @spj_tweets, @joaquincastrotx, @javierblas, @amyreports, @scarylawyerguy, @samseaborn, @brianstelter, @joyannreid, @davidmihm, Multichannel News, The Hill, Pressing, @ewong, @sangernyt, @chriscuomo, @mplenke, New York Times, @senmarkey, Newser, @senatorbennet, @joycewhitevance, @ewong, @aaronblake, @nprinskeep, @eliselabott, @mehdirhasan and @qasimrashid
Discussion:
Lara Jakes / @jakesnyt: The State Department removed NPR reporter Michele Kelemen from the press pool on @SecPompeo trip this week to Europe and Central Asia following his dustup w @NPRKelly. Read statement by @shauntandon, State Department Correspondents' Association president: https://twitter.com/...
Nick Schifrin / @nickschifrin: State Department removes @NPR's @michelekelemen from @SecPompeo plane—where she was scheduled for a pool radio rotation—during upcoming trip to London, Kiev. Comes after @SecPompeo accused media of being “unhinged” after @NPRKelly interview and subsequent back and forth.
Andrea Mitchell / @mitchellreports: State dept colleagues are dismayed, outraged by @SecPompeo decision to kick esteemed @NPR veteran diplomatic correspondent @MicheleKelemen off his plane for this week's trip to Ukraine in apparent retaliation for her colleague standing up to bullying. #FirstAmendment
Aaron Rupar / Vox: State Department bans NPR reporter from traveling with Pompeo after testy interview
Jameel Jaffer / @jameeljaffer: Petty and vindictive and maybe also unconstitutional. https://twitter.com/...
@spj_tweets: “The removal of Michele, who was in rotation as the radio pool reporter, comes days after Secretary Pompeo harshly criticized the work of an NPR host. We can only conclude that the State Dept. is retaliating against @NPR as a result of this exchange...” https://www.cnn.com/...
Joaquin Castro / @joaquincastrotx: Autocracies target journalists. Democracies respect a free press. Which do you support, @SecPompeo? A reporter's questions may be hard, but the choice is easy. https://www.nbcnews.com/...
Javier Blas / @javierblas: Over the years, I had found myself in trouble on foreign land as a journalist. Always, US diplomats proved resolutely helpful to free me from jail and keep an eye as I was deported (even if I'm not an American citizen). I hope @StateDept would hold tight to @pressfreedom values https://twitter.com/...
Amy Scott / @amyreports: How does the State Department explain this to its diplomats promoting freedom of the press abroad? https://twitter.com/...
Scary Lawyerguy / @scarylawyerguy: What is that term for when you help start a fire and then start screaming about how someone needs to put out the fire you helped start? https://twitter.com/...
Sam Seaborn / @samseaborn: This is where I'd love to see a show of solidarity by the press. Vote a single reporter to go and file a pool report; everyone else opt out of the trip https://twitter.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: NPR is awaiting answers from the State Dept, according to two sources. NPR has not been told if this is a one-off decision or a full-blown ban. The organization is not covering this matter on the air until it gets more info... https://www.cnn.com/...
Joy Reid / @joyannreid: An attempt by a high administration official to bully and humiliate a reporter, followed by retaliation. Not at all the way autocratic regimes behave ... https://twitter.com/...
David Mihm / @davidmihm: Never been prouder to be an @NPR supporter and listener. https://twitter.com/...
John Kruzel / The Hill: State Department removes NPR reporter from Pompeo trip
Scott Nover / Pressing: Trouble for American Journalists
Edward Wong / @ewong: .@SecPompeo escalates attack on the press: State Dept. bars NPR reporter @michelekelemen from Pompeo's plane on trip to Ukraine & other nations. State Dept. Correspondents' Association says he is retaliating over journalism by @NPRKelly. Back story: http://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
David Sanger / @sangernyt: I have traveled tens of thousands of miles on the Secretary of State's plane with @michelekelemen. Like @NPRKelly, she is a consummate pro, a superb reporter. The State Dept. may try, childishly, to pick who fills the seats but it won't be able to pick who covers US diplomacy. https://twitter.com/...
Christopher C. Cuomo / @chriscuomo: Why is this ok? Press works for you. Why should you have less coverage of power? https://twitter.com/...
Mark Plenke / @mplenke: NPR should be in court challenging this targeted ban on its reporting. Clearly unconstitutional (plenty of case law to back it up). https://apple.news/...
Lara Jakes / New York Times: State Dept. Will Not Allow NPR Reporter on Pompeo's Plane Following Interview
Ed Markey / @senmarkey: Muzzling the press is what dictatorships do, not the United States of America. Retaliation against NPR or any news outlet for doing their job is authoritarianism and entirely un-American. Secretary Pompeo, it's not personal, it's press. https://twitter.com/...
Arden Dier / Newser: NPR-Pompeo Brouhaha Rolls On
Michael Bennet / @senatorbennet: The Secretary of State should promote American values - including a free press - around the globe. Bullying journalists for doing their jobs is something you'd expect from authoritarian regimes, not the U.S. https://twitter.com/...
Joyce Alene / @joycewhitevance: This is unacceptable @SecPompeo. You work for us & we expect the press to have access to you. Explain what happened here & how you intend to correct it. This is what dictatorships do to the press, not how our country's officials behave. https://twitter.com/...
Edward Wong / @ewong: Secretary of State is supposed to defend American values, including press freedom. Pompeo does the opposite. Listen to the interview @NPRKelly did that upset him. A true professional, she asked about Iran & Ukraine. Then he cursed her with F-bombs. https://www.npr.org/...
Aaron Blake / @aaronblake: 1. Pompeo implied he had been lied to about the subject of their conversation. Emails show his aide was told. 2. Pompeo laughably suggested @NPRKelly had mistaken Ukraine for Bangladesh on a map. 3. Now NPR is being punished? https://twitter.com/...
Steve Inskeep / @nprinskeep: Allow me to introduce @michelekelemen, a deeply experienced foreign correspondent and @NPR diplomatic correspondent. She's one of the best colleagues I've ever worked with. She's thoughtful, honest, gracious and tough. Also, just got banned from Sec. Pompeo's plane. https://twitter.com/...
Elise Labott / @eliselabott: Statement by the State Department Correspondents' Association responding to @SecPompeo decision to ban respected veteran diplomatic correspondent @michelekelemen from his plane on his upcoming trip to Ukraine in apparent retaliation against @NPR https://twitter.com/...
Mehdi Hasan / @mehdirhasan: Shameful. Every other reporter on this trip should refuse to accompany, or cover, this Pompeo trip. Stand up against the administration's anti-press and divide-and-rule approach. https://twitter.com/...
Qasim Rashid / @qasimrashid: Here's an NPR report on how in 2019 the United States dropped to 48th in World Press Freedom. The move downgrades America from a “satisfactory” place to work freely to a “problematic” one for journalists.😳 America was 20th in 2010😑 Are we great yet?🤔 https://www.npr.org/... https://twitter.com/...
Geoffrey Fowler / Washington Post:
Facebook says its Off-Facebook Activity tool, which lets users clear all the data passed onto Facebook by other apps and sites, is now available globally — The new ‘Off-Facebook Activity’ tool reminds us we're living in a reality TV program where the cameras are always on.
Discussion:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch: All users can now access Facebook's tool for controlling which apps and sites can share data for ad-targeting
Michael Grothaus / Fast Company: Here's how to see where Facebook follows you around the web—and how to make it stop
@thedavidmurphy: This is critical: “(To get the third-party to delete whatever data it's collected on you, you'll still need to follow its own procedures to delete your account or clear your data there.)” https://techcrunch.com/...
Mike Madden / @mikemadden: I read this story, followed @geoffreyfowler's instructions, and discovered that my continuous glucose monitoring software (among other apps) was notifying Facebook every time I opened it: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Ann Marlowe / @annmarlowe: This is really making me feel like getting off FB entirely, not that I post mucj besides cat and tomato photos..Facebook will now show you exactly how it stalks you — even when you're not using Facebook https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Philip Moscovitch / @philmoscovitch: I don't even have the Facebook app on my phone. Am I thrilled that @freshbooks is sharing info with Facebook every time I open the bookkeeping app? No, I am not. https://twitter.com/...
Mohammad Farooq / @mohammadfarooq_: The Off-Facebook Activity tool will offer a clear summary of which apps and sites have collected data, how Facebook received the information, how many interactions (logging in, searching, purchases, etc.) it has received, and more. https://techcrunch.com/...
Shoshana Wodinsky / Gizmodo: Facebook's ‘Clear History’ Tool Doesn't Clear Shit
Rob Sherman / @rmsherman: We're sending reminders to nearly 2 billion people to review their privacy settings on @facebook. Also, now everyone can manage their info off FB using our new OFA tool. More here: https://about.fb.com/... #DataPrivacyDay
Neil Greenberg / @ngreenberg: Wait is Facebook essentially Santa Claus from the darkest timeline? https://twitter.com/...
David Carroll / @profcarroll: Facebook: We don't assemble “shadow profiles” and users can download their data. Also Facebook: Here's a metric ton of tracking data that hasn't been previously disclosed until this year's #DataPrivacyDay #DataProtectionDay https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Josh Elman / @joshelman: Happy Data Privacy Day! The holiday they knew you always wanted since they have access to all your data https://about.fb.com/...
Aral Balkan / @aral: Transparency is only Step 1. If we don't like what we see, what can we do about it? If the answer is nothing (e.g., because the regulators want to work there in 3 yrs), transparency becomes a synonym for learned helplessness; a snuff film of our lives that we're forced to watch. https://twitter.com/...
Anthony Ha / TechCrunch:
News startup Scroll debuts today with ad-free access to ~300 partners, including BuzzFeed News, BI, and Vox, for $2.49/mo. for first six months then $4.99/mo. — After a long period of invite-only beta testing, Scroll is officially launching today, offering ad-free access to sites like BuzzFeed News …
Discussion:
Adweek, Nieman Lab, @tryscroll, Axios, Vox, @pkafka, @mayarodale, The Verge, @juliabeizer, @martinsfp, @francescook, @editrixjen, @pinboard, @pkafka, @arctictony, @alexjamesfitz, @arctictony, @marklittlenews, @mcwm, Neowin, @nathanblawrence, @arctictony, @raju, USA Today and Poynter
Discussion:
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab: Scroll promises a better Internet for users and more money for publishers, all for just five bucks
Scroll / @tryscroll: Scroll is now open to the public! Now you can experience an internet that's twice as fast, with 80% fewer trackers and completely ad free on a growing network of sites. Your membership directly funds the sites you love. Become a member today! http://scroll.com/ https://twitter.com/...
Sara Fischer / Axios: Former Chartbeat CEO Tony Haile launches startup Scroll
Peter Kafka / @pkafka: This is happening in video already. Tubi: Free with ads Hulu: Subscription with ads; can pay more to remove them Netflix: Subscription, no ads. https://www.vox.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Maya Rodale / @mayarodale: HUZZZAH! Congrats to @arctictony and his awesome team on their big launch today! I've been using scroll for months (cos I know a guy 😉 ) and it's an amazing, beautiful way to experience the web. Check it out. https://twitter.com/...
Jacob Kastrenakes / The Verge: Scroll makes hundreds of websites ad-free for $5 per month
Julia Beizer / @juliabeizer: .@arctictony is one of the true innovators in our industry. So glad to know him. Best of luck @tryscroll!! // https://twitter.com/...
Martin Sfp Bryant / @martinsfp: I've been using Scroll for the past few months and I really like it. If you hate adtech and like supporting journalism, give it a go. https://twitter.com/...
Frances Cook / @francescook: News startup Scroll wants to let you read news without ads, and without multiple subscriptions - an interesting idea, if they can make it work https://www.niemanlab.org/...
Jen Peters / @editrixjen: My favorite part of the Scroll release is this line: “I'm too fucking old to deal with Nazis. I don't want to give them money.” https://techcrunch.com/...
@pinboard: This is extortion as a business model. Pay up and maybe we won't serve you third-party malware on our news site, but of course we'll still track you. https://twitter.com/...
Peter Kafka / @pkafka: This is the long-awaited launch of @arctictony's Scroll, a subscription ad-blocker that pays publishers. It's a very interesting experiment (and Vox Media is a partner). https://twitter.com/...
Tony Haile / @arctictony: Great, thoughtful inaugural piece on @tryscroll from @SarahScire, written on her first day at Nieman Lab! https://twitter.com/...
Alex Fitzpatrick / @alexjamesfitz: Really interested to see where this goes. It's promising, but whether anyone can overcome the original sin of making Internet content free remains to be seen. https://twitter.com/...
Tony Haile / @arctictony: We're building a better internet, one site at a time. Join us at https://t.co/...! https://twitter.com/...
Mark Little / @marklittlenews: Very best wishes to @arctictony and his team. Starting the internet from scratch. https://twitter.com/...
Mike Murphy / @mcwm: this is an interesting idea — effectively trying to take advertising ARPU, make customers pay it directly to one company, and then revenue is split between partners ? seems like a lot of work, but could be cool if people buy into it https://twitter.com/...
João Carrasqueira / Neowin: Scroll is a new service that gives you ad-free internet for $5 per month
Nathan Lawrence / @nathanblawrence: I've been on Scroll for a few months now. It's great. We've obviously walked the subscription revenue split path before, and if the economics scale is something I just don't know if our industry can see yet, but I'm glad someone's giving it another try. https://twitter.com/...
Tony Haile / @arctictony: This story by @pkafka is one of the clearest explanations of @tryscroll I've ever seen: https://www.vox.com/...
Raju Narisetti / @raju: Congratulations on the formal launch of @tryscroll, @arctictony and team. Glad to have “backed” it from the very beginning & excited to see where it goes: @niemanlab: Scroll promises a better Internet for users & more money for publishers, all for just $5 https://www.niemanlab.org/...
The Citizen Lab:
A link to a site with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware was sent to NYT journalist Ben Hubbard by an operator tied to Saudi Arabia who also targeted Saudi dissidents — Key Findings — New York Times journalist Ben Hubbard was targeted with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware via …
Discussion:
New York Times, @nytben, @rondeibert, @davidakaye, Fortune, @kevincollier, @marietjeschaake, @jennycohn1, @davidgura, The Guardian, @agnescallamard, Reporters Without Borders, @rondeibert, Business Insider, @kenroth, The Week, @kevincollier, @nytimes, @davidakaye, @selectedwisdom, @davidakaye, @davidakaye, @razhael, @aaschapiro, @kevincollier, @kimzetter, @dangillmor, @pressfreedom and @stefsimanowitz
Discussion:
Ben Hubbard / New York Times: Someone Tried to Hack My Phone. Technology Researchers Accused Saudi Arabia.
Ben Hubbard / @nytben: I got a weird SMS. I didn't click. Researchers concluded it was a hacking attempt with Israeli software by hackers linked to Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials: no comment. The Israeli company: not all hack attempts use our products. Be careful out there, kids. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Profdeibert / @rondeibert: @citizenlab @nytimes @NYTBen .@NYTBen is the first American journalist we have verified to be targeted with NSO's spyware. I suspect he's not the only one, or the last.
David Kaye / @davidakaye: a few very quick highlights from the must-read @citizenlab report on targeting of @NYTBen by “Saudi-linked Pegasus” spyware https://citizenlab.ca/...
Fortune: New York Times reporter writing a bin Salman book was targeted with NSO Group spyware, report says
Kevin Collier / @kevincollier: @citizenlab @NYTBen @RonDeibert A clarification I haven't seen elsewhere, since today's report is the first reported instance of NSO being used against an American, which is against NSO's TOS. The phone where Hubbard received the targeted message wasn't registered with a US #, source says.
Marietje Schaake / @marietjeschaake: ‘The targeting of yet another journalist makes clear the current regulatory regime for the spyware industry is not working. Absent strong regulation & control, the industry will continue to bolster authoritarianism & powerful elites invisibly thwart the work of journalists’ ↘️ https://twitter.com/...
Jennifer Cohn / @jennycohn1: “The NSO Group has also run operations under different names like OSY Technologies, which paid former U.S. national security adviser Michal Flynn over $40,000 as an advisory board member for nearly a year, until last January [2016].” https://www.haaretz.com/... https://twitter.com/...
David Gura / @davidgura: “Technology researchers who inspected the message I received concluded that I was targeted with powerful software sold by NSO Group, an Israeli company, and deployed by hackers working for Saudi Arabia.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Stephanie Kirchgaessner / The Guardian: Reporter who wrote book on Saudi crown prince was allegedly targeted by hackers
Agnes Callamard / @agnescallamard: I could@not agree more: @davidakaye and I issued our statement last week regarding the hacking of #Bezos phone to warn people of strategic interest to #SaudiArabia that their phone too may have been compromised. https://twitter.com/...
Jcavelier / Reporters Without Borders: Ukraine: RSF warns against ineffective and counterproductive draft bill on disinformation
Profdeibert / @rondeibert: Our report identifying Saudi targeting of @NYTBen brings the number of journalists and civic media we have confirmed targeted by governments using NSO Group's Pegasus spyware to thirteen https://citizenlab.ca/... https://twitter.com/...
Aaron Holmes / Business Insider: A New York Times reporter who covers Saudi Arabia was targeted by the same spyware used …
Kenneth Roth / @kenroth: Another case in which Saudi Arabia targets a journalist, this time from the New York Times using the Israeli firm NSO Group's Pegasus hacking software. https://citizenlab.ca/...
Kevin Collier / @kevincollier: @citizenlab @NYTBen CitizenLab director @RonDeibert to me: “We present detailed, peer-reviewed evidence. For their part, they provide dubious claims and never directly address our evidence.” Of note, CL is a U of Toronto lab. Today's report, if you haven't read yet, is here: https://citizenlab.ca/...
@nytimes: “The attempt on my phone came after I had covered Saudi Arabia for 5 years, most recently with a focus on Prince Mohammed,” writes our Beirut bureau chief @NYTBen. “At first glance the link appeared to be a Saudi news story about my coverage.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
David Kaye / @davidakaye: & finally, of course i completely agree with these conclusions. the time for global regulation of the spyware industry is now https://twitter.com/...
Clint Watts / @selectedwisdom: We had the hacking and killing of a @washingtonpost journalist and now we have the hacking of a US @nytimes reporter. What will be 🇺🇸 response? (Guessing we know the answer) https://twitter.com/...
David Kaye / @davidakaye: this alleged masquerading as the Post is extremely dangerous & presents a warning for all media outlets https://twitter.com/...
David Kaye / @davidakaye: this is chilling & underscores the cxn between targeted digital surveillance & physical safety of #journalists https://twitter.com/...
Raphael Satter / @razhael: Deeply concerning. @NYTBen was targeted using NSO spyware, @citizenlab says. Kudos to Ben for knowing who to call — and to the Times for agreeing to make this case public. Not all organizations have the courage to talk about these threats publicly. https://citizenlab.ca/...
Avi Asher-Schapiro / @aaschapiro: Did Saudi use spyware supplied by the Israeli surveilence firm NSO Group to try & hack into the NYTimes Beirut bureau chief's phone? It looks like the first documented NSO-hack of an American journalist. Read @NYTBen's account of what went down: https://www.nytimes.com/...
Kevin Collier / @kevincollier: NSO Group has responding to this morning's report from @citizenlab, which found that NSO software was used to target @NYTBen's phone with malware. In a statement, NSO denies it's them and goes ad hominem against both parties. https://twitter.com/...
Kim Zetter / @kimzetter: NYTimes journalist targeted w/ mobile spyware Pegasus from NSO Group; evidence also suggests an NSO Group operator may have been infecting targets while impersonating the Washington Post in the weeks leading up to and after Khashoggi's killing in 2018 https://citizenlab.ca/...
Dan Gillmor / @dangillmor: New @citizenlab report is also a reminder that journalism education is doing a terrible job, overall, when it comes to helping students understand digital security. It's essential that we get better at this. https://citizenlab.ca/... https://twitter.com/...
@pressfreedom: The revelation by @NYTBen that Saudi Arabia targeted him with hacking and surveillance, coming days after allegations that @JeffBezos was also hacked, is a reminder of the need for greater oversight & restrictions on the sale of sophisticated spying tools to authoritarian regimes https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Stefan Simanowitz / @stefsimanowitz: NSO's Pegasus spyware tool is cited as the most likely culprit in the Bezos hacking. #SaudiArabia is believed to have used NSO software to spy on Khashoggi & other critics. Govts in 45 other countries also use Pegasus. @amnesty are trying to stop this. https://www.google.co.uk/... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Dylan Byers / @dylanbyers:
Former Fox News executive producer Jennifer Williams named head of editorial video strategy for Facebook News — Scoop: Facebook has tapped former Fox News executive producer Jennifer Williams to head video strategy for Facebook News, the dedicated news tab that will launch wide later this year, a source familiar with the move tells me. https://link.nbcnews.com/...
Discussion:
NBC News, @paulconstant, @lam_barrett, @pardesseleh, @moneyries, @adamhousley, @olsencassidy, @jeniontheblock, @cliffschecter and @anthonyblsmith
Discussion:
Lindsey Barrett / @lam_barrett: zuckerberg's enthusiastic catering to the right in the decisions he makes about the direction and content policies of his misinformation delivery service is not a small problem. https://twitter.com/...
Pardes Seleh / @pardesseleh: People think nobody outside conservative media will hire you after you work for Fox but Take it from me, being a former Fox producer is a media golden ticket 😂they don't care who you are they just want those sexy ass NUMBERS https://twitter.com/...
@moneyries: The company that sucked the life out of countless digital media shops with its pivot to video promises is now doing a pivot of its own, likely using lessons learned from the countless failures of the last 10 years. Neat! https://twitter.com/...
Adam Housley / @adamhousley: Big win for them. Congrats!! https://twitter.com/...
Cassidy Olsen / @olsencassidy: Love to see Facebook doubling down on radicalizing boomers while YouTube stays radicalizing teens https://twitter.com/...
Jennifer Williams / @jeniontheblock: Some personal news... I'm thrilled to be joining Facebook News on Monday. https://twitter.com/...
Jennifer Elias / CNBC:
Chair of US House climate committee sends Sundar Pichai letter requesting a plan by February 7 to address climate misinformation, specifically on YouTube — - Climate Committee Chair Kathy Castor penned a letter to Google, requesting the company take action against disinformation related to climate change.
David Bauder / Associated Press:
AP held “townhall” meetings on racial sensitivity in its journalism after it was slammed for mistakenly cropping out an African climate activist on Friday — NEW YORK (AP) — A “terrible mistake” in cropping an African climate activist out of a photo sent to customers …
Discussion:
Vanessa Nakate / @vanessa_vash: Anyway my name is Vanessa Nakate Thought I would add that https://twitter.com/...
@ap: “It was a mistake that we realize silenced your voice, and we apologize. We will all work hard to learn from this.” @AP executive editor apologizes to African climate activist for photo crop that removed her from image where she posed with other activists. https://apnews.com/...
Bree Newsome Bass / @breenewsome: Climate change disproportionately impacts communities of color. The centering of white activists on the issue is deliberate erasure. Dominant media does this with everything. https://twitter.com/...
Eric Holthaus / @ericholthaus: It took @AP til the fourth paragraph in this news story about the erasure of an African climate activist to mention that her name is Vanessa Nakate @vanessa_vash. Vanessa has founded a pan-African climate solidarity movement. We should all know her name. https://apnews.com/...
Joe Black / @joeblackzw: Imagine being raised with the name “African climate activist” on your birth certifica ... oh? YOU ERASED HER FACE FROM THE PICTURE AND IN YOUR APOLOGY YOU ERASED HER NAME FROM THE TWEET AND HEADLINE. You're Doing Good at The Racism. https://twitter.com/...
Yvonne Ndege / @yvonnendege: The name is @vanessa_vash Vanessa Nakate and she is Ugandan not African. Colleagues @AP come on! https://twitter.com/...
Kinyera Jordan / @kinyerajordan: Hi @AP she's called @vanessa_vash and she's from Uganda. Africa is a bit too broad. @ChimamandaReal said it. Africa isn't a country Do better. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Don Cheadle / @doncheadle: and her name is ...? https://twitter.com/...
Simon Peter Lokomo / @lokomopeter: I was actually wondering who made such a dumb mistake. Your racial media bias has been exposed. Anyhow, great you apologized. But again write her name in the apology « Vanessa Nakate » https://twitter.com/...
@deardean22: 1. Edit Vanessa Nakate out of the picture. 2. Apologize without naming Vanessa Nakate. 3. Vanessa Nakate puts AP on blast again. First of her name, working to improve climates the world over, is not to be erased or ignored. Vanessa Nakate. https://twitter.com/...
Michele Norris / @michele_norris: Say her name. Say her name https://twitter.com/...
Nicholas Quah / Nieman Lab:
Podcast analytics group Podsights raises $1.5M; it helps advertisers track the impact of their buys on podcasts, and its clients include NYT, NPR, and Wondery — Welcome to Hot Pod, a newsletter about podcasts. This is issue 243, dated January 28, 2020. — Recap. The busyness of January continues.
Discussion:
Brad Hill / RAIN News: Podsights raises $1.5M, expands team
Nicholas Quah / Hot Pod News: Podsights, a podcast analytics startup, raises $1.5 million