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, Press Gazette, Poynter, @raju, @peretti, @erinleecarr, @sulliview, @thegarance, @juliareinstein, @jimrutenberg, @jscros, @theferocity, @lapresmidi, @streetsblognyc, @nickconfessore, @joshgerstein, @shani_o, @janinegibson, @jayrosen_nyu, @pfpicardi, @rolandsmartin, @kantrowitz, @yashar, @mitrakalita, @goldietaylor, @nicksallon, @tasneemn, @kevinroose, @micahgrimes, @freedlander, @donie, @exjon, @rudoren, @josh_emerson, @rmac18, @carrasquillo, @perlberg, @brianstelter, @jimwaterson, @austinhunt, @lpolgreen, @gaberivera, @matthewkeyslive, @markdistef, @jaspjackson, @katienotopoulos, @annehelen, @justinhendrix, @elcush, @pranavdixit, @fromedome, @lolacoaster, @alexis_levinson, @samdolnick, @joeconchatv, @eramshaw and @stuartmillar159
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Peter Kafka / Vox:
Jonah Peretti says he expects BuzzFeed to turn a profit this year, but BuzzFeed News would still be operating in the red: “We don't need news to be profitable” — What Ben Smith's move to the paper of record says about digital media in 2020. — Ben Smith spent eight years …
Discussion:
@mattmittenthal and @pkafka
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 …
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, Columbia Journalism Review, @postguild, @mlcalderone, @dabeard, Washington Post, The Hill, Newser, @soledadobrien, @lainnafader, The Daily Caller, @feliciasonmez, @wesleylowery, @jeffyoung, @dcampoamor, @jamisonfoser, @pkafka, @davidgura, @lollardfish, @mathewi, @ashleyfeinberg, @maxwelltani, @dhberman, @feliciasonmez, @ron_fournier, The Wrap, @tball, @thewrap, @maxwelltani, @politicussarah, @soledadobrien, @blackamazon, @zachdcarter, @allisongeroi, @jasoncherkis, @rhodes_dawn, @oliverdarcy, @paul_bowers, @feliciasonmez, Mediaite, @mlcalderone and @ericmgarcia
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:
@nprextra, @nprkelly, @caseyriankelly, @janearraf, @nytopinion, @johnlansing, @ailsachang, Axios, @soledadobrien, @kylegriffin1, @attorneynora, @carriecordero, @cirincione, @markhertling and The Hill
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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.”
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.”
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:
@jeremylittau, The Hill, @npr and @rcmcbride
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:
@nickschifrin, Vox, @mitchellreports, @whca, @javierblas, Breitbart, The Week, @spj_tweets and @joaquincastrotx
Peter Kafka / Vox:
Casino operator Penn National Gaming buying 36% stake in Barstool Sports; deal values Barstool at $450M and lets Penn National buy a controlling stake later — Barstool Sports co-founder Dave Portnoy in 2018 | Penn National Gaming is buying the online publisher — which can thank sports betting, and the Supreme Court for the deal.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Variety, @joemilord, @darrenrovell, @iamtoddytickles, @onlyinbos, @pkafka, @alexweprin, @alexweprin, @alexweprin, @claytravis, @carlhendy, @pkafka, @tomkrazit, @m_sunderland, @pkafka and @jgsiegel
Jim Waterson / The Guardian:
The Guardian says it will no longer accept ads from companies that extract fossil fuels, becoming the first major news organization to institute such a ban — Move follows efforts to reduce carbon footprint and increase reporting on climate crisis — The Guardian will no longer accept advertising …
Discussion:
The Guardian, @dpcarrington, @greenpeaceuk, @rasmus_kleis, @chrismoranuk, @dzarrilli, @kathviner, @adamvaughan_uk, @chloefarand, @markriceoxley69 and @jimwaterson
Todd Spangler / Variety:
AT&T lost 219K AT&T Now customers and 945K premium TV subscribers in Q4, and reports revenues of $8.9B, down 3.3% YoY — AT&T's top line was stung by its investment in HBO Max in the fourth quarter of 2019 to the tune of $1.2 billion in “foregone licensing revenues.”
Discussion:
Broadcasting & Cable, The Wrap, Fast Company, Hollywood Reporter, @great_katzby and @xpangler
Keith J. Kelly / New York Post:
Xana Antunes, a top editor at Quartz and former editor at NY Post, Fortune/CNN Money, Crain's New York Business, and CNBC, has died at 55 after cancer battle — Former New York Post chief Xana Antunes, who was an executive editor at Quartz for the past six years, passed away on Monday following a battle with pancreatic career.
Discussion:
Quartz, CNBC, Quartz, @thomaspagemcbee, @mflamm_reporter, @jandersonqz, @fvogelstein, @lisagibbs954, @zseward, @lattif, @bencasselman, @fromedome, @adamlashinsky, @kirabind, @jimzarroli, @pingroma, @ostaley and @sarahwhit10
Hollywood Reporter:
Sources: Netflix is expected to lay off 15+ people from its marketing department this week, a small portion of its overall employee count of around 6,900 — Sources say at least 15 people are expected to exit this week as the company moves to better advertise the service rather than its individual shows.
Discussion:
MediaPost, @lionelmedia, @theericgoldman, @jbflint, @blakemccoydc, @jlbarrow, @derfelmacguffin, @alexweprin and @kimmasters
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.
Julia Carrie Wong / The Guardian:
Investigation: in 2019 Trump spent ~$20M on 218K+ Facebook ads, with the media and its “fake news” the top topic mentioned at 18.25%, followed by immigration — A Guardian investigation of 218,100 ads reveals how the campaign's sophisticated social media machine targets conservative voters
Discussion:
@marklittlenews, @antoniskalog, @shady_inf0 and @whotargetsme, more at Techmeme »