Top News:
The Daily Beast:
Internal Fox News research briefing advises colleagues to be wary of “disinformation” from several on-air regulars, including John Solomon and Rudy Giuliani — In a dossier obtained by The Daily Beast, Fox's research unit advises colleagues to be wary of “disinformation” …
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Sources: ViacomCBS is building a new ad-supported streaming service that will build on CBS All Access, and an ad-free version that includes Showtime — - ViacomCBS is preparing to throw its hat into the streaming wars after consummating a merger on Dec. 31.
Discussion:
CNN, Hollywood Reporter, @sherman4949, Broadcasting & Cable, @lagana, @rwmead, @tvgrimreaper, @sherman4949, @richlightshed, Variety, @thedanbarrett, @antovolk, @great_katzby, @loudmouthjulia, @brandolightshed, @azalben, @burnettrm, The Verge, MediaPost, 9to5Mac, The Streamable, The Wrap and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
Josh Constine / TechCrunch:
Instagram has internally prototyped an Instagram Partner Program that will let IGTV creators earn money by showing ads alongside their videos — Instagram may finally let IGTV video makers earn money 18 months after launching the longer-form content hub. Instagram confirms to TechCrunch …
Discussion:
Digiday
Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:
Twitter Q4: revenue of $1.01B, up 11% YoY, net income of $119M, down from $255M in Q4 2018, monetizable DAU of 152M compared to 126M a year ago — As Twitter continues to try to find the right balance between making its platform easier to use while also less prone to toxicity and abuse …
Discussion:
Variety, Adweek, MediaNama, The Guardian, iTnews, The Times, Sky News, Associated Press, Motley Fool, Fox Business, The Next Web, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, CNBC, MarketWatch, TheStreet, Reuters, Mumbrella, New York Post, VentureBeat, CNET, Wall Street Journal, Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, Business Insider, Fast Company and The Wrap, more at Techmeme »
Bloomberg:
Sources: ViacomCBS is weighing options for CNET after receiving takeover interest in the site; CBS paid $1.8B for CNET in 2008 — - CEO Bob Bakish is looking for $500 million in cost savings — CBS paid $1.8 billion for CNET but it's probably worth less
Discussion:
@jeremymbarr and @tvgrimreaper
Craig Silverman / BuzzFeed News:
Investigation finds a network of around 100 “local news” sites, dating back to at least 2015, that have been plagiarizing stories from major news organizations — As they stole stories from real newspapers, these sites baffled scientists, activists, and journalists. Until now.
Discussion:
@marcacaputo, @eliothiggins, @walldo, @dpfunke and Boing Boing
Karlene Lukovitz / MediaPost:
Report: national linear TV ad revenue in 2019 was down just 1% YoY to $44.1B and up 2% counting digital video thanks to higher ad prices — Linear television revenue was down by just 1%, to $44.1 billion, in calendar year 2019 versus 2018, according to Standard Media Index's just-released report for the period.
Murtaza Hussain / The Intercept:
Brazilian judge dismisses cybercrime charges against journalist Glenn Greenwald, who was alleged to have been involved in hacking phones of public officials — A judge today declined to proceed with cybercrime charges lodged against Intercept co-founder Glenn Greenwald for his reporting …
Discussion:
The Guardian, @mazmhussain, @attackerman, Associated Press, Axios, Mediaite, Reuters, The Reporters Committee … and Engadget
Janko Roettgers / protocol:
Profile of Tom Conrad, a former Pandora and Snap executive who is now chief product officer at Quibi, as the streaming service gears up for launch — Tom Conrad is in charge of making a video service that gets people hooked. — Talk to Silicon Valley or Hollywood insiders about Quibi …
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Warner Music Group files for an IPO; the company went private in 2011 when Len Blavatnik's Access Industries bought it for $3.3B — Warner Music Group today announced that it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of its common stock.
Discussion:
@apompliano and The Wrap
Greg Dool / Folio:
Meredith Corp., which has sold some parts of its Time Inc. acquisition, reported Q2 net income of $37.8M on revenue of $810.5M; stock up 15% — President and CEO Tom Harty opened Meredith Corp.'s quarterly earnings call Thursday morning by declaring the integration of the now two-year-old …
Discussion:
MediaPost, @foliomag, Associated Press and Meredith Corporation
Justin Ray / Columbia Journalism Review:
Q&A with the editor of American Atheist magazine on the media's disproportionate attention to faith leaders, what it can do to better serve atheists, and more — In 1963, Madalyn Murray O'Hair, a woman from Baltimore, sued her son's school district after learning that it required students to read the Bible.