Mediagazer: Thrillist partners with Academic Travel Abroad to curate educational trips, using travel to diversify revenue, like The Culture Trip and Lonely Planet (Esther Kezia Thorpe/What's New in Publishing)

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.

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” …

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: American Press Institute, @marcacaputo, @eliothiggins, @walldo, @dpfunke and Boing Boing

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: Adweek, @tailosivetech and Digiday, more at Techmeme »

Esther Kezia Thorpe / What's New in Publishing:

Thrillist partners with Academic Travel Abroad to curate educational trips, using travel to diversify revenue, like The Culture Trip and Lonely Planet — Food, travel and entertainment digital media site Thrillist is the latest publisher to move into travel packages as a way of diversifying revenue.

Discussion: Forbes, Group Nine Media and MediaPost

Sara Fischer / Axios:

Since it began, Netflix has taken down nine pieces of content after govt requests: five in Singapore, and one in New Zealand, Vietnam, Germany and Saudi Arabia — Netflix has taken down just 9 pieces of content around the world in response to written government requests since it was founded 23 years ago …

Discussion: Variety, Fast Company, Engadget, The Next Web, @eightiethmnt and @eightiethmnt, more at Techmeme »

Ad Age:

New York Times Magazine leads Ellies with 10 nominations, a record for the title; NY Magazine gets nine, Nat Geo eight, Bon Appetit and the New Yorker six each — The Times Magazine, New York Mag and Nat Geo shine in the finalist phase of the Ellies — A magazine published by a newspaper …

Discussion: MediaPost, Hollywood Reporter and Talking Biz News

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 …

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: @ashkan, @tvgrimreaper and @jeremymbarr

NPR:

Public radio stations in CA partner with NPR to form a regional newsroom to increase coverage of statewide issues and reporting about and from underserved areas — Joanne Griffith introduced as the first managing editor of the collaboration, which aims to help to boost coverage throughout the state …

Discussion: New York Times, @globaljourno and @lizzieohreally

Carolyn Said / San Francisco Chronicle:

The author of California's AB5 law says she'll seek amendments to remove restrictions on freelance journalists, cutting out the 35 article submission cap — The author of AB5, California's new gig-work law, said Thursday that she'll seek amendments that remove some restrictions …

Discussion: Associated Press, @air_force_juan, @j_chien, @lorenasgonzalez, @lorenasgonzalez and Los Angeles Times

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.