Top News:
Dan Froomkin / Press Watch:
Top media outlets normalized Trump's often incoherent press briefing Wednesday on the coronavirus, downplaying his campaign-style insults and slinging of blame — Here is some of what Donald Trump had to say Wednesday evening at a briefing intended to inform and reassure the American public about a public-health emergency:
Discussion:
@brhodes, The Daily Beast, VICE, New York Times, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, @senschumer, @vermontgmg, @froomkin, @froomkin, @froomkin, @b52malmet, @brianbeutler, The Hill, Breitbart and The Hill
Barbara Allen / Poynter:
Layoffs are under way at newspapers owned by Gannett; one employee has tracked at least 24 newsroom staffers affected, with 40 pressroom positions cut — Layoffs continued Thursday at Gannett newspapers, which recently merged with GateHouse to form the nation's largest newspaper chain.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, @pbnewsguild, @apantazi, @jbenton, @ryan_dipentima, @marilynlynch, @buxmontnews, @azrepublicguild, @5reasonssports, @jenn_bowman, @charlesornstein, @gregorykorte, @wwbrown19, @pattmlatimes, @mizzousundevil, @yelvington, @sgfnewsguild, @travdorman, @oneheraldguild, @paul_bowers, @jbenton, @katiekull1, @mcallguild, @jbenton, @os_guild, @peterlattman, MarketWatch and Editor & Publisher Magazine
Elizabeth King / Columbia Journalism Review:
As publications shutter, freelance journalists and writers have begun seeking organized-labor protections, of which rate-sharing is a cornerstone — For many workers, openness about pay has helped to make conditions more equitable. Still, they fear retribution.
Discussion:
@overdramatique, @mfriedrichnyc and @studyhallxyz
RELATED:
Katie Kilkenny / Hollywood Reporter:
Proposed amendment to CA's AB5 for freelancer writers, editors, and photographers removes 35-article cap and requires that contracts state pay rates and more — Amendments to AB 1850 end the controversial 35-submission cap for freelance journalists and requires that companies allow independent contractors to work for other businesses.
Discussion:
@lorenasgonzalez and leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
The Guardian:
In HK, anti-Beijing publisher Jimmy Lai charged with illegal assembly for attending a protest and intimidation for swearing at a reporter for pro-Beijing paper — Lai, who was arrested with two other activists and later released on bail, has been a major financial patron of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement
Discussion:
New York Times, Committee to Protect …, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, South China Morning Post, BBC, @yuenok, @time, @declanganley and Associated Press
New York Post:
Carson Griffith, tapped in January 2019 to revive Gawker, sues the Daily Beast over a story she claims portrayed her as racist and homophobic — A former Gawker editor has sued the Daily Beast over an explosive exposé last year that portrayed her as racist and homophobic …
Ryan Lizza / Politico:
Hillary Clinton to launch a podcast in late spring, co-produced by iHeartRadio and iHeartMedia, featuring her in conversation with a guest — Hillary Clinton is starting a podcast. — The former first lady, secretary of State, and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee is planning to launch …
Discussion:
Newser, Engadget, The Week, CNN, Deadline, @ryanlizza, Mediaite, New York Post and The Hill
Reporters Without Borders:
Canadian police arrested an American documentary filmmaker wearing a press pass while she was filming indigenous protests; she must appear in court in April — Following the February 24 arrest of documentary filmmaker Melissa Cox, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police …
Discussion:
Committee to Protect …
Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge:
LinkedIn is testing Snapchat-style stories, with plans for wider public tests in the coming months — Nothing says ‘fun’ like corporate stories — LinkedIn is a website that's effectively a mixture between an interactive resume and a college job fair, but that hasn't stopped it from aspiring …
Discussion:
Forbes, Social Media Today and Input
iQIYI, Inc.:
iQIYI reports Q4 revenues reached $1.1B, a 7% increase YoY, as membership grew 21% to 106.9M subscribers — iQIYI, Inc. (Nasdaq: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the “Company"), an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter …
Anthony Ha / TechCrunch:
The Boston Globe partners with Applied XLabs, which aims to help newsrooms automatically gather and process data and generate insights — Applied XLabs is a new startup building tools that can automate data-gathering for journalists — and eventually, for knowledge workers in other industries.
Discussion:
@hilszy, @fpmarconi and The Boston Globe
James Hale / Tubefilter:
YouTube says it is testing a way for creators to sell ads directly to brands “with whom they already have a relationship” — In the perhaps not-too-distant future, YouTube will let creators sell ad space on their own videos. — “We're experimenting with a new way for creators …
Discussion:
@profcarroll, @digiphile, @taylorlorenz and The Verge