Top News:


AT&T's WarnerMedia, which includes HBO, CNN, and Warner Bros., scales back its participation in SXSW, saying it decided “not to move forward with activations” — UPDATED: AT&T's WarnerMedia scaling back its participation in SXSW 2020 in Austin, Texas, joining a growing list …
Discussion:
@cnnpr, Washington Post, ABC News, Dallas Morning News, @nineinchnails, CNET, @ceonyc, @jacknicas, Engadget, /Film, Stereogum, NME and KXAN-TV
RELATED:

Source: Netflix cancels five film screenings and a panel planned for SXSW, joining others who have canceled screenings, including Apple and Amazon Studios
Discussion:
NPR, /Film, The Playlist, NME, Hollywood Reporter, @drericding, @jasonosia, @joeleydon, @martyswant, @wajahatali, @kelseymsutton, @xpangler, The Week, @kerrymflynn, Wired, @thr, @kerrymflynn, Multichannel News, CNN, Deadline, Variety, IndieWire, The Wrap, Variety and San Antonio Current


Twitter expands its rules around hateful conduct to include language that dehumanizes people on the basis of their age, disability, or disease — Last year, Twitter expanded its rules around hate speech to include dehumanizing speech against religious groups.
Discussion:
Twitter, Adweek, Engadget, @terrortola, @_cingraham, The Verge, @whatthebit, @bubola, Boing Boing and Mashable, more at Techmeme »

Negotiations break down as YouTube TV drops the YES Network along with some, but not all, Sinclair RSNs — YES Network said it is no longer on YouTube TV, which might signal a breakdown in talks between Sinclair Broadcast Group, which acquired a group of regional sports networks …
RELATED:


YouTube TV and Sinclair sign a deal for 19 RSNs, but the streamer won't carry the YES Network, Fox Sports Prime Ticket, and Fox Sports West, which airs LA games — YouTube TV and Sinclair Broadcast Group reached a deal covering most of the Fox regional sports networks …
Discussion:
sbgi.net, @xpangler, @randball, Tubefilter, Engadget and Awful Announcing


Dozens of Hachette Book Group staffers stage a walkout over an imprint's plans to publish Woody Allen's memoir, in solidarity with Ronan and Dylan Farrow — Just over a month before an imprint of Hachette Book Group is set to publish Woody Allen's memoir, dozens of employees of the company have staged a walkout in New York City today.
Discussion:
Page Six, @publisherswkly, Hollywood Reporter, The Guardian, @kieleraymond, @kbeccaandrews, NPR, Vox, @maddiecalls, @ceciliatan, Publishers Weekly, @levine_alison, @mcsnugz, IndieWire, @pronounced_ing, Vanity Fair, @ponderosa121, @levine_alison, @dongwon, @rereadsclosely, EW.com, @clarajeffery, Jezebel, Slate and New York Times


UK's Independent is profitable for a third consecutive year with profit of £2.3M on revenue of £27M, up 9% YoY; it ended its print edition four years ago — Digital-only strategy pays off for first major UK newspaper publisher to close printing presses
Discussion:
Press Gazette, @tiagodf, @paulwrblanchard, @jeffjarvis, @jbenton, @jamesrbuk, @markdistef, @rasmus_kleis and @stevejonespa


New UK culture secretary says that it would “be crazy to throw [the BBC] away” but that it missed key recent political trends, likely referring to Brexit — Oliver Dowden says BBC should be cherished but must also do more to represent whole of UK
Discussion:
Press Gazette, @tom___scott, @mandoline_blue and @jimwaterson


Interview with Jeremy Erlich, Spotify's new co-head of music strategy, about its 3,000 curated playlists, Spotify's role in playlisting and editorial, and more — Whether it's New Music Friday or Ultimate Indie, a Spotify playlist selection can quite literally change an artist's career overnight and reel in significant revenue.


Five Eyes nations release guidelines for platforms to fight child porn; US senators introduce a bill to remove Section 230 for failure to police such content — Legislation announced on Thursday aimed at curbing the spread of online child sexual abuse imagery would take the extraordinary step …


Portable.TV, a news streaming app available in the App Store, masks its ties to RT, whose content it runs exclusively and with which it shares a parent company — The app bills itself as a “one-of-a-kind free streaming service & TV library of news programs.” But every single show is from Kremlin-backed TV channel.
Discussion:
@noahshachtman, @walker_ct and Raw Story


James Murdoch's Lupa Systems and Betaworks to fund an accelerator for start-ups to tackle disinfo; they plan to invest $100K in 10-20 projects in the first year — The former Fox CEO commits millions to battle against disinformation — James Murdoch, the younger son of Rupert Murdoch …
Discussion:
Render-from-betaworks, @lisatozzi, @k8em0, @brooklynmarie, @christinemc6, @melissameehanau, @rossdawson, @markdistef, Variety, @moorehn, @yashar, @pistachio, @tiagodf and @matthartman


Pop TV cancels three original TV shows that were produced by outside studios as ViacomCBS prioritizes IP owned by the company — Pop TV is paring down its scripted programming commitments as dust continues to settle from the Viacom-CBS merger. Variety has learned exclusively that three original series …
Discussion:
TV Insider, @brianstelter, The Wrap and Variety