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Layoffs hit the Tampa Bay Times, including longtime environmental reporter Craig Pittman; source says 11 employees were laid off — Tuesday saw the Tampa Bay Times newsroom gutted of essential staff in a series of layoffs that rocked the Tampa Bay media landscape. Wednesday followed with another gut punch.
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The Riverfront Times, an alt-weekly founded in 1977 in St. Louis, lays off most of its editorial staff and suspends publication of its weekly print edition — ST. LOUIS — The Riverfront Times laid off most of its editorial staff on Wednesday and was suspending publication of its weekly print edition, its editor said.
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News + Opinion …, @goldsbie, @d_towski, @d_towski and News Blog, Riverfront Times


The Sacramento News & Review will suspend publication of its print edition next week and lay off nearly all of its staff, but will continue to post online — Over the last 30 years, we have financed SN&R with advertising, mainly from local businesses promoting social gatherings at concerts …


The alt-weekly Creative Loafing of Tampa Bay, owned by Euclid Media Group, lays off seven staff members in response to ad cutbacks due to COVID-19
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@koltenparker, @forrest4trees, @maryrduan, @nakedfoul, @monivettec, @peterschorschfl, @rlynch_obj and Florida Politics

Detroit Metro Times lays off eight as most advertisers cease operation with quarantine measures going into effect; remaining staffers are taking pay cuts
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Plain Dealer, @jeffjarvis, @lexkuhne, @davidshepardson, @jerilynjordanc, @chadlivengood, @paulegan4, @leedevito, Detroit Metro Times, @ckrewson and Scene and Heard


Fox Corp. says it is making Fox News Channel and its 29 local TV stations available for streaming free, without requiring a cable provider sign-in — While CNN and MSNBC offer full online viewing via sign-in through a cable provider, Fox Corp. properties will be made available free.
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Deadline, Fox News, Mediaite, @whatthebit, Raw Story and Los Angeles Times
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The @FoxNews account begins tweeting again, after stopping in November 2018, promoting COVID-19 news on its website and Fox News Channel — Fox News is making a return to Twitter, more than a year after going silent on the social-media platform. — At 2:18 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2018 …
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The Hill, Radio & Television …, Broadcasting & Cable and Always Be Watching


Google News Initiative teams up with LION Publishers, UNC, others to launch Project Oasis, with the aim of helping local news startups at key stages of growth — So you want to start a digital news organization for your community. Where would you go to look up the ownership structure of your favorite local outlet?
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The Keyword, MediaPost, @lionpubs, @ckrewson, LION Publishers, @deansusanking, @googlenewsinit, @phillipadsmith, Engadget, TechCrunch, @mediatwit and Center for Innovation …


WhatsApp announces two initiatives to combat COVID-19 misinformation: an Information Hub in partnership with WHO and others, and a $1M grant to IFCN — Grappling with the spread of misinformation on the platform, WhatsApp today announced two initiatives to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
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CNN, @facebook, Adweek, The Guardian, Engadget, Washington Post and About Facebook, more at Techmeme »


BBC announces new COVID-19 measures including making local radio stations hubs for helping the elderly, more educational content, pausing cuts to CBBC, more — The BBC has set out new changes to its output during the coronavirus pandemic, which include turning the One Show into a consumer programme for “all aspects of the crisis”.
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LA Times publishes a video series on COVID-19, hosted by owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, without noting his role as CEO and owner of a company working on treatment — It's not unusual for newspaper owners to have, well, other interests. In the old days of family ownership …
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@sammy_roth, Los Angeles Times, @jbenton, @jbenton, @pkafka, @jbenton and YouTube


TikTok announces the first members of its US content moderation committee, including experts in child safety, hate speech, and misinformation — TikTok on Wednesday unveiled a group of outside advisers with expertise in child safety, hate speech, misinformation and other areas that will help guide its content moderation policies.
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Newsroom | TikTok, Engadget, @cuteater and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »


Sling introduces Stay in & Sling!, a free service with access to streaming news channel ABC News Live alongside movies and shows for kids and families — Sling TV is looking to win some goodwill and attract new prospects for its paid streaming services by introducing a free …
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Broadcasting & Cable

Sources: Gray Television withdrew its $8.5B offer to acquire Tegna because of concerns about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on US regional TV station operators — (Reuters) - Gray Television Inc (GTN.N) has withdrawn its offer to acquire larger peer Tegna Inc (TGNA.N) …
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The Streamable


Facebook says it has fixed a bug in its anti-spam system that marked some legitimate COVID-19 news articles and information as spam on Tuesday — The company is fixing the posts and bringing them back — Facebook started marking some posts linking to information and articles about the coronavirus …
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