Top News:
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Memo: Google will begin letting some advertisers run COVID-19 related ads, prioritizing government entities, hospitals, and others working directly on the issue — Democrats had criticized Google for refusing to run attack ads targeting Trump's coronavirus response.
Discussion:
MediaPost, The Hill, Protocol, @esreif and @scottmaustin, more at Techmeme »
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Kerry Flynn / CNN:
As media companies enact drastic cost cutting amid COVID-19, labor unions like NewsGuild-CWA are putting the power of collective bargaining to the test — New York (CNN Business)Since joining at The Arizona Republic in 2008, reporter Rebekah Sanders has seen many rounds of layoffs, buyouts and furloughs at the Gannett-owned newspaper.
Discussion:
WWD, @anastasiakeeley, @ty_olsen and @newsladykatie
Tatiana Siegel / Hollywood Reporter:
Amazon Prime Video teams up with SXSW to offer free streaming of films that were to be screened at the canceled festival, likely in late April for 10 days — The films will stream for free on the streaming platform over 10 days, likely in late April. — South by Southwest 2020 …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, Adweek, /Film, The Hill, @thr, @kimmasters, @texasfilmcomm, The Verge and Lifewire
Alexios Mantzarlis / The Keyword:
Google's GNI to provide $6.5M to fact-checkers and nonprofits like First Draft and PolitiFact and make more local Google Trends data available to journalists — Health authorities have warned that an overabundance of information can make it harder for people to obtain reliable guidance about the coronavirus pandemic.
Discussion:
MediaPost, Business Insider, Adweek, The Hill, Journalism.co.uk, @politifact, @mantzarlis, @victoriaregisk, @kent_walker, @khnews and The Rural Blog
Scott Nover / Adweek:
Sources: 20-30 people have been laid off from CQ Roll Call, mostly from the editorial department; the news outlet was bought by FiscalNote for $180M in 2018 — It's the latest in a series of layoffs afflicting the media industry this month — Key insights:
Discussion:
@ericmgarcia, @jackietothdc, @alexclearfield, @scottnover and @joshtpm
Jon Lafayette / Broadcasting & Cable:
Acorn TV, AMC's streaming service with UK content, to launch in the UK on April 29 with a 30-day free trial, after which it will cost £4.99/month or £49.99/year — Bringing British TV to Britain for £4.99 per month — AMC Networks said it is launching Acorn TV …
Discussion:
Variety and The Streamable
Sara Jerde / Adweek:
WSJ and Barron's are guaranteeing a 70% recall rate, a measure of ad effectiveness, on print ads in the next 2 months, or they'll run the same size ad for free — Program addresses brands' hardship in light of coronavirus — Key insights: — As brands shift ad spends due to the coronavirus …
Discussion:
@ksandler1
Jim Waterson / The Guardian:
Ofcom warns broadcasters of sanctions if they air false COVID-19 health advice after a radio station aired a baseless suggestion that the virus is linked to 5G — Broadcasters warned they face sanctions if they give airtime to false Covid-19 health advice — British broadcasters …
Discussion:
Press Gazette and @karlbode
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Source: Comcast's NBCUniversal and Sky to delay the launch of NBC Sky World News, a news service aimed at global English-speaking audiences, due to the pandemic — NBC Sky World News, the ambitious news service aimed at English-speaking audiences around the world that was expected to launch this summer, is on hold.
Discussion:
TVNewser
Todd Spangler / Variety:
HBO is offering 500+ hours of free programming, including The Sopranos and Succession, starting Friday, for a limited time via HBO Now and HBO Go — HBO is unlocking its biggest trove of free programming ever — in a goodwill gesture as people look for a diversion during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, The Streamable, MediaPost, CNN and The Verge
Eli Stokols / Los Angeles Times:
WHCA board votes to remove One America News from the rotation for WH briefing room seats for violating social distancing rules, citing public safety — President Trump has made contentious exchanges with reporters a feature of his daily coronavirus briefings, often using personal invective …
Discussion:
Vanity Fair, Washington Post, The Wrap, @chrismegerian, Washington Post, Politico, @jonlemire, Politico, Mediaite, Breitbart, @paulareidcbs, @deanobeidallah, @elistokols, @elistokols, @w7voa, @isaacdovere, @farhip, @farhip, @jycefisher, @farhip, @celestekatznyc, @chrismegerian, @evanvucci, @weijia, @brianstelter, CNN, @oliverdarcy, HuffPost, New York Post and Washington Post
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Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
WaPo, NYT, CNBC, and others have stopped sending reporters to Trump's daily COVID-19 briefings, concerned about health risks and the lack of new information
WaPo, NYT, CNBC, and others have stopped sending reporters to Trump's daily COVID-19 briefings, concerned about health risks and the lack of new information
Discussion:
American Press Institute, Politico, @chrislhayes, @amy_siskind, @jayrosen_nyu, @maggienyt, @zekejmiller, @aberman333 and @markberman
New York Times:
How Modi has become more blatant in efforts to control Indian media amid the pandemic, after years of pressure on advertisers, licensing restrictions, more — India's government has pressured advertisers and even shut down channels to shape the information that 1.3 billion Indians receive.
Discussion:
@ameyavsirur, @28_harshasingh, @mepgg, @atharparvaiz, @notsayrah, @sandeepmertia, @oneillyatescbc and @aabkeshti