Top News:
Nicole Sperling / New York Times:
Jeffery Katzenberg and Meg Whitman's Quibi short-video streaming service launches with $1.8B in funding amid the COVID-19 pandemic — Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman had to cancel a starry Hollywood party for their short-video platform because of the virus. But Quibi is still going live.
Discussion:
AgencySpy, @chrismichel, @larardavid, TechCrunch, @ryankadro, Fast Company, @markharrisnyc, @fangsbites and @davidehrlich, more at Techmeme »
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Adam Epstein / Quartz:
To succeed, Quibi should lean into the unscripted content that works well on the platform, and not mimic prestige television
Discussion:
Engadget, @joshconstine, @devindra, @devindra, @davidpoland, @scottfeinberg, @devindra and @pierce
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Quibi app review: works reliably, auto-flips between landscape and portrait, but no tablet-optimized mode, no family member profiles, and lacks a TV experience
Discussion:
Bloomberg, VentureBeat, @chriswelch, @joshconstine, Washington Post, @imbrettbowman and @brotractor, more at Techmeme »
Washington Post:
Trump stopped US medical expert Anthony Fauci from answering a question about a drug Trump is touting during a daily COVID-19 briefing, an extraordinary moment — President Trump spent a portion of Sunday's press briefing yet again promoting an unproven treatment for the novel coronavirus, repeatedly asking, “What do we have to lose?”
Discussion:
Axios, @atrupar, New York Times, Washington Post, @atrupar, @philiprucker, @yamiche, @mkraju, @philiprucker, @ddale8, @afreedma, The Guardian, @hshaban and INSIDER
Mark Sweney / The Guardian:
UK publisher Reach, which operates the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star, says it will furlough almost 1,000 employees and enact pay cuts — Reach, which also owns Daily Express and Daily Star, makes decision because of Covid-19 — The publisher of the Daily Mirror …
Discussion:
Press Gazette, Reuters, @simonnread, @liamthorpecho and CityAM
Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:
The daily TV appearances of Chris Cuomo with Gov. Cuomo have become compelling viewing but critics question the journalistic propriety of the familial episodes — A month ago, it would have seemed unlikely — ridiculous, even — that the most riveting duo in America would be the Empire …
Washington Post:
Health risks and privacy issues prevent journalists from reporting inside hospitals, leading to conspiracy theories as some cast doubts about lack of visuals — The coronavirus pandemic has been likened to a war. But journalists are largely absent from the harrowing, heartbreaking front line of this crisis: hospitals.
Discussion:
Poynter, CNN, @ooikokhin, @ap_corpcomm, @cassvinograd, @cnn, @pwgphoto, @sdulai, @yunghi, @ruthservensmith, @rweingarten, @kellymcb, @kerrymflynn, @liaeustach, @ianshapira, @undarkmag, @jadeswilson, @farhip, @davidheinzmann, @sarahellison and @sulliview
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
NYT is growing its in-house book development program to expand on its reporters' journalism and extend its brand, with another 10 books planned for this year — “Reporters leave a ton in their notebooks. The book form really gives us a chance to expand the journalism."
Discussion:
@niemanlab and @niemanlab
KQED:
A San Francisco Examiner reporter reflects on the impact of the paper's 40% cut in hours and pay for all staff, even as its news site gets more views — On Tuesday, all staffers at the San Francisco Examiner and SF Weekly were notified that they'll be taking a 40 percent cut in hours and salary …
Discussion:
@kqednews, @sfexaminer, @slpng_giants, @niemanlab, @idamoj, @alanmontecillo, @kqednews, @notoriousecg, @editorpublisher and The San Francisco Examiner
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Streaming services should thrive during the pandemic but severe job losses will tighten wallets and social media platforms offer compelling free alternatives — - Quarantines have boosted streaming video usage but spiking job losses may not bode well for subscription video services.
Anthony Ha / TechCrunch:
Apptopia and Braze study: with 59M global installs, Netflix led rivals YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ in Q1, but more time was spent on YouTube Kids — Netflix may still dominate global streaming, but Disney+ has made a huge splash in the United States, where it launched in November.
Discussion:
MediaPost and @masasoncap
Tiffany Hsu / New York Times:
IAB: digital ad spending for March and April is down 38% from what was expected, TV ad spending is down 41%, 45% on radio, 43% for print, and 51% on billboards — Blank billboards and canceled online ads signal an industry in crisis as the coronavirus spreads.
Discussion:
@nytimesbusiness, @nytimesbusiness, @nytmedia, @mccann_mw and @tiffkhsu
Rebecca Rubin / Variety:
Some independent movie theaters are launching “virtual cinemas” to let patrons stream first-tier films from home as a temporary revenue source amid the pandemic — Greg Laemmle never thought he'd recommend anyone to stream a movie at home. The best way to watch a film …
Discussion:
@variety, more at Techmeme »
Julie Reynolds / DFM Workers:
Sources: Alden Global Capital's MNG has quietly laid off or furloughed staff across its local newspapers this past week, including 13 layoffs at the Denver Post — At the Denver Post, the newsroom staff has shrunk by 70 percent in just a few years. But on Friday, when those remaining believed …
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