Top News:
The Wrap:
THR editor Matt Belloni to resign; source: Belloni opposed Valence Media co-CEOs' direction not to publish stories that would negatively impact their interests — Hollywood Reporter Editorial Director Matt Belloni announced Monday he is abruptly stepping down after 14 years at the publication …
Adam Epstein / Quartz:
To succeed, Quibi should lean into the unscripted content that works well on the platform, and not mimic prestige television — The Third Age of TV — First came broadcast, then cable, now streaming. — The original pitch for Quibi, a new video app launching today (April 6) …
Discussion:
Mediaite, Business Insider, @aepstein, @joshconstine, @devindra, The Verge, IndieWire, @davidpoland, @scottfeinberg, @steven_aquino, @devindra and @pierce
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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:
@dylanmatt, TechCrunch, @jbflint, AgencySpy, @dorseyshaw, @chrismichel, @larardavid, @ryankadro, Fast Company, @markharrisnyc, @fangsbites, @joshsternberg, Adweek, The Verge and @davidehrlich, more at Techmeme »
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 — A mobile-only video app was always going to be a hard sell — After months of publicity, Quibi — the mobile phone app that's centered …
Discussion:
Engadget, CNN, The Streamable, VentureBeat, Bloomberg, @chriswelch, @joshconstine, @devindra, @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, New York Times, The Hill, Washington Post, @atrupar, Fox News, Mediaite, @maggienyt, Law & Crime, Boing Boing, @philiprucker, @yamiche, @soledadobrien, @jayrosen_nyu, @mkraju, @atrupar, @peterbakernyt, @afreedma, @hshaban, @philiprucker, @brianstelter, @maggienyt, @ddale8 and INSIDER
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The New York Times Company:
The New York Times Company partners with Verizon to offer all students and teachers in US high schools free access to nytimes.com from April 6 to July 6 — The New York Times Company and Verizon today joined forces to offer all students and teachers in high schools within the U.S. free digital access to NYTimes.com.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Multichannel News, New York Times, @jbenton and @alanblinder
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Lesley Goldberg / Hollywood Reporter:
NBC, ABC, and CBS to team up for a fundraiser curated by Lady Gaga on April 18, with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Stephen Colbert hosting the broadcast — Lady Gaga will curate the fundraiser, which will be hosted by Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert.
Discussion:
@brianstelter and The A.V. Club
Ken Meyer / Mediaite:
In a tweet, Trump says ad revenue is down at NYT and Wapo and wonders if it is because they are “fake news” or “the Virus is just plain beating them up” — President Donald Trump took shots at The New York Times and the Washington Post on Twitter Monday …
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.
Discussion:
MediaPost, @sherman4949 and @sherman4949
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, @journomiket, Reuters, CityAM, @simonnread, @thattimwalker, @michael_o_regan, @aidanpwhite and @liamthorpecho
Roy J. Harris Jr / Poynter:
A look at the reporting projects that could win the 2020 Pulitzers, currently set for April 20, based on this season's other award winners so far — As journalists look forward to the Pulitzer Prize announcements — still set for April 20, at least for now — will even the most dramatic winners feel a bit stale?
Discussion:
@poynter
Zaineb Mohammed / Borealis Philanthropy:
The Racial Equity in Journalism Fund at Borealis Philanthropy awards $2.3M in grants to 16 news organizations led by and serving US communities of color — The Racial Equity in Journalism (REJ) Fund at Borealis Philanthropy has awarded $2.3 million in grants to 16 news organizations serving communities of color across the country.
Discussion:
@sahanjournal