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In an interview, Heath Freeman of Alden Global Capital says he wants to safeguard the news business, while other industry leaders warn against believing him — Ask Heath Freeman why he got into the newspaper business and the explanation is specific and bloodless.
Discussion:
@sarahellison, @ckrewson, @tommytomlinson, @sammy_roth, @oconnellpostbiz, @extrabaggs, @nickgroke, @lucasgrindley, @harrysiegel, @lelindstrom, @zengerle, @oconnellpostbiz, @ehernandez, @alex_burness, @juliaangwin, @mike_littwin, @sarahellison, @sarahellison, @sarahellison, @sarahellison, @sarahellison, @mathewi and @jbenton


Snapchat redesigns its app with a new action bar and a new Happening Now banner based on a curation of news stories — Snap is unveiling some important changes for Snapchat at its Snap Partner Summit. The navigation has been rethought with a new action bar at the bottom that lets you access Snap Map and Snap Originals in just a tap.
Discussion:
Axios, Variety, VentureBeat, The Verge and @internetryan, more at Techmeme »


Condé Nast head of video, Matt Duckor, resigns after accusations of bias for his role in deciding who appeared in Bon Appétit videos and racist tweets surface — Matt Duckor, who led the publisher's programming efforts, resigned after accusations of bias.
Discussion:
@4evrmalone, @alysewhitney, @nicoleblades, @mattwelch and Page Six
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Bon Appétit releases a statement conceding its racially insensitive past, vowing extensive changes like prioritizing people of color for its EIC candidate pool
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Business Insider, Bon Appétit, @careyjones, The Independent, @sunili, @andreagonram, @niemanlab, @piescarcega, @maria_m_town, @jayrosen_nyu, @_tiennguyen, @jeffjarvis, @juststimming, @meghankathleen, @adrienneshih, @emmaspecter, @megpascoe, @queenozymandias, @jeffjarvis, @afrosypaella, @nishachittal, @stevekrak, @ckummer, @kimseverson, @maxfalkowitz, @lianaagh, @pete_wells, @jeffjarvis, Forbes, Washington Post and The Wrap


Some big-name advertisers join the Association of National Advertisers in asking for TV upfronts to move to fall to negotiate for the following calendar year — Procter & Gamble, Bank of America and others want to move upfront negotiations for ads in the multibillion TV market to the fall from the spring.
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MediaPost


A&E cancels reality series Live P.D., which had been renewed for 160 episodes a month ago, following nationwide protests and calls for police reform — EXCLUSIVE: A&E has canceled its flagship series and one of the highest-rated shows on basic cable. A week after Live P.D. was pulled …
Discussion:
Variety, @danabrams, @alexweprin, Law & Crime, TVNewser, The Wrap, Mediaite, The Guardian, @usatoday, @dfriend, @jbflint, @sean_c_larkin, @brianstelter, @kimmasters, @mastriannichris, The Week, Associated Press, Rolling Stone, Breitbart, The A.V. Club, The Wrap and NPR


Disney and other companies have suspended advertising on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show in recent weeks, as Carlson ramped up criticism of protests — Tucker Carlson may have one of the most watched shows on cable news, but the Fox News Channel host is losing advertisers - again.


ViacomCBS says it has no plans to drop Pluto channel the First despite staff petition calling to do so because the First airs Bill O'Reilly's show — ViacomCBS employees are asking the media company to drop a streaming channel carrying a new show by former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly …
Discussion:
The Streamable and The Information


Trump's campaign sends a letter demanding CNN retract a poll showing Biden leading; CNN lawyer says the campaign is threatening litigation to muzzle speech — President Trump's reelection campaign has sent a cease and desist letter to CNN president Jeff Zucker demanding that the network retract …
Discussion:
CNN, Washington Post, @cnnpr, @repbonnie, @chrisgeidner, @ddale8, @daveweigel, @adamserwer, @mollyjongfast, @jeffersonobama, @jonathanturley, @oliverdarcy, @cnnpr, IndieWire, New York Times, Newser and Mashable


Apple pulls podcast apps Pocket Casts and Castro from the App Store in China after the government determined they can be used to access “illegal” content — Pocket Casts and Castro are gone from China's App Store — Apple has removed Pocket Casts, the popular iOS and Android podcast client, from the App Store in China.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Engadget and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »


YouTube launches a $100M fund to “amplify” black creators by supporting talent and funding YouTube Originals including Bear Witness, Take Action airing Saturday — A YouTube special funded by this initiative is set to air on Saturday — YouTube is launching a $100 million fund to …


Per current terms only reporters who quarantine at Disney's ESPN complex with NBA teams will be able to interact with players; the NBA won't cover housing costs — According to an NBA beat writers association memo obtained by The Daily Beast, reporters who want to cover the resumed season …
Discussion:
NPR, @marisa_ingemi and New York Post


In email to staff, News UK CEO warns of impending layoffs due to a decline in print sales and ad revenue as a result of the pandemic — News UK, publisher of the Sun and Times newspapers, has warned of job cuts as it speeds up its transition to a “digital future” as a result of the impact of the coronavirus on its business.
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Reuters
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The Weather Company, which runs weather.com and Weather Underground, is laying off writers, editors, and video journalists, and shuttering the Category 6 blog — The Weather Company, which operates the popular websites Weather.com and Weather Underground, and offers forecast …
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@islivingston, @mattlanza, @splillo, @michaelrlowry, @wxbriand, @eunapark, @afreedma, @climateguyw, @bnorcross, @ryandavidsonwx, @bryanwx and @capitalweather


OpenAI launches its first commercially available product, an API that can perform a broad set of language tasks, like translation or writing a news story — Over the past few months, OpenAI has vacuumed an incredible amount of data into its artificial intelligence language systems.
Discussion:
OpenAI, The Verge and @valleyhack, more at Techmeme »


HBO Max temporarily pulls Gone With the Wind, the American classic considered controversial for its depiction of Black people and its positive view of slavery — The 1939 film has long been considered controversial for its depiction of Black people and its positive view of slavery.
Discussion:
Vulture, /Film, Washington Post, The Streamable, Los Angeles Times, CNET, Poynter, @jedediahbila, @usatoday, @jimmforce, @peterawolf, @tomkludt, @deggans, @kararbrown, @tymberleehill, @nycsouthpaw, @tommyxtopher, @jackmirkinson, Wall Street Journal, @chsommers, @tomkludt, @wajahatali, @palafo, @gay_alcorn, @gitagovinda, @latimes, @james7holland, @rgodfrey, The Hill, Fast Company and The Guardian
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ViacomCBS' Paramount Network pulls the plug on the long-running TV show Cops after protests over the death of George Floyd; old episodes still air on Pluto TV
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Deadline, New York Post, @megynkelly, Fox News, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Fast Company, Variety, @soledadobrien, @cjane87, Reason, Washington Post, @davebiscobing15, @rashadrobinson, Always Be Watching, @oliverjia1014, @travon, @arianadebose, @scottfeinberg, @seanoconnz, New York Times, @blowryontv, /Film, @katiepavlich, @mike_petriello, Business Insider, The Stranger, Message from the Underworld, @scalzi, Boing Boing, @sarahcpr, globalnews.ca, Finanz.dk, Los Angeles Magazine, Vanity Fair, @marklittlenews, New York Times, Ad Age and The Independent


Recording Academy tweaks rules to remove “urban” from some Grammy Awards categories but adds it to another, promises to make necessary adjustments in the future — The Recording Academy announced a series of updates for its 2021 awards, including eligibility rules for best …
Discussion:
@sisario, Variety, Rolling Stone, The Independent, Music Business Worldwide, Variety, Deadline and Rolling Stone