Top News:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Spotify reports Q2 revenue of €1.89B, up 13% YoY, with MAUs up 29% YoY to 299M, premium users up 27% to 138M, and ad-supported MAUs up 31% to 170M — In addition, ad revenue fell 21% — which Spotify blamed on the coronavirus pandemic — but the drop wasn't quite as bad as forecast.
Discussion:
Spotify, Music Business Worldwide, Variety, @ncsh, Ad Age, The Wrap, @markdistef, Engadget, AdExchanger, VentureBeat, The Wrap, @thr, 9to5Mac, @kerrymflynn, @lucas_shaw, Spotify and Fast Company, more at Techmeme »
Olga Kharif / Bloomberg:
At least three streamers banned or suspended from Twitch and Facebook following accusations of sexual harassment have moved to YouTube — When a handful of streamers were recently banned or suspended by the live-streaming platforms Twitch and Facebook following accusations of sexual harassment, their careers didn't end.
Discussion:
@lucas_shaw
Marc Santora / New York Times:
Turkey passes law extending sweeping powers over social media platforms, ordering those with 1M+ DAU to open offices in the country and store user data locally — The legislation extends control over social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Discussion:
@m_clem, @senmarkey, @satariano, @rudawenglish, @chrchristensen and @mustafa__gurbuz, more at Techmeme »
Matt Gertz / Media Matters for America:
After Trump praised doctor promoting COVID-19 “cures”, right-wing media rushed to defend her from the reporters and social platforms allegedly silencing her — Here's how the right-wing media's obsession with conspiracy theories and the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine resulted in “demon sperm” trending on Twitter.
Discussion:
The Guardian, @repsarbanes, The Daily Beast, Mediaite, @noahbookbinder, @melissaryan, @brandyzadrozny, @oneunderscore__, @matthewgmull, @oliverdarcy and @moonalice
What's New in Publishing:
Digital Spy, UK's biggest TV and movies website, launches its first digital magazine, available exclusively on Apple News+ in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia — The #1 entertainment website in the UK unveils interactive magazine custom-designed for Apple News+
Discussion:
Digital Spy
MediaPost:
Condé Nast's healthcare advertising unit introduces Obsidian, a cookie-less audience tracking tool available through CitizenNet, its marketing service — Conde Nast's unit for healthcare advertising last week touted its new technology to track its digital audience without using cookies …
Eric Tucker / Associated Press:
Sources: Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites by an information agency called InfoRos to spread disinfo about COVID-19 — WASHINGTON (AP) — Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation …
Discussion:
New York Times, Wired, @mollyjongfast, @joelmgarland, @aelkus, @peterwsinger, @mikercarpenter, @mollymckew, @julianbarnes, @noupside, @dpol_un, @cvo, @apolyakova, @davidashimer, @securedemocracy, @stollmeyereu, Business Insider, @brooklynmarie, @file411, @michaeldweiss, Washington Free Beacon, @megkinnardap, @joncoopertweets and Raw Story
Tiffany Hsu / New York Times:
Research firm Forrester: US ad spending will decline by 25% this year and won't recover until 2023, and in 2020 and 2021, ad agencies will shed 52,000 jobs — The marketing business is going through a period of innovation as it sheds workers and tries to hold on to clients.
Discussion:
@davidsable, @myles_younger, @rickbruner and @stufalk
Nieman Lab:
Profile of South Africa's Oxpeckers, which is using interactive data tools like animated maps to cover stories on illegal wildlife trafficking in the region — In some places, it was the gray dust visible in the water buckets that showed something was wrong, polluted by run-off water from the mines.
Discussion:
@chrisroper and @oxciej
David Leonhardt / New York Times:
America is enduring a far worse COVID-19 outbreak than other rich countries due in part to the size and strength of right-wing media that broadcasts falsehoods — And what else you need to know today. — Want to get The Morning by email? Here's the sign-up. — Good morning.
Discussion:
@douglaslukasik, @ctironman, @salstrange, @blackamazon, @janemayernyer, @unmc_drkhan, @dleonhardt and The Atlantic
Mark Jacob / Local News Initiative:
As 80+ digital local news startups launched in the US since 2018, an equal number have closed; experts share how some, like Daily Memphian, are finding success — As many legacy news outlets struggle to survive, industry analysts are looking to digital start-ups as a promising way to revive coverage of local news.
Discussion:
@timafranklin, @timafranklin, @slulay2, @danielpetty, @businessofnews, @mjenkins, @inn and @ckrewson
Alex Ritman / Hollywood Reporter:
British Film Institute unveils details of a £30M recovery fund for struggling independent cinemas across the UK — The financial lifeline for COVID-19 hit indie exhibitors is part of the U.K. government's $2 billion arts and culture recovery fund. — The British Film Institute …