Top News:
Asha Barbaschow / ZDNet:
Australia's consumer watchdog says Google is disseminating misinformation as it fights new bargaining rules for Google and news media; Google denies the claim — Watchdog calls out Google as touting misinformation while the search giant says the new Media Bargaining Code as drafted is unworkable.
Discussion:
Digiday, Associated Press, Australian Competition …, @pilhofer, The Guardian, @jeffjarvis, @markusodevall, @pilhofer, @larakiara and The Guardian
Peter Weber / The Week:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticizes NBC News for its “totally false and divisive” tweet saying she did not endorse Joe Biden in her DNC speech — The Democratic National Convention formally nominated Joe Biden as its presidential candidate on Tuesday night …
Discussion:
Washington Post, CNN, @nbcnews, TVNewser, @aoc, @aoc, Deadline, @aoc, @wesleylowery, @edwardthardy, @rwaldin, @waltb31, @joshsternberg, @sulliview, @yashar, @kanew, @alxthomp, @joshsternberg, @meghanmccain, @yashar, @waltshaub, @mplacko, @mattrogerstho, The Guardian and The Independent
Sharon Waxman / The Wrap:
Sources: directors Neil Marshall and Joshua Newton demanded money and threatened to expose NBCU executive Ron Meyer for his affair with Charlotte Kirk — Two movie directors, both of whom have dated actress Charlotte Kirk, attempted to extort veteran Hollywood executive Ron Meyer …
Discussion:
Variety and Hollywood Reporter
RELATED:
Brent Lang / Variety:
NBCU vice chairman Ron Meyer steps down after disclosing that he was being extorted over his affair with a woman who threatened to also “falsely implicate” NBCU
NBCU vice chairman Ron Meyer steps down after disclosing that he was being extorted over his affair with a woman who threatened to also “falsely implicate” NBCU
Committee to Protect Journalists:
Ankhi Das, a top Facebook exec in India, filed a criminal complaint against journalist Awesh Tiwari for sharing a WSJ article critical of Das on Facebook — New Delhi, August 19, 2020 - Facebook regional director Ankhi Das should withdraw her criminal complaint against journalist Awesh Tiwari …
Discussion:
@aaschapiro, Newslaundry, @sarahfrier, @rmac18, @digiphile, @jason_kint, @caseynewton, @rmac18, Techdirt, The Verge, @dseetharaman, @pressfreedom, @matthewstoller, @satariano, @aaschapiro, @rmac18, @w7voa, @rmac18, TechCrunch, @ceciliakang, @aaschapiro, MediaNama, Light Reading, Wall Street Journal and The Indian Express, more at Techmeme »
The New York Times Company:
NYT announces Headway Initiative, a team producing deeply researched, data-rich stories on economic, social, health, infrastructural, and environmental issues — We are excited to announce a new journalism initiative at The New York Times: Headway. — The New York Times is creating a team …
Discussion:
@alexanderrusso, @nytimespr and Talking Biz News
Steven Perlberg / Digiday:
Profile of Meredith Kopit Levien, who will become NYT's youngest CEO following a meteoric rise at the paper after being hired away from Forbes in 2013 — On a Sunday evening about a decade ago, David Bradley took the 10 p.m. Acela train from Washington to New York, finding himself sitting across …
Discussion:
@dcnorg and @thesamparr
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Interview with Tucker Carlson, who says he has the backing of Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch despite the “constant assault” to take his show off the air — Record ratings usually means record revenue for ad-supported TV shows. — But “Tucker Carlson Tonight” …
Discussion:
TVNewser, @johnnydollar01 and @erikwemple
Stefanie Dazio / Associated Press:
IBM-owned Weather Channel app agrees to change how it informs users about location-tracking practices and sale of personal data as part of a settlement with LA — LOS ANGELES (AP) — The operator of The Weather Channel mobile app has agreed to change how it informs users …
Discussion:
LA City Attorney, The Verge, MediaPost and LA City Attorney Press …
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
NPR says 57M people consume NPR content each week, up 10% YoY, with unique weekly visitors to NPR.org up 94% and live stream listeners up 39% YoY — Since the pandemic took hold in the United States, NPR's radio ratings have taken a nosedive. Half of AM/FM listening in the United States takes place …
Discussion:
@niemanlab, @aguilararturo, @benswasey, @stphnfwlr and @rasmus_kleis
Blake Schmidt / Bloomberg:
Sources detail how China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong controls newspapers and book publishers to promote the country's agenda and silence dissenting voices — When Hong Kong's richest tycoons declared their support for the city's national security law in June, it wasn't what they said that stood out as much as how they said it.
Discussion:
@rhokilpatrick, @tinssoldier and @selina_cheng
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: regulators are investigating fundraising for GTV Media Group, a new company with ties to exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui and Steve Bannon — Former Trump political adviser and exiled Chinese businessman raised more than $300 million in private offering, Guo says
Discussion:
@wsj, @wendysiegelman and @rebeccaballhaus
Freddy Mayhew / Press Gazette:
Circulation figures for January 2020 show UK publishers Reach, DMGT, and News UK own a combined 90% of the national print newspaper market — Two men control more than two-thirds of the UK's print newspaper market: Lord Rothermere and Rupert Murdoch. — Lord Rothermere's Daily Mail and General Trust …