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AG Barr allegedly told Rupert Murdoch to “muzzle” Andrew Napolitano, a Fox News analyst and Trump critic, last October according to a new book by Brian Stelter — The attorney general, William Barr, told Rupert Murdoch to “muzzle” Andrew Napolitano, a prominent Fox News personality …
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Washington Post, Associated Press, @matthewamiller, @ruthbenghiat, The Week, @mmcfaddentv, @gabrielsnyder, @jpergelrwe, @johnmiehoff22, Fox News, @genarium1, @gabrielsherman, @jonlemire, @robpegoraro, @suhasinih, @glennkirschner2, @hudsonrivercroc, @slpng_giants, @brendannyhan, @mehdirhasan, @rezaaslan, @tribelaw, @tvietor08, @johnharveyphoto, @mehdirhasan, @tedlieu, @jbenton, @johnjharwood, @walshfreedom, @jennagizer81, @timkarr, Slate, The Wrap, Mediaite and Bookshop
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Brian Stelter, whose new book Hoax explores the symbiotic ties between Fox News and Trump, says he was struck by the number of Fox staffers who miss Roger Ailes — If anyone was born to write a juicy book about the democracy-threatening relationship between Fox News and Donald Trump, it had to be Brian Stelter.
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The Guardian, New York Times, CNN, CNN, @jayrosen_nyu, @martinpengelly, @sulliview, @ericboehlert, @bwjones, Mediaite and Poynter


Following the DNC, Republicans are rushing to finalize their convention, promising a more traditional in-person spectacle, leaving some TV networks in the dark — The party is promising a more traditional in-person spectacle with President Trump speaking every night.
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Politico, CNN, CNN, Reason, Real Clear Politics, The Week, New York Post, Variety, @michaelkruse, @politicoalex, @politicoalex, Slate, NPR, Law & Crime, @politico, Business Insider and The Hill
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As the RNC shapes up to be a “major medical and political disinformation event”, networks should be ready to cut away when Trump and his allies start lying — In June—with Roy Cooper, the Democratic governor of North Carolina, refusing, due to the pandemic …
Discussion:
Poynter, New York Times and Real Clear Politics


Study: “news avoiders” who access news media less than once a month tend to see journalism as complicit in the establishment rather than an independent watchdog — I love a good folk theory. — A folk theory is “a belief based on received wisdom, rather than concrete evidence, knowledge, or facts.”
Discussion:
@niemanlab, @niemanlab and @jbenton


A number of counterfeit shows that copy the names of popular podcasts like “Serial” are being distributed via Spotify-owned podcast hosting service Anchor — Over the past year, Spotify has dominated the podcast news space with headlines about big investments in new shows hosted by A-list celebrities.
Discussion:
Abhijit's Sketchnotes, Business Insider, AdExchanger, @blackamazon, @djgeoffe, @ashleyrcarman, @kerrymflynn and @podnews


American Media's David Pecker, who OK'ed hush-money payments to women who had affairs with Trump, is out as CEO; AMI to merge with logistics firm Accelerate 360 — Mr. Pecker is out as chief executive of American Media after two-decade tenure — David Pecker is stepping down as chief executive …
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@benyt, PR Newswire, Dead Tree Edition, MediaPost, Bloomberg, The Wrap, @file411, @strassbooger, @benyt, @benyt, @tylerkingkade, @nick_ramsey, @rickhasen, @isaacdovere, @kazweida, @jbenton, @jbenton, @media_ink, New York Times, The Hill, Variety, Mediaite and Axios


Netflix and others are taking advantage of the global shortage of new TV shows to outbid British channels, raising questions about future TV schedules — Streaming services such as Netflix take advantage of Covid production shutdown — Streaming services such as Netflix are taking advantage …
Discussion:
Digital TV Europe


Over two dozen current and former LAT and Lucky Peach staffers describe food editor Peter Meehan's toxic management style that led to his resignation from LAT — Peter Meehan's transgressive vision helped redefine food media with the groundbreaking Lucky Peach, and later transformed the LA Times's food coverage.
Discussion:
@eater, @karenattiah and @hels


Cancelation of Hasan Minhaj's Patriot Act shows streaming services like Netflix are yet to figure out how to make topical talk shows work — Not all TV formats work on streaming — On Tuesday, comedian Hasan Minhaj announced that after two years and six seasons, Netflix canceled Patriot Act.
Discussion:
@brokenbottleboy and @kyriacosonyx


Group Nine has closed five longterm partnership deals in the past year that give brands exclusive advertising for 6-12 months after verticals launch or relaunch — This week, Group Nine's brands NowThis and The Dodo both launched two new verticals that both debuted with exclusive launch partners.
Discussion:
@media_evan


Profile of Zeynep Tufekci, a sociologist and contributing writer at The Atlantic, who was prescient on major issues like the CDC's erroneous mask advice — Ms. Tufekci, a computer programmer who became a sociologist, sounded an early alarm on the need for protective masks.
Discussion:
@fridaghitis, @tomwatson, @ghoshd7, @benyt, @zeynep, @gearoidreidy, @ruha9, @zittrain and @dandrezner