Top News:
Casey Newton / The Verge:
Facebook says it will stop accepting new political ads a week before the US presidential election, as part of steps to protect against election interference — Striking a compromise to prevent election misinformation — Facebook will stop taking new political advertising in the United States …
Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
Some advertisers seek the ability to back out of TV contracts, cancel ads close to air date, or move spending from TV to digital amid pandemic uncertainty — Concerned about the NFL season and a dearth of new entertainment, marketers want flexibility — Advertisers are pressing …
Discussion:
@alexbruell, @richlightshed and Front Office Sports
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Chris Wallace to moderate first presidential debate, Steve Scully the second, and NBC's Kristen Welker the third; USA Today's Susan Page to moderate VP debate — Fox News' Chris Wallace, NBC News' Kirsten Welker, and C-SPAN's Steve Scully will each moderate one of three Presidential Debates leading …
Discussion:
Poynter, @stevescully, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, @brianstelter, @maggienyt, @greta, @mschlapp, @tommyxtopher, @cspan, @daveweigel, @cairo67unedited, @yashar, @bristei, @brianstelter, Mediaite, ABC News and The Wrap
Associated Press:
California passes a bill exempting some workers from AB5 law, easing limits on freelance writers and editors; bill becomes law immediately if governor signs it — SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers on Monday OK'd exemptions to about two-dozen more professions …
Discussion:
American Press Institute, LAist and courthousenews.com
Boone Ashworth / Wired:
Google updates Your News Update, its Assistant-powered audio news service, with new features including its own “newscaster voice” — The company's latest news product is an ever-replenishing playlist of audio stories—curated, in part, by the wealth of data it has on you.
Discussion:
The Keyword, @wired, @benwerd, @techcrunch, TechCrunch, CNET, Engadget and 9to5Google, more at Techmeme »
Dan McCrum / Financial Times:
How Wirecard tried to stop FT from reporting on fraud at the payments firm, using intimidation, private investigators, and allegations of market manipulation — Intimidation, surveillance and conspiracy theories: inside the FT's five-year investigation of a billion-dollar fraud
Discussion:
@pressgazette, @tomjharper, @fd, @jolyonmaugham, @lionelbarber, @lionelbarber, @jimwaterson, @birdyword, @fd, @robertshrimsley and Talking Biz News
Institute for Nonprofit News:
The Institute for Nonprofit News announces that many of its 250 members will feed stories to Spotlight News for an election dashboard in its news aggregator app — Spotlight News and the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) announced today that many of INN's 250 member newsrooms will be aggregating …
Discussion:
Spotlight Media Labs and @myspotlightnews
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Weather news companies say they added new topics like indoor humidity and air quality forecasting and started using new tools like drones due to the pandemic — Executives at weather news companies tell Axios that the coronavirus pandemic has forever changed the way they cover the weather.
Discussion:
American Press Institute
Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:
Sources detail how speculation about Dean Baquet's successor at NYT was upended by BLM protests and COVID-19; Sulzberger say he's “in no hurry” to make a change — Even a virtual newsroom can be a hotbed for gossip, with long-running speculation about Dean Baquet's successor …
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, @mattgertz, @brianstelter, @mitrakalita, @froomkin, @mlcalderone, @gerryfsmith, @joepompeo and @joepompeo
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Podcast production company Parcast is unionizing under WGA East, making it the third Spotify-owned company, after Gimlet Media and The Ringer, to do so — Parcast joins Gimlet Media and The Ringer in unionization efforts — Parcast, the podcast production company Spotify acquired last year, is unionizing.
Discussion:
@kerrymflynn and The Wrap
Mark Landler / New York Times:
The BBC, far more trusted than the rest of the British media, faces commercial and cultural headwinds as two Fox-like competitors with 24-hour news develop — Boris Johnson came into office aiming to defund the BBC and let in rivals. The coronavirus has delayed that …
Discussion:
@rasmus_kleis
David Folkenflik / NPR:
VOA staff say Michael Pack is seeking political influence over coverage, in one instance violating the firewall that assures journalistic independence — Toggle more options — At the Voice of America, staffers say the Trump appointee leading their parent agency is threatening …
Discussion:
@brianstelter, Washington Post, @npr, @jbenton, @amy_siskind, @cliffschecter, @shawnpowers, @sulliview and @davidfolkenflik