Top News:
The Information:
Sources: Katzenberg pitched Apple, WarnerMedia, and Facebook about buying Quibi, but so far had no takers; Quibi had between 400K and 500K subscribers in June — Six months after launching his revolutionary video-streaming service, Quibi, Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg is looking for a buyer.
Discussion:
@cityofthetown and @readdanwrite, more at Techmeme »
David Folkenflik / NPR:
Five suspended USAGM officials are suing it, CEO Michael Pack, and some senior aides, alleging they're breaking the law by pursuing a Pro-Trump agenda for VOA — Five suspended officials at the U.S. Agency for Global Media are suing the agency, its new CEO and several of his most senior aides …
Hannah Murphy / Financial Times:
Twitter announces changes to clamp down on US election misinfo, like blocking retweets of misleading content from candidates and accounts with 100K+ followers — Move is latest escalation of anti-misinformation measures in run-up to presidential vote — Twitter has announced …
Discussion:
New York Times, Twitter, @twittersupport, Washington Post, Adweek, Mediaite, TechCrunch, Reuters, Axios, CNET, @hankgreen, @vijaya, @twittercomms, @yashalevine, NBC News, @mcfaul, @jerrydunleavy, Wall Street Journal, The Verge, @nickochsnerwbtv, @kevinroose, The Week, @tocradio, Engadget, @karissabe, @karissabe, @brendannyhan, @aljwhite, @blackamazon, @stevenbjohnson, @nickpickles, @yoyoel, 9to5Mac, @bgrassbluecrab, @joycewhitevance, @mathewi, Politico, @jayrosen_nyu, @harrymccracken, @neeratanden, NPR and @cwarzel, more at Techmeme »
Gina Kolata / New York Times:
New England Journal of Medicine condemns Trump in its first-ever political editorial, following Scientific American's first-ever presidential endorsement — Editors at the world's leading medical journal said the Trump administration “took a crisis and turned it into a tragedy.”
Discussion:
New England Journal …, Wired, Forbes, NPR, Gizmodo, Boing Boing and The Week
Emily Flitter / New York Times:
Profile of Matt Levine, whose newsletter on Bloomberg, Money Stuff, has ~150K subscribers and mixes deadpan humor with technical explanations — Finance journalism isn't known for its writerly voices. Matt Levine, the author of Money Stuff, is an oddball exception.
Taylor Lorenz / New York Times:
Triller, a TikTok competitor that sees being American as its greatest asset, is tempting TikTok stars with cash, fancy cars, creator mansions, and more — TikTok's top creators are taking “Triller money” to bring their content over to the app. — When talk of a possible TikTok ban began in July …
Discussion:
@taylorlorenz, Trillium, @gracewatkins and @jathansadowski
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Nielsen: 57.9M people watched the Pence-Harris debate on Wednesday across 18 linear TV channels and on connected TV, the second most-watched VP debate ever — Nearly 58 million people watched the vice presidential debate between Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence on television …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, CNN, Mediaite, Ad Age, @megjameslat, @latimes, @axios, @brianstelter, @maskedscheduler, @latimes, @brianstelter, @ajkatztv, MediaPost, The Wrap, Fortune, New York Times, Mediaite, WHDH-TV, Variety and Deadline
RELATED:
Lara Seligman / Politico:
During the vice presidential debate, Susan Page allowed both Pence and Harris to interrupt and didn't ask follow-up questions after they dodged her initial ones
Discussion:
@sifill_ldf, @lxeagle17, @samaraklar, @askjillian, @laraseligman, Overtime, Fox News, Slate, New York Times, The Wrap and CNN
Jacob Knutson / Axios:
ABC News to host a Biden town hall on Oct. 15, originally set for the second debate, after Trump backed out; Biden rejected other dates offered by Trump — Joe Biden will appear at a town hall event hosted by ABC News and moderated by George Stephanopoulos in Philadelphia on Oct. 15, the network announced on Thursday.
Discussion:
@abc, @jakesherman, @geoffrbennett, @ingrahamangle, @gcnstorm, @hollystallcup, Mediaite, @claudiajordan, @renato_mariotti, @orzelc, @jeremykonyndyk, @alexzfinley, @joshchafetz, @chrislu44, @trevondlogan, @mollyjongfast, @lizmacdonaldfox, @resistbot, @axios, Pew Research Center, @digiphile, Commission on Presidential …, New York Post and Reason
RELATED:
Quint Forgey / Politico:
Trump refuses to participate in second debate, saying “I'm not going to waste my time on virtual debate” because “they cut you off whenever they want”
Discussion:
New York Times, Washington Post, The Wrap, Fox News, Washington Post, @mlcalderone, @maggienyt, Vanity Fair, @jayrosen_nyu, The Week, Forbes, @merica, @kbeds, @samgreis, @emmakinery, Pew Research Center, Daily Herald, New York Times, The Wrap, @mlcalderone, @paulg, @tripgabriel, @brynntannehill, @scottkirsner, @jdewperry, @washingtonpost, @a_m_dolan, @politico, @digiphile, @sulliview, Variety and Wall Street Journal
Julian Clover / Broadband TV News:
Digital TV Research: global traditional pay-TV revenue projected to fall to $152B by 2025, from a peak of $202B in 2016 — About Julian Clover — Julian Clover is a Media and Technology journalist based in Cambridge, UK. He works in online and printed media. Julian is also a voice on local radio.
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, WORLD SCREEN and Digital TV Europe
BuzzFeed:
BuzzFeed diversity report: US employee population is 62% female, 57% white, 13% Asian, ~10% Black, up from 7.7% in 2019, ~9% Hispanic or Latinx, up from 7.5% — As part of our ongoing focus on diversity, inclusion and belonging at BuzzFeed, I shared this information with our employees.
Discussion:
@kerrymflynn
Financial Times:
Former ITV, Guardian, and BBC journalist Allegra Stratton named UK government's press secretary and will lead new daily televised press briefings — Allegra Stratton expected to take up role as public media face of government next month — A former newspaper and broadcast journalist …
Discussion:
BBC, The Guardian and The Guardian
Matt Donnelly / Variety:
IMAX will furlough 150 employees starting October 26 for at least two months, mostly affecting employees in the US and Canada — Imax Corporation has furloughed 150 employees, Variety has learned exclusively. — Amid the domestic box office's struggle to rebound, the large-screen format producer …
Sarah Alvarez / Outlier Media:
Outlier Media says it won't finalize its merger with MuckRock and will move forward as an independent org, broadening its focus with a Democracy Fund grant — Outlier Media is preparing for some major changes as we look to the future. We are broadening our focus a bit …
Discussion:
@sarahalvarezmi and @cande313
Output Producer, CA — 
China Markets Correspondent, Shanghai — 
Senior Assignment Editor, DC — 
Breaking News Editor, Tokyo — 
Senior Correspondent - Wealth, NY — 
Reporter - Ottawa Bureau — 
Local Government Reporter, IA — 
Research Director, CA — 
Immigration Enforcement Reporter — 
Presque Island Reporter, ME — 
Contributing Parks Ed. - SW, CA — 
AI Content Editor, WA — 
Legislative Reporter, TN — 
Editorial Assistant, Remote US — 
Elon Musk Reporter, NY or CA — 
Government & Politics Editor, WA — 
Business & GA Reporter. VT — 
Sports Reporter, WA — 
Energy Reporter, TX — 
Senior Reporter, SC — 
Trade & Climate Correspondent, DC — 
Reporter, WI — 
Political Newsletter Writer, CO — 
Jackson Reporter, MS — 
Music Editor, AZ — 
Breaking News Reporter, NV — 
Fearless Reporter/Producer, IA — 
Reporter II - Technology, Remote — 
Editor, Remote US — 
City Reporter, WA — 
Executive Editor, OR — 
Education & Budget Reporter, CA — 
Senior Writer/Editor, FL — 
Media Editor, Remote — 
