Top News:
Ben Smith / New York Times:
Sources: Trump allies including a White House lawyer first approached WSJ with their Hunter Biden story, but WSJ couldn't corroborate claims about Joe Biden — Inside the White House's secret, last-ditch effort to change the narrative, and the election — and the return of the media gatekeepers.
Discussion:
UnionLeader.com, @carolynryan, Wall Street Journal, @ryangrim, @scottlincicome, @lrozen, Politico, @mattgertz, @lpolgreen, Mediaite, Law & Crime, BuzzFeed News, Gothamist, @benjysarlin, @timodc, @dandrezner, The Geyser, @ericowensdc, @justinjm1, @joenbc, @alexburnsnyt, @nancook, @thesiskar, @parkermolloy, @swin24, @nickbaumann, @raju, Poynter, @davidenrich, The Hill, @maddow, @ericboehlert, @redistrict, The Week, @cwarzel, @rexhuppke, @myrmecos, @benyt, @_cingraham, Breitbart, Fox News, Talking Biz News, Business Insider, New York Post, @noahshachtman, A Slow Social Media Newsletter, @mrjoncryer, @kimstrassel, @kylegriffin1 and @dicktofel
Kevin Roose / New York Times:
How the Falun Gong-backed Epoch Times used aggressive Facebook tactics and right-wing misinformation since 2016 to create an anti-China, pro-Trump media empire — Since 2016, the Falun Gong-backed newspaper has used aggressive Facebook tactics and right-wing misinformation to create an anti-China, pro-Trump media empire.
Discussion:
@kevinroose, @kevinroose, @ewong, @noupside, @karenattiah, Gav's Newsletter, @charlescmann, @ewong, @felixsalmon, @page88, @xeni, @kyleworton, @jiayangfan, @dethveggie, @nytimes, @tmclaughlin3, @michaelroston, @andrewmarantz, @froomkin, @cwarzel, @realskan, @karaswisher, @emilydreyfuss and दृष …
RELATED:
Oscar Schwartz / The Atavist Magazine:
An ex-Epoch Times content writer on how he became a cog in the burgeoning propaganda machine and why he stayed on even as the publication's biases became clear — I. — among other publications. Originally from Australia, he is now based in Brooklyn. Follow him on Twitter: @scarschwartz.
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Paragraphs, @edxjohnson, @moorehn, @jonahogles, @seywarddarby, @seywarddarby, @eileenguo and @oneunderscore__
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
60 Minutes used Lesley Stahl's in-conversation responses, narration, and clips of Trump from rallies to fact check his comments in the interview aired on Sunday — Lesley Stahl told President Trump up front: “You know, this is ‘60 Minutes.’ And we can't put on things we can't verify."
Discussion:
CBS News, Business Insider, Fox News, The Wrap, The Hill, The Week, New York Post and Mediaite
William D. Cohan / Air Mail:
A look at Vice following Shane Smith's departure in late 2017, shifting from edgy coverage under Nancy Dubuc while struggling to become profitable — Shane Smith convinced Rupert Murdoch and Disney that his company was, as the kids say, the sh!t. Until it wasn't. How did Vice blow it—and trash billions in valuation?
Discussion:
@jeremymbarr, @jeremymbarr, Twelve Thirty Six, @benyt, @alxthomp and @tattytats
Wall Street Journal:
From Go90 and Vessel to Fullscreen, Quibi was yet another high-profile failed attempt to create a streaming platform focused on short-form content — Streaming platform pitched high-production shows in format dominated by user-generated content — The demise of the mobile-streaming platform Quibi …
Discussion:
@jbflint, @wsj, @maxwellelliot and @karaswisher
Doug Mack / The Counter:
How the “Rust Belt Diner” genre of journalism became the “Trump Country Diner” in 2016, driven by a sense that media failed to understand the mood of rural US — Steph Chambers/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP — The “Rust Belt Diner” genre of journalism isn't new.
Discussion:
@profmusgrave, @thecounter, @douglasmack, @douglasmack, @evaholland, @billlindeke, @douglasmack, @douglasmack, @jayrosen_nyu and @douglasmack
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
The Atlantic published a lengthy magazine story by disgraced New Republic editor Ruth Shalit as Ruth S. Barrett with no disclosure about her checkered past — A new story from the Atlantic explores the culture of niche sports in Fairfield County, Conn. — parents trying to turn their offspring …
Discussion:
@mathewi
Columbia Journalism Review:
A look back at the media's coverage of the Trump presidency, what has changed in the press, its failings, and how the press has simply not learned its lesson — In November 2017, the International Center for Journalists gave Fox News's Chris Wallace an award for excellence in journalism.
Discussion:
@mathewi, @ericschultz, @aaschapiro, @cjr, @jon_allsop, @mlcalderone, @jon_allsop, @jon_allsop, @jon_allsop, @wesleylowery, @jon_allsop, @jon_allsop, @bypetevernon, @notaaroncraig, @jon_allsop and @cjr
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Sources: at least three large US media companies expect the number of US households with pay-TV to fall to ~50M by 2025, a drop of $25B in cable revenue — - At least three large U.S. media companies expect the number of U.S. households that subscribe to a traditional pay-TV bundle to fall to about 50 million in the next five years.
Discussion:
@pkafka, @trengriffin, @peterasussman, @richr, @maggiomatt, @sherman4949, @richlightshed, @cnbctech, @sherman4949, @sherman4949, @sherman4949, @mattrosoff, @megancgraham and @sherman4949
Mike Butcher / TechCrunch:
China-based esports platform Versus Programming Network (VSPN) raises $100M Series B led by Tencent — Further confirmation that the esports market is booming amid the pandemic comes today with the news that esports ‘total solutions provider’ VSPN (Versus Programming Network) …
Discussion:
Gamasutra, more at Techmeme »
Eric Newcomer / Newcomer:
Bloomberg tech reporter Eric Newcomer quits to launch Newcomer, a subscription newsletter on Substack offering “contrarian optimism” on startups and VCs — I'm launching a subscription newsletter about startups and venture capital — Silicon Valley needs an irreverent insider writing …
Discussion:
@ericnewcomer, Talking Biz News, @caseynewton, @mims, @ericnewcomer, @kantrowitz and @markmilian