Top News:
Politico:
Biden team is planning a 90-minute celebrity TV special for inauguration night, to be broadcast on CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, and NBC but not Fox — In lieu of an inaugural ball, the virtual event will celebrate “American heroes” who have served on the frontlines during the pandemic.
Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:
Jeff Zucker tells employees that CNN Airport Network will shut down on March 31; he blames the rise in mobile video and declines in air passenger traffic — CNN Airport Network — the service that beamed the cable news channel's content into terminal waiting areas throughout the country — is shutting down on Mar. 31.
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Internal email: Google has informed its ad partners that it will block all political ads on all its platforms from January 14 — Google informed its advertising partners Wednesday that beginning Jan. 14, its platforms will block all political ads, as well as any related to the Capitol insurrection …
Discussion:
Business Insider, Reuters, CNBC and @sarafischer, more at Techmeme »
Jim Friedlich / Columbia Journalism Review:
A look at potential damage from a successful Alden Global Capital bid for Tribune Publishing, and how civic-minded local investors could offer alternatives — Largely lost in the extraordinary national news of the new year is a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that could have an outsized impact on local news.
Discussion:
@ckrewson, @region_rant, @imleor, @emilybell, @chinewsguild, @tzmorsy, @therealjimrich, @cforman, @lalpert1, @rumormill, @cjr, @kenherts, @chinewsguild, @courantguild, @mcallguild and @lenfestinst
Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:
While media fell dismayingly short in myriad ways in the last four years, it has managed to do its job despite Trump's branding it as “the enemy of the people” — One way or another, Donald Trump will soon be gone from the White House. And that, to quote Prince Hamlet, is “a consummation devoutly to be wished.”
Discussion:
@sulliview, @kat__stafford, @asteadwesley, @ericboehlert, @moorehn, @mattgertz, @sulliview and @timobrien
David Folkenflik / NPR:
One week later, Fox News is yet to acknowledge how the incendiary rhetoric from its shows and stars may have helped inspire the pro-Trump attack on the Capitol — Among some prominent Republicans, inside social media companies and in other major institutions throughout society …
Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
Amazon launches a mobile-only Prime Video plan in India starting at Rs. 89, or ~$1.30, per month — Amazon is doubling down on one of the biggest strengths of Prime Video streaming service: Aggressive pricing. — The e-commerce giant on Wednesday launched Prime Video Mobile Edition …
Discussion:
The Streamable, The Economic Times, XDA Developers, Variety and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
A look at Spotify's push into podcasting as it seeks profitability: ~2M podcasts are available, up from 2,500 in 2017, and 20% of its users listen to podcasts — When Spotify went public in April 2018, Daniel Ek had been struggling with this question for more than a decade: How would the company make money?
Discussion:
@nicktheandersen, @juliastmi, @abbieruzicka and @lucas_shaw
Pew Research Center:
Survey of 9,220 US adults: 53% get news from social media at least sometimes; 36% regularly get news from Facebook, 23% from YouTube, 15% from Twitter — Facebook stands out as a regular source of news for about a third of Americans … As social media companies struggle to deal …
Discussion:
Nieman Lab, Poynter, @pewresearch, @pewresearch, @pewresearch, @mikeelgan, Pew Research Center, @pressgazette, TechCrunch, Adweek and MediaPost
About Facebook:
Facebook updates priorities for news articles in News Feed, saying articles that do not contain new original reporting or analysis will get less distribution — Update on January 12, 2021 at 10:00AM PT: News articles that do not contain new original reporting or analysis will now receive less distribution in News Feed.
Discussion:
@campbell_brown, @parkermolloy, @kantrowitz, @campbell_brown, @chanman, @campbell_brown, @campbell_brown, @froomkin, @campbell_brown and @froomkin
Carolyn Giardina / Hollywood Reporter:
CTA: total spending on streaming services and game software projected to reach a record $112B in 2021, up 11% YoY but less than the 31% growth in 2020 over 2019 — As the virtual CES began, the Consumer Technology Association released its 2021 forecast, projecting $461 billion in overall tech revenue.
Discussion:
The Playlist and nexttv.com
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
Disney and MPA join Comcast and AT&T in suspending donations to members of Congress who voted not to certify the presidential election results — The Motion Picture Association and Disney have joined the ranks of companies refusing to donate to members of Congress who voted not to certify the presidential election results.
Discussion:
Variety
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
In reply to a group of public radio stations who aired Caliphate, the NYT acknowledged errors in how it rolled out the retraction of key episodes of the podcast — On Tuesday, the New York Times acknowledged errors in how it rolled out the retraction of key episodes in its 2018 “Caliphate” podcast series.
Discussion:
Fox News, @perlberg, @wajahatali, @paigepfleger, @pwthornton, @ajmacadam, @jeremymbarr, @erikwemple and @erikwemple
RELATED:
David Folkenflik / NPR:
Public radio stations have sent a protest to NYT after the collapse of Caliphate, citing Michael Barbaro's behavior and presence of Andy Mills
Discussion:
CNN, @kerrymflynn, @erikwemple, The New York Times Company, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, Columbia Journalism Review, Poynter, New York Post, @weinbergrrrrr, @mcguffindavid, @annamerlan, @nicktheandersen, @nwquah, @mc_of_a, @nhpr, @oberandout, @jolentag, @diaahadid, @raju, New York Times, Mediaite, @chsommers, @tylerkingkade, @elizabeth_calo, @erikwemple, @ashleyfeinberg, @davidfolkenflik, @paigepfleger, @loisbeckett, @davidfolkenflik, @willmenaker, @seejanemarie, @bgrueskin, @erikwemple, @davidfolkenflik, @mattlargey, @elizabeth_calo, @davidfolkenflik, @eliztrovall, @erikwemple, Hot Pod News and bookforum.com
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