Top News:
Alex Barker / Financial Times:
Without naming Fox, James Murdoch blasts media owners who enabled “toxic politics” and says their lies have unleashed “insidious and uncontrollable” forces — Comments from Rupert's son are his strongest rebuke of industry practices since leaving the family business
Discussion:
@oliverdarcy, @kathrynamurdoch, CNN, The Guardian, @martin_flanagan, @glynmoody, @jgreenblattadl, @racheld, @raydalio, @wajahatali, @joyannreid, @tompainetoday, @originalspin, @bostonjoan, @richardajkeys, The Wrap, @mattgarrahan, @stewartmcdonald, Variety, @mmasnick, @swannyqld, Business Insider, @ashkan, @kathrynamurdoch, @mrkrudd, @billkristol, @clairecmc, @liseinthecity, @katebevan, @samthielman, @turnbullmalcolm, @tucker5law, @stopfundinghate, @poniewozik, contextisking.com, @andrewcooper__, @robinwigg, @fascinatorfun, @maynereport, @lisatozzi, @timbrooks100, @janinegibson, @alexebarker, @suanzes and @oliverdarcy
Kali Hays / WWD:
In a tweet, Michael Barbaro apologized for actions around Caliphate, saying he shouldn't have DMed and blocked critics; he didn't address Andy Mills concerns — Michael Barbaro is seen to have pressured some reporters and radio stations over coverage of issues with another NYT podcast, produced by his fiancée.
Discussion:
@mikiebarb, @leevgaines, @oliverashkleine, @perlberg, @paigepfleger, @jolentag, @avcsays, @monicalewinsky, The Daily Beast, @anxious_maria, @audioblahblah, @thedailybeast, @dmoritzrabson, @mallory_yu, @loather, @lexieschapitl, @byrobertor, @wyatt_privilege, @acvtweets, @kctww, @mallory_yu, @tuckwoodstock, @kerrymflynn, @fidmart85, @comparativist, @alyssaedes, @stphnfwlr, @nicktheandersen, @genepark, @thrasherxy, @patrick_fenelon, @selfquarantine2, @bethfertig, @bellwak, @mallory_yu, @wwd, @julito77, @stevemullis and @samarajbreger
Natalie Jarvey / Hollywood Reporter:
Crooked Media, which will no longer be the voice of “the resistance” after Jan. 20, plans to push more into film and TV and mulls taking on financial partners — Former Obama officials built a 21-show portfolio explaining — and organizing against — Trump-era chaos.
Discussion:
@sherman4949, @natjarv and @__shaniqua_
BuzzFeed News:
Facebook says it is temporarily banning ads for gun accessories and military gear through next week's inauguration “out of an abundance of caution” — Following complaints from Senators and employees, Facebook on Saturday said it was temporarily halting ads for gun accessories …
Washington Post:
Analytics firm Zignal Labs: online misinformation about election fraud dropped 73% in the week after several social media sites suspended Trump and key allies — Zignal Labs charts 73 percent decline on Twitter and beyond following historic action against the president
Discussion:
@natematias, @ashanitw, TheGrio, @alicedreger, Slate, @rulajebreal, @_cingraham, @mrlnmarce, @villanellewoods, @jfreewright, @chaensaw, @bylenasun, @rulajebreal, @lawyerscomm, @pandemic_times, @emilybell, @stuartathompson, @marklittlenews, @tarbellorg, @laurie_garrett, @bjrich_, @tosinadeda, @mollyjongfast, @kelleratlarge, @dangillmor, @jeremarketer, @mmviverito, Mediaite, @wardcarroll, @debramessing, @felonious_munk, @stevekling, @realblue75, @maythaalhassen, @caseyjohnston, @ericboehlert, @grudging1, @markruffalo, @stewartmcdonald, @seanmcarroll, @carolleonnig, @dcdoubleaa, @joenbc, Business Insider and Variety, more at Techmeme »
David Folkenflik / NPR:
Radio Free Asia veterans say its new president Stephen Yates' links to a company owned by Taiwan threaten the broadcaster's credibility — The new president of the federally funded Radio Free Asia network most recently ran a consulting company from Boise, Idaho that has represented foreign governments and interests.
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Profile of the Queens Daily Eagle, a small outlet in the borough that has gone viral for giving local-angle treatment to major Trump news like the impeachment — A series of headlines have brought attention to the Queens Daily Eagle, a small outlet in the borough where the president was born.
Discussion:
@jessicaramos, @emma_a_whitford, @nytimes, @ylichterman, @thetowncrier, @susan_harman and @noah__goldberg
Hollywood Reporter:
Sources: proposed deals tied to the HBO Max day-and-date release plan will be costly for WB, with talent making below $4M getting 25% bonus, $4M+ receiving 40% — Denzel Washington is said to be getting his $20 million plus backend fee, while the sheer number of bonuses tied to the HBO Max …
Discussion:
@thr, @thr, @robinbenty, @jackjacksharpe5, @thr, @kimmasters and @miagaluppo
Janko Roettgers / Protocol:
Remote controls of new TVs show how streaming services and tech giants are vying for users' attention through branded buttons and voice assistants — Don't touch that dial: As TV manufacturers are unveiling their 2021 models at this year's virtual CES, they're also giving us a first look …
Discussion:
@jank0, @protocol, @digitalshields and @timhanlon
Jane Zhang / South China Morning Post:
A look at the rise and fall of Xiami, Alibaba's discontinued music streaming service, which only had 22.4M MAUs by Oct. vs. 450M+ for Tencent's three music apps — Once a leader, Xiami saw its monthly active users (MAUs) fall to 22.4 million by October 2020, a tiny fraction of the 450 million …
Discussion:
@scmpnews
Berny Belvedere / Arc Digital:
Politico staffers were upset about Shapiro guest-curating Playbook not because he is a conservative but because he is the apotheosis of culture war excess — Berny Belvedere DISSOLVES THE FLESH of Ben Shapiro's takes through a REVERSE OSMOSIS OF PAIN — Politico invited Ben Shapiro to guest-curate its Playbook newsletter.
Discussion:
@mattwelch, @trumwill, @tomzellerjr, @sladesr, @edbott, @ngrossman81, @sheltondesigner, @jennarmathias, @brooks_bonny, @ldburnett, @jimswiftdc and The Rundown
Eva Mathews / Reuters:
Tencent Music acquires China-based Lazy Audio, which provides audiobooks, podcasts, and radio shows, for $417M — (Reuters) - China's Tencent Music Entertainment Group said on Friday it acquired audiobook platform Lazy Audio, owned by Shenzhen Lanren Online Technology Co, for 2.7 billion yuan ($417 million).
Discussion:
PR Newswire
William Turvill / Press Gazette:
Q&A with Pranay Prabhat, senior director of digital ad tech at NYT, about its new first-party data ad program, losing third-party cookie revenue, and more — From the outside, it may appear that advertising is now insignificant for the New York Times when compared with its soaring digital subscriptions business.
Discussion:
@mrdylancollins
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