Top News:
Dan De Luce / NBC News:
Michael Pack, the head of USAGM who oversaw VOA and the Open Technology Fund, has resigned at the request of the Biden administration — WASHINGTON — The Trump appointee overseeing the Voice of America and other U.S.-funded broadcasters resigned on Wednesday at the request of the Biden administration …
Discussion:
@davidfolkenflik, Vox, @marcrod97, Axios, Slate, @wiczipedia, NPR, @zaccunningham, @npr, @kaedotcom, @kaedotcom, @davidfolkenflik, @b52malmet, @camjourno, Las Vegas Review-Journal, AllAccess.com, @fridaghitis, @dfriedman33, @davidfolkenflik, @grahambrookie, @grahamdavida, @dburbach, @albertomiguelf5, @w7voa, @markos, @junaidmuhammadd, @newsprof1, @jackshafer, @vivian, @jonathanwpeters, @tonyfratto, @kimmasters and @etbrooking, more at Techmeme »
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Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
Whistleblower complaint accuses Michael Pack of spending $2M on a law firm to compile personnel dossiers on USAGM managers he had targeted for removal — The head of Voice of America's parent agency hired a law firm at a rate of about $500 an hour and spent $2 million in taxpayer funds …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Forbes, Hollywood Reporter and @markszaidesq
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Fox News is laying off some digital staff, including Chris Stirewalt, per source, a politics editor who oversaw the team that projected Arizona for Biden — Fox News is laying off some employees who work for its digital operations, part of an ongoing examination of its overall business …
Discussion:
@sarahellison, New York Times, Washington Post, @mattgertz, @justinbaragona, @grynbaum, @sarahellison, The Media Nut, @anneapplebaum, Media Matters for America, @bbcjonsopel, @donmoyn, Poynter, @juliemason, @mmasnick, @robertmaguire_, MediaPost, @mattklewis, @noahcrothman, @mattgertz, @_cingraham, @mattgertz, @greenfield64, @chaznuttycombe, nexttv.com, @schoofsfeed, @chrisdjackson, @brianstelter, @jeffjarvis, @adams, @govhowarddean, @markberman, @mehdirhasan, @gothamgirlblue, @jayrosen_nyu, @davidafrench, @poniewozik, @elongreen, @tvietor08, @slpng_giants, @danpfeiffer, @elongreen, @grudging1, @timalberta, @bristei, @bristei, @dougsmock, @mehdirhasan, @goangelo, @jvlast, @edlavacnn, @ashtonpittman, @parkermolloy, @craigsilverman, @margokingston1, @terryboutonhist, @mattgertz, @maxboot, @benyt, Breitbart, Los Angeles Times, The Right Scoop and Fox News
Zoë Bernard / The Information:
Sources: Andreessen Horowitz to launch an opinion section on its website that will publish articles related to technology and business from outside contributors — Silicon Valley investment firm Andreessen Horowitz, which once courted attention from the news media, is ramping up its own media efforts.
Discussion:
@mathewi, @benyt, @s_m_i, @edbott, @amir, @kvox, @mathewi, @pt, @mathewi, @pt, @espiers, @eliotwb, @mathewi, @jason_kint, @alexisohanian, @taylorlorenz, @ckrewson, @mathewi, @birdyword, @parismarx, @robinwigg, @alex, @bgrueskin, @emilybell, @taylorlorenz, @smdiehl, @gaberivera, @elidourado, @quinnypig, @bluespacecanary, @espiers, @hshaban, @shohinigupta, @mjb_sf, @pt, @eliclifton, @nbashaw, @navalang, @chrismohney, @milenarodban, @strngwys, @tomgara, @teddyschleifer, @paulbradleycarr, @blackamazon, @dangillmor, @wadhwa, @john__rosevear, @zebulgar, @amir, @amir and Talking Biz News, more at Techmeme »
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Eric Newcomer / Newcomer:
A look at a16z's communication efforts over the years, as the firm expands its own media operations and has largely stopped cooperating with reporters
Discussion:
Business Insider, Fortune, @jonricecrypto, @bradydale, @taylorlorenz, @benyt, @bradydale, @ajs, @jeffjohnroberts, @joonian, @hkanji, @amartino, @ajs, @tomgara, @sarah_cone, @nmasc_, @sohear, @martinsfp, @bradydale, @binarybits, @sarahcuda, @jason, @sarthakgh, @adamneumannscos, @ericnewcomer, @ericnewcomer, @ericnewcomer, @edzitron, @edzitron, @mdudas, @allisonbraley, @emrosario and @kateclarktweets, more at Techmeme »
Trilby Beresford / Hollywood Reporter:
Vogue will release a limited-edition cover featuring Kamala Harris in formal attire, following backlash over its February magazine cover — This decision follows backlash earlier this month over a February magazine cover that showed Harris in casual clothes and Converse sneakers.
Discussion:
New York Daily News, Breitbart and The Indian Express
Jacob Shamsian / Business Insider:
Pro-Trump media outlet OAN has scrubbed stories about voting machine companies from its website without explanation, after the companies hired libel lawyers — - Far-right media outlet One America News has removed articles about Dominion without telling anyone.
Discussion:
Mediaite and @mattpoyner
Wayne Friedman / MediaPost:
Kantar: HBO Max took 19.2% of new streaming subs in Q4, followed by Prime Video at 18.2%, with 41% of new HBO Max subs citing specific content as sign up reason — In the last three months of 2020, HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video pulled in the highest number of new streaming subscription video-on-demand …
Discussion:
The Streamable
Lauren Feiner / CNBC:
Netflix reports Q4 revenue of $6.64B vs. $6.63B est., up 21.5% YoY, and global streaming paid memberships of 203.7M, up 8.5M vs. 6.5M est.; stock up 16%+ — - Netflix reported fourth quarter 2020 earnings Tuesday that beat analyst expectations on revenue and net subscriber additions but fell below EPS estimates.
Discussion:
New York Times, Netflix, Variety, Forbes, The Streamable, Variety, @claireeboston, The Streamable, @michellemanafy, @shiraovide, @taralach, @seyitaylor, @charliebilello, @charliebilello, @charliebilello, @xpangler, @jessedamiani, @gerryfsmith, @natjarv, @awallenstein, @susanlitv, @levynews, MediaPost, The Wrap, Ad Age, Protocol, Axios and Deadline, more at Techmeme »
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Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Tubi, the free, ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox, says total viewing hit 2.5B hours in 2020, up 58% YoY, and half of its 33M MAUs are younger than 35 — Fox-owned streaming service Tubi said total viewing hit 2.5 billion hours in 2020, up 58% from 2019.
Discussion:
Ad Age
New York Times:
Following the Capitol attack, newsrooms have turned to journalists with experience in reporting on conflict zones to cover Biden's inauguration — Reporters and photographers who are no strangers to conflict are among those assigned to what is usually a day of pageantry.
Discussion:
@nytmedia, @taralach and @janinedigi
Zack Budryk / The Hill:
SPJ asks Biden to undo rules that control which federal agency personnel can speak directly to reporters, saying the rules had been exacerbated under Trump — The Society of Professional Journalists in a letter Tuesday asked President-elect Joe Biden to undo rules that constrain …
Discussion:
@pattinewberry, @rodhicks, @evanmillward and @spj_tweets
Alex Barker / Financial Times:
BBC launched an effort to examine how to cut a fifth of its output, as a National Audit Office report shows how income is under pressure and costs are rising — National Audit Office report shows how income is under pressure, costs are rising and competition growing
Discussion:
@rasmus_kleis and @sapere_vivere
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