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In an Australian Senate hearing, a Google executive said that a law forcing Google to pay news outlets for links could prompt it to stop offering Search — As Google and Facebook face Senate committee, poll finds three in five Australians agree social media companies should prioritise news in feeds
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New York Times, CNN, TechCrunch, MediaPost, Sydney Morning Herald, Business Insider, New York Post, CNBC, Forbes, @lukebuckmaster, @katecrawford, @naamanzhou, @ajamesbragg, @ajamesbragg, @abcnews, @joshgnosis, @ajamesbragg, @joshgnosis, @senator_patrick, @joshgnosis, @jrschlosberg, @nxjhxssxn, @ajamesbragg, @peterklages, @profpcdoherty, @ajamesbragg, @nicholasvinocur, @joshgnosis, @ajamesbragg, @benedictevans, @joshgnosis, @ajamesbragg, @ajamesbragg, @joshbbornstein, Engadget, @pip_net, @verumbellator1, InnovationAus, BBC, Bloomberg, Crikey, Reuters, Daily Mail and AdNews, more at Techmeme »
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Profile of Jessica Rosenworcel, the second woman to lead the FCC as acting chair and a big proponent of net neutrality and expanding broadband access — President Joe Biden has picked Jessica Rosenworcel to run the Federal Communications Commission in an interim position.
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@jrosenworcel, @aprilaser, Radio & Television …, Variety, @repannaeshoo, @sen_joemanchin, @senatorlujan, @billinportland, @mckra1g, @wadhwa, @marissarmoss, @aaaj_aajc, @librarypolicy, @resistbot, @willoremus, @aprilaser, @nbcnewstech, @ezranbc, @aprilaser, @aprilaser, PC Gamer, Business Insider, CNET, nexttv.com, Free Press, Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, The Verge and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
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Biden designates Jessica Rosenworcel, currently a Democratic commissioner at the FCC, as acting chairwoman of the agency
Discussion:
@gordonachaffin, more at Techmeme »


Boston Globe launches Fresh Start, an initiative that will allow individuals to ask the paper to update or anonymize past coverage of them online — FRESH START — Revisiting the past for a better future — Fresh Start: Submit your appeal Fresh Start: Frequently Asked Questions
Discussion:
Media Nation, Associated Press, @superglaze, @hannah_lilly, @dskok, @globeostriker, @madgeofhonor, @madgeofhonor, @naomimartin and @cpcsnews


Bloomberg Media signs with WME, which will look to convert its journalism into film and TV projects for third-party platforms like streaming services — The agency will look to convert the global media brand's journalism and news franchises into film and TV projects.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News and The Wrap


Podcasters say Anchor's sponsorship feature seems to be seriously lacking in sponsors, and they've received few, if any, ads beyond Anchor or Spotify itself — John Newman is the type of person companies like Spotify want to get involved in podcasting. He has a niche interest …
Discussion:
Podcast Movement and Timber's Newsletter, more at Techmeme »

The pseudonymous writer behind ‘Slate Star Codex’ blog, who deleted it over concerns NYT was going to name him, has relaunched on Substack and revealed his name — I. … No, seriously, it was awful. I deleted my blog of 1,557 posts. I wanted to protect my privacy …
Discussion:
@gaberivera, Boing Boing, @nickstatt, @dangillmor, @jeffspross, @mathewi, @tomgara, @omgjjd, @dangillmor, @tolles, @jeremy_gans, @ellenhuet, @benyt, @kirkegaardemil, @cjgbest, @kph3k, @jeffspross, @jeremy_gans, @prigoose, @kevinakwok, @sarthakgh, @ellenhuet, @jeremy_gans and @trevmckendrick

VOA Director Robert Reilly and Deputy Director Elizabeth Robbins are out; recently demoted exec Yolanda Lopez has been named acting VOA director — United States Agency for Global Media CEO Michael Pack resigned yesterday after being informed by the Biden Administration that he would be removed.
Discussion:
@davidfolkenflik, @johnwhuey, @joshuahol, @ariehkovler, @jaketapper, @markszaidesq, @defensebaron, @farhip, @farhip, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, NPR and The Hill
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Kelu Chao named acting CEO of USAGM; Chao has worked for VOA for 20 years+ and testified last year in a lawsuit over editorial interference by Pack

Michael Pack, the head of USAGM who oversaw VOA and the Open Technology Fund, has resigned at the request of the Biden administration
Discussion:
Washington Post, @davidfolkenflik, @senatormenendez, @senatormenendez, @ericgordy, @anneapplebaum, @raju, What The Fuck …, @alexwardvox, Forbes, @farhip, Government Accountability …, @muhammadlila, @waltshaub, @govacctproj, @wiczipedia, @zaccunningham, @npr, @kaedotcom, @kaedotcom, @albertomiguelf5, @davidfolkenflik, @b52malmet, @camjourno, @markos, @tonyfratto, @newsprof1, @etbrooking, @dfriedman33, @jonathanwpeters, @fridaghitis, @grahamdavida, @junaidmuhammadd, @kimmasters, @w7voa, @davidfolkenflik, @jackshafer, @vivian, @dburbach, @grahambrookie, @markszaidesq, Vox, @marcrod97 and Associated Press


The Philadelphia Inquirer names Peter Doucette as chief revenue officer — The Philadelphia Inquirer has hired Peter Doucette, who spent more than a decade in sales and marketing jobs at the Boston Globe, as chief revenue officer, the newspaper's publisher and chief executive, Elizabeth H. Hughes, said Thursday.
Discussion:
Talking Biz News and @localmediarocks


Preliminary Nielsen ratings: CNN's audience for the president's swearing-in reached an average of 9.9M, up over 196% from 2017; Fox's audience fell 77% to 2.74M — Approximately 39.87 million people watched the half-hour swearing-in ceremony over the nation's six major TV-news outlets …
Discussion:
The Wrap, NME, Deadline, Axios, @aaronbrazell, Newser, @thejidetaiwo, @wajahatali, @aprildryan, @scalzi, UPROXX, MediaPost, Mediaite, The Wrap, Business Insider, The Hill, Ad Age, TVNewser, Variety and Deadline


YouTube rolls out “hashtag landing pages” which will take users who click on a hashtag to a page with only videos that use it, enabling easier discovery — YouTube is embracing the hashtag. The company has been quietly working on a new feature that allows users …


In letter to DCMS, BBC reveals it has spent more than £1M on legal fees fighting equal pay and race discrimination cases brought by staff — The BBC has spent more than £1m on legal fees fighting equal pay and race discrimination cases brought by staff, it has been disclosed.
Discussion:
nuj.org.uk

New Yorker Union announces 24-hour strike over management's response to pay negotiations; the union asked for $65K/year starting salaries and annual increases — Today, the New Yorker Union is undertaking a twenty-four-hour work stoppage. Between 6 A.M. on Thursday, January 21st …
Discussion:
@newyorkerunion, @chaykak, @drejones, @hollyotterbein, @amandapetrusich, @mckinneykelsey, @hctrudo, newslaundry.com, @chick_in_kiev, @kierafeldman, @kathrynschulz, @susanarendt, @thrasherxy, WWD, @asteadwesley, @lam_barrett, @alyssabereznak, @tanvim, @tanvim, @lbyock, @jennyvrentas, @schwartzesque, @kstromquist, @jason_koebler, @ellievhall, @mcwm, @alexjamesfitz, @sara_bee, @timmarchman, @jessicaschulb, @cassandrajar, @satchelprice, @alicesperi, @brendengallager, @scoutstout, @dphiffer, @iamjadejackson, @berniesanders, @27khv, @fahima_haque, @crystalbell, @bethoniebutler, @andrewfeinberg, @nickconfessore, @mattdpearce, @s_m_i, @ggreenwald, @techinsider, Business Insider and New York Post


A look at the journalists covering domestic extremism in the US and the differing approaches the NYT and WaPo are taking to the topic — Newsrooms are shifting resources to deepen coverage of homegrown radicals in the wake of the storming of the Capitol. — To watch Joe Biden's inauguration …