Top News:
Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:
Sources: NYT told Lauren Wolfe, who had a temporary position, that her name and NYT's name were in headlines after her “chills” tweet, and “we can't have that” — The paper of record's treatment of a freelance editor getting “chills” on Twitter drew accusations …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Hill, @wolfe321, @joepompeo, @yashar, @jshahryar, The Guardian, @weareyourfek, @miriamelder, Vox, @b52malmet, @mikeloukides, @fawfulfan, @arusbridger, Today in Tabs, @kendrawrites, @jeremyhobson, @joshgerstein, @miriamelder, @jayrosen_nyu, @tvietor08, @markhalperin, @mlcalderone, @meredthsalenger, @brianstelter and @froomkin
Discussion:
Jeremy Barr / Washington Post: The New York Times says it didn't part ways with editor over Biden ‘chills’ tweet
Justine Coleman / The Hill: New York Times cuts ties with editor conservatives criticized over Biden tweet
Lauren Wolfe / @wolfe321: Hi all. I truly appreciate everyone's support but I need to ask you a favor: PLEASE don't unsubscribe from @nytimes. I have loved this paper and its mission my whole life. Their journalism is some of the most important & best in the world, & they need to be read widely. Thank you
Joe Pompeo / @joepompeo: NYT statement on the chills tweet: “There's a lot of inaccurate information circulating on Twitter. For privacy reasons we don't get into the details of personnel matters but we can say that we didn't end someone's employment over a single tweet..We don't plan to comment further”
@yashar: 1. Some news... Lauren Wolfe, who was an editor on contract for the NYT, has had her contract canceled after she tweeted what's on the left. Wolfe also tweeted what's on the right, but deleted when she learned Biden chose to take his own plane. Per two sources. https://twitter.com/...
Josh Shahryar / @jshahryar: This is the most important thing I've ever written. My friend and family Lauren @Wolfe321 was just fired by the @NYTimes after the NYT was pressured by fascists, Trumpkins and hypocrites on the right for tweeting she had “chills” after witnessing Biden's landing on the 20th. https://twitter.com/...
Adam Gabbatt / The Guardian: New York Times fires editor targeted by rightwing critics over Biden tweet
Foster Kamer / @weareyourfek: One more thing on Lauren Wolfe: Last year, Don McNeil, one of the finest reporters in all the land — and the NYT's king Covid correspondent — called Pence a sycophant and said the director of the CDC should resign. McNeil (who, of course, was right) got a slap on the wrist.
Miriam Elder / @miriamelder: @joepompeo “According to someone with knowledge of the phone call in which Wolfe was let go, she was told that her name and the Times' name were in headlines all over the place, and 'we can't have that.'” https://www.vanityfair.com/...
Anya van Wagtendonk / Vox: Did the New York Times fire an editor over a tweet? The Lauren Wolfe controversy, explained
Barbara Malmet / @b52malmet: As one Times journalist put it, “You'd think under all this added scrutiny, the company would be more transparent about how they go about these things. A lot of people inside were scratching their heads about how they handled this one.” https://www.vanityfair.com/...
Mike Loukides / @mikeloukides: It's been a problem with the NYT for a long time. Afraid of being called “eastern liberal media elite.” So they play the “report the controversy” game. https://twitter.com/...
Matthew Chapman / @fawfulfan: Speaking as a reporter who has seen first hand the struggle of newsrooms to remain profitable in the Internet age, I reject this premise. The NYT does do great work, but it's not a charity, it's a business. And it's on businesses to behave in a way that maintains consumer trust. https://twitter.com/...
Alan Rusbridger / @arusbridger: Whatever the complete truth of the apparent firing of @Wolfe321 by @nytimes this is a classy response ... https://twitter.com/...
Rusty Foster / Today in Tabs: Men, and Other Crimes — The best thing I read this weekend was Namwali Serpell's “Pixar's Troubled ‘Soul’,” in The New Yorker.
@kendrawrites: Doesn't talk about 1. who gets in trouble for tweets is directly correlated with who you are and who you made uncomfortable. Factual tweets at NYT can be considered “political.” 2. The right wing media campaign that went after Lauren over the tweet in the first place https://twitter.com/...
Jeremy Hobson / @jeremyhobson: There are really no standards for this. I have seen journalists tweet things that would be seen as far more political with no consequence. https://twitter.com/...
Josh Gerstein / @joshgerstein: May not have fired someone over a single tweet....but don't rule it out in the future! https://twitter.com/...
Miriam Elder / @miriamelder: .@joepompeo has new details on the Times vs Lauren Wolfe https://www.vanityfair.com/...
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: “Major news outlets like the Times are relieved to no longer have a president who constantly calls them ‘fake news’ and ‘the enemy of the people,’ but they also don't want to be seen as overly friendly to the norm-abiding Biden administration.” https://www.vanityfair.com/...
Tommy Vietor / @tvietor08: The New York Times demands transparency from powerful institutions not named The New York Times https://twitter.com/...
Mark Halperin / @markhalperin: “Single” is not the same as “two.” https://twitter.com/...
Michael Calderone / @mlcalderone: Going inside the NYT's firing of Lauren Wolfe, @joepompeo reports that “she was told that her name and the Times' name were in headlines all over the place, and 'we can't have that.'” https://www.vanityfair.com/...
Meredith Salenger / @meredthsalenger: I won't unsubscribe. However, they need to reinstate you in your job. This was a travesty that needs to be remedied. So, @nytimes get it together and rehire @Wolfe321. She clearly is a class act and didn't throw you under the bus the way you did her. https://twitter.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: “If nothing else, the episode shows how quickly a single, seemingly innocuous tweet can rapidly spiral into the type of viral media scandal that no one wants to find themselves in the middle of...” https://www.vanityfair.com/...
Dan Froomkin / @froomkin: Sounds like Buckingham Palace. https://twitter.com/...
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
NBC's Peacock signs a deal for exclusive streaming rights for WWE Network content in the US from March; source says the deal runs five years and is worth $1B+ — World Wrestling Entertainment content will move to Peacock starting March 18 in deal worth more than $1 billion
Discussion:
Variety, Variety, Business Insider, The Desk, The Wrap, Hollywood Reporter, CNBC, @sherman4949, The Streamable, Sports Business Daily, PR Newswire, Too Much TV Newsletter, Front Office Sports, Sports Illustrated, CNET, @perlberg, Adweek, @davidcandersen, Sports Illustrated, Cord Cutters News, @wrestlinggary, The Wrap, Axios, TVLine, @arashmarkazi, Forbes, @chriswelch, @cevalloslaw, @xpangler, The Verge, @notsam, @vishal1mehra, The Wrap, @austinkarp, @jonalba, MediaPost, @idjweddings, @wrestlenomics, nexttv.com, Bloomberg, @lucas_shaw, @lucas_shaw, Awful Announcing, @ourand_sbj, @earlwgardner, @henereyg, Ad Age and The Week
Discussion:
Todd Spangler / Variety: NBCU's Peacock Pins WWE Network Exclusive U.S. Streaming Rights
Todd Spangler / Variety: WWE Expects Peacock Deal to Help Boost Profits in 2021
Ben Blanchet / Business Insider: How to watch WWE Network's wrestling events exclusively on Peacock starting March 18
Matthew Keys / The Desk: WWE Network to shut down, with content moving to Peacock
Tim Baysinger / The Wrap: How the $1 Billion WWE Network Deal Puts Peacock Into the Ring With Streaming Giants
Natalie Jarvey / Hollywood Reporter: WWE Network to Move Under NBCU's Peacock in Exclusive Streaming Deal
Lauren Feiner / CNBC: NBC's Peacock gets exclusive WWE streaming rights in the U.S.
Alex Sherman / @sherman4949: This is a big deal for Peacock (gets all WWE Network programming) and a symbolic move for WWE, which is now ending its US streaming service. That's a failure for WWE. It cost $9.99/month. Now all of the content will be on Peacock for $4.99/month w/ ads https://www.cnbc.com/...
Jason Gurwin / The Streamable: WWE Network and NBC's Peacock sign a deal for exclusive streaming rights for WWE Network content in the US from March 18
Abigail Gentrup / Front Office Sports: NBC's $1B WWE Bet
Justin Barrasso / Sports Illustrated: WWE Fans Returning to the Stands for ‘WrestleMania 37’
Steven Perlberg / @perlberg: turns out people like bundles, maybe cable was on to something https://twitter.com/...
Kelsey Sutton / Adweek: WWE Network Heads to Peacock as NBCU Looks to Bulk Up Streaming Subscriptions
David C. Andersen / @davidcandersen: Vince McMahon must hold the patent on being able to fall ass backwards into billions of dollars from television companies, all while producing the lowest rated, record setting audience eroding content in the history of the business. THAT is what makes him a genius. 💰 https://twitter.com/...
Gary Cassidy / @wrestlinggary: According to @WSJ, it's a five-year deal valued at over one billion dollars. https://www.wsj.com/...
Rebecca Iannucci / TVLine: WWE to Shutter Streaming Service, Move Content to Peacock in New Deal
Arash Markazi / @arashmarkazi: The @WWENetwork is moving to NBC's streaming service @peacockTV starting March 18 in a five-year deal worth more than $1 billion. https://variety.com/...
Alfred Konuwa / Forbes: WWE Network To Air Exclusively On Peacock In A Deal Rumored To Be Worth $1 Billion
Chris Welch / @chriswelch: WWE Network never managed to maintain a subscriber base of even 2 million people for an entire year. Now it's becoming part of Peacock in a deal said to be worth over $1 billion. Vince McMahon continues to be very good at making money. https://www.theverge.com/...
Danny Cevallos / @cevalloslaw: This is exciting news. I hope old episodes of the classic “Piper's Pit” will be available. https://www.wsj.com/....
Todd Spangler / @xpangler: In March, @WWENetwork's existing U.S. subscribers (~1.1M) will be migrated to Peacock Premium, where they'll continue to get access to WWE Network but will pay 50% less per month (& get full access to Peacock Premium tier with ads) https://variety.com/...
Sam Roberts / @notsam: Looks like your boy is about to have a show on Peacock! https://variety.com/...
Vishal Mehra / @vishal1mehra: Interesting to see @WWENetwork expansion strategy, after amassing a million+ subscribers they are tying up with small/emerging OTT players to expand - like with @SonyLIV in India and @peacockTV in US. https://twitter.com/...
Austin Karp / @austinkarp: Off the top rope https://twitter.com/...
Jon Alba / @jonalba: These adjusted #WWE income estimates are just absolutely mind-blowing as far as a sports-entertainment entity goes (and yes, that's a real term beyond the realm of pro wrestling). https://variety.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Karlene Lukovitz / MediaPost: Peacock Snags Exclusive WWE Network U.S. Streaming Rights
Mario-F. Robles / @idjweddings: This works out great for me. My wife wants Peacock Premium ($5) because of their “super fan” The Office content (and other fave sitcoms). I currently pay $10 for the WWE Network. Now I'll just have to pay $10 to have both, and no ads. SCORE! https://twitter.com/...
@wrestlenomics: “Terms of the pact weren't disclosed. A person familiar with the deal said it runs five years and is valued at more than $1 billion.” Comes out to average annual value of at least $200 million. Compare to U.S. AAV of Raw ($265m) and Smackdown ($205m). https://www.wsj.com/...
Jon Lafayette / nexttv.com: Peacock Exclusively Pins WWE Network in the U.S.
Gerry Smith / Bloomberg: WWE Wrestling Heads to Peacock in Streaming Deal
Lucas Shaw / @lucas_shaw: Disney/ESPN, Peacock and paramount+ all have sports. HBO max will soon. Amazon kind of does. Netflix may be the last pure play standing https://twitter.com/...
Lucas Shaw / @lucas_shaw: WWE was once hailed as a streaming success story. Now it's far too small to standalone. By @gerryfsmith https://www.google.com/...
Ian Casselberry / Awful Announcing: WWE Network to move to NBC's Peacock streaming service in March
John Ourand / @ourand_sbj: WWE's Nick Khan: “It means that we're done doing deals in the U.S. for a while.” https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/ ...
Earl Gardner Photography / @earlwgardner: This might make it easier to cancel your WWE Network subscription https://www.wsj.com/...
Henry Gilbert / @henereyg: Looks like the Peacock move is very profitable for WWE https://variety.com/... Can *any* mainstream media give space these reports to note that WWE dismissed a distressingly huge chunk of staff at the pandemic's start even when they obviously didn't need to for $$$ reasons? Yuck
Ethan Jakob Craft / Ad Age: Peacock inks exclusive deal with WWE Network
Archie Bland / The Guardian:
Forbes drops plans for a trip to Bermuda for 75 people on its “30 under 30” list, meant to provide an escape from pandemic “gloom”, after facing criticism — Invitation for people on magazine's ‘30 under 30’ list is dropped hours after Guardian inquiry
Discussion:
@rachel: Forbes is inviting 75 of their 30 Under 30s to start a “bubble” for a month-long residency in Bermuda in March. It seems like they're taking every precaution possible, and yet.... this still seems like an incredibly terrible and ill-conceived idea. https://twitter.com/...
Avery Hartmans / Business Insider: Forbes announced then quickly canceled a 75-person ‘bubble’ in Bermuda for its 30-Under-30 honorees to escape the monotony of the pandemic
Archie Bland / @archiebland: Just as we published this story, Forbes came back to say that the event's cancelled. Updating now! https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Praxi Driver / @harrybaker_md: I may not be a worldly elite but I'm pretty sure 75 > 30? https://twitter.com/...
Alex Neason / @alexandrianeas: just gonna say it again: all around me, a press (if we consider forbes 30 under 30 ‘the press’ for sake of this argument lol) committed to empire and stupid ass colonizer behavior. it cannot be fixed https://twitter.com/...
Tara Haelle / @tarahaelle: So @Forbes can't afford to pay its journalism contributors decent fees—slashing pay 4 times in recent years & twice in 2020—but it can afford to violate health recs & irresponsibly send 30 entrepreneurs to Bermuda for a month to escape Covid “doom.” https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Dr. Steven W. Thrasher / @thrasherxy: Ppl are dunking on this rightly and laughing, but the truth is, young & rich ppl are actively self-sorting, trying to get vaccinated ("vax for vax") & cordoning themselves off already—and this stunt is a harbinger of a coming ableist consolidation of wealth & social capital https://twitter.com/...
Caroline Dunton / @caredunton: not only is this the worst idea for a million reasons but isn't it basically....bachelor in paradise? https://twitter.com/...
Archie Bland / @archiebland: So Forbes asked its 30 under 30 honourees if they wanted to take a monthlong break from the covid ‘monotony and gloom’ in Bermuda: https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Steven Perlberg / @perlberg: HEY my fellow entrepreneurs! just touched down in Bermuda, time to take a PCR test and a big sip of my rum swizzle and check the guardian https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Timothy Noah / @timothynoah1: Excellent parable about meritocracy, which is flawed by, among other things, the stupid and smug presumption that if you can do X you can also do Y. In this case Y is “not get Covid.” https://twitter.com/...
@kerrymflynn: That was fast... I'd personally enjoy a 10,000-word tick tock on what was going through Forbes executives' heads while planning the 30u30 Bermuda trip and then pulling the plug shortly after the idea leaked https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Talia Lavin / @chick_in_kiev: this would just be funny except for the resort and airline staff theyre gonna get sick https://twitter.com/...
Washington Post TikTok Guy / @davejorgenson: This is not what I meant when I said I wanted to compete on Survivor https://twitter.com/...
Lukas I. Alpert / Wall Street Journal:
Insider Inc. says it was profitable in 2020 and added 200 jobs as revenue grew 30% YoY; sources: it generated $150M+ in revenue as subscribers doubled to 100K+ — Business-news site generated 30% revenue growth in 2020 despite Covid-19 crisis thanks to subscriptions, automated ads
Discussion:
Alyson Shontell / @ajs: Yes, we did “nothing” at Business Insider last year — except grow revenue 30%, more than double subscriptions, and hire 130 journalists :) and that is just the appetizer to what we will do this year. https://www.wsj.com/...
Mark Stenberg / @markstenberg3: wow i am honored to have been mentioned directly in this @WSJ quote: “The company added 200 employees in 2020, 130 of them in the newsroom, and now employs just over 500 people in all.” https://www.wsj.com/...
Henno / @jrhennessy: i'm pursuing a similar strategy down under even beyond the pandemic https://www.wsj.com/...
Anthony DeRosa / @anthony: Across American corporations, leaders were responding to the #COVID19 crisis with a flurry of activity + strategy shifts @businessinsider co-founder @hblodget persuaded the company's owner to do nothing when #COVID19 hit and let the storm pass It worked https://www.wsj.com/...
Josh Sternberg / @joshsternberg: This WSJ piece reports that: Business Insider took in $150 million in revenue last year; advertising is its dominant source of revenue. This piece could be so much stronger w/outside voices — a media buyer or advertiser. https://www.wsj.com/...
Matt Drange / @mattdrange: See, I don't *only* share bad news on here: “Insider Inc. was able to continue a hiring spree despite the turmoil. The company added 200 employees in 2020, 130 of them in the newsroom, and now employs just over 500 people in all.” We're still hiring, too!https://www.wsj.com/...
Alan Dawson / @alandawsonsport: Good feature in the Wall Street Journal regarding my employer/ publication, Insider Inc., and how it performed in the pandemic. 30% revenue growth in 2020, turned a profit, and hired an extra 200 people (130 in newsrooms). Check it out media nerds 👇 https://www.wsj.com/...
Alex Kantrowitz / @kantrowitz: “Insider Inc., the parent of Business Insider and related properties, roared back in the second half of the year, posting 30% revenue growth for 2020 while turning a profit.” Adding 200+ employees, including 130 newsroom, in the process. Bravo 👏https://www.wsj.com/ ...
Jake Swearingen / @jakeswearingen: crazy that the year i was hired was the same year revenue grew by 30%.... https://www.wsj.com/...
Brian Morrissey / @bmorrissey: Weird headline aside, BI deserves a lot of credit for being in a strong position going into this crisis, then being aggressive to build share and be poised to come out the other side even stronger. https://www.wsj.com/...
Krithika Varagur / @krithikavaragur: hiring a ton of journalists during the pandemic appears to be........................good https://twitter.com/...
Lukas I. Alpert / @lalpert1: Unlike many competitors, Business Insider didn't make any cuts at the worst economic moments of the pandemic, but added 200 staffers last year, growing revenue 30% to over $150m. Digital subscribers more than doubled to 100k+ https://www.wsj.com/...
@kerrymflynn: Insider “added 200 employees in 2020, 130 of them in the newsroom, and now employs just over 500 people in all.” https://www.wsj.com/...
Nicholas Carlson / @nichcarlson: It was a pretty relaxing year... ;-) https://www.wsj.com/... via @WSJ
Russell Contreras / Axios:
Ex-CNN exec S. Mitra Kalita and PA radio exec Sara Lomax-Reese launch URL Media, a newsletter seeking to expand local news on Black and brown communities — Former CNN executive S. Mitra Kalita and Philadelphia radio executive Sara Lomax-Reese have launched a newsletter seeking to expand local news …
Discussion:
@mitrakalita, @russcontreras, @gregabedard, @elizatalks, @dawnc331, @ampalm, @ccmnewmarkj, @eramshaw, @sashak, @schmalie, @rosental, @cande313, @raju, @amlwhere and @kainazamaria
Discussion:
S. Mitra Kalita / @mitrakalita: We introduce ourselves at a pivotal time in U.S. and global history. We don't want the next 4 years to look like the last 4—or 400. https://url-media.com/
Russell Contreras / @russcontreras: SCOOP: Ex-CNN exec S. Mitra Kalita and Philly radio exec Sara Lomax-Reese have launched a newsletter to expand local news on Black and brown communities to national audiences #mediadiversity @aaja @NABJ @najournalists @NAHJ https://www.axios.com/...
Greg A. Bedard / @gregabedard: Proud of my former @daily_targum teammate. Good luck! https://twitter.com/...
Eliza Anyangwe / @elizatalks: 🔥"We know that it's going to take years...for mainstream media to diversify staff and content quickly enough to meet this moment. We recognize the great work our partners already do and believe we are stronger together. The next 4 years cannot look like the last 4 — or 400"🔥 https://twitter.com/...
Dawn Chmielewski / @dawnc331: This news startup bears watching. @mitrakalita is an amazing journalist with great instincts and insights. https://twitter.com/...
Anika Palm / @ampalm: Folks, @mitrakalita's instincts about this industry are better even than most people's labored research. Her instincts + her work ethic + her research/knowledge = gamechanger. Media decisionmakers would do well to pay attention to (and pay money for) her new venture. https://twitter.com/...
@ccmnewmarkj: A fantastic new media company to support community-based media serving communities of color! Congratulations to the wonderful @slomaxreese and @mitrakalita! https://twitter.com/...
Emily Ramshaw / @eramshaw: This is awesome news! Huge congrats for taking this critical leap @mitrakalita 👏👏 https://twitter.com/...
Sasha Koren / @sashak: Seeing “love” in the name of a media company, along with “uplift” and “respect” around the communities a news organization serves is so radical (in both senses) and so needed. May it be a model. Brava @mitrakalita and @slomaxreese https://twitter.com/...
Sarah Schmalbach / @schmalie: .@url_media: “We're building a decentralized, multi-platform network of high-performing Black and Brown media organizations. We'll share content, distribution, [...] expand revenue and build long-term sustainability. Congrats and TY @mitrakalita & @slomaxreese! This is excellent https://twitter.com/...
@rosental: Former CNN executive and Philadelphia radio executive start media venture for communities of color. The plan is to create a go-to place for news about Black, Latino and Asian American communities in various cities. https://www.axios.com/...
Candice Fortman / @cande313: You know what I love about this? It's an ecosystem fix that doesn't center newsroom growth alone. Women (more specifically women of color) often build with the many in mind and with a harm reduction mentality. The future of news will require more of this. Invest in women. https://twitter.com/...
Raju Narisetti / @raju: Good to see a thoughtful, creative and hopeful “for-profit” approach to solving for America's local/community journalism stake its claim, after the recent stampeding into misguided beliefs that non-profit media models are the only hope. Say hello to @url_media https://twitter.com/...
Ann Marie Lipinski / @amlwhere: Keep thinking of something @mitrakalita said about local news: “When you're worried about eviction, we'll tell you where to get help. National news doesn't show up until your furniture is on the sidewalk.” Proud to support her and this work with a @niemanfdn visiting fellowship. https://twitter.com/...
Margit Wennmachers / Andreessen Horowitz:
a16z plans to launch a “new and separate media property” later this year focused on “the future” and names ex-CNN editor Maggie Leung executive editor — We embraced speaking directly to our audience — from the builders of the future to the tech-curious — right as the firm was started in 2009.
Discussion:
Business Insider, @panzer, @smc90, Bloomberg, @obrien, @panzer, Talking Biz News, @kantrowitz, @asalyers3, @chaykak, @ricmac, @a16z, @julesyoo, @jessicalessin, @cityofthetown, @naithanjones, @saschasegan, @jessicalessin, @thekenyeung, @andrewchen, @bhorowitz, @vijaypande, @taylorlorenz, @panzer, @wennmachers and @sarthakgh, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Business Insider: Andreessen Horowitz is not the only VC firm building its own in-house ‘media machine’, top VCs tell us.
Matthew Panzarino / @panzer: fact is everyone talks their book, and a16's book is, in general, intellectually curious, rabbit-holey and data centric. probably better than vast majority of vc marketing https://twitter.com/...
Sonal Chokshi / @smc90: Excited to finally share just a small (!) slice of our plans; that our executive editor position is now filled (yay!) — best decision I made was hiring @asalyers3 as managing editor 2 yrs ago... it was v lonely first 5 yrs of building editorial operation! https://a16z.com/...
Chris O'Brien / @obrien: Venture firm announces plans to launch a massive content marketing operation. Like every other corporation on the planet. People assume this is somehow revolutionary because Silicon Valley. https://twitter.com/...
Matthew Panzarino / @panzer: I have all of the access I'd care to have (way more, frankly) and I can tell you that you do not need it to think, report and write well about startups.
Alex Kantrowitz / @kantrowitz: I'm totally for companies building a direct channel with their audience. But also concerned it means sidelining different voices and tough conversations. Moves like this send a signal to the industry. My hope is that it's not: Life is better in an echo chamber. https://twitter.com/...
Amelia Salyers / @asalyers3: Sneak peek at the most exciting, ambitious, scary project of my career. So grateful @smc90 pulled me to @a16z 2 years ago ... can't wait to keep building the thing w/ her, @wennmachers, @jareditor, our whole editorial & marketing team, and now the legend Maggie Leung! https://twitter.com/...
Richard MacManus / @ricmac: Kind of ironic, as all those TechCrunch bloggers turned into VCs and now it's the opposite... https://twitter.com/...
@a16z: “People want to learn about the future. If software really is eating the world, there needs to be a place that is dedicated to explaining and tracking it. So we are doing just that.” @wennmachers An announcement on the future of a16z media. https://a16z.com/...
Julie Yoo / @julesyoo: “Our lens is rational optimism about technology and the future.” Some words on our newest media project: https://twitter.com/...
Jessica Lessin / @jessicalessin: .@a16z confirms @theinformation scoop about launching a big new media property to be the “go-to” place for understanding tech. https://a16z.com/...
Tom Dotan / @cityofthetown: First big lesson for you, A16Z—please cite @theinformation and @EricNewcomer for breaking this. You'll get it eventually, but it's considered good practice as a media company to h/t outlets who beat you to the story. https://a16z.com/...
Jessica Lessin / @jessicalessin: All journalists should take @a16z's announcement of a new tech publication as a call to arms to do what we do better than ever and to show readers why journalism must always be independent.
Ken Yeung / @thekenyeung: Doubling Down on the Future — Andreessen Horowitz is building out a separate media property aimed at tech, innovation and “where things are going.” The goal is to be “the go-to place for understanding and building the future...” https://a16z.com/... #tech via @a16z
Andrew Chen / @andrewchen: 👇announcing a16z's new executive editor and our strategy for blogging, podcasting, Clubhouse, and more media! https://twitter.com/...
Ben Horowitz / @bhorowitz: Here we go! https://twitter.com/...
Vijay Pande / @vijaypande: Doubling Down on the Future—@wennmachers on @a16z's “building a new and separate media property about the future that makes sense of technology, innovation, and where things are going” with an expanded effort into contributed pieces on our properties. https://a16z.com/...
Taylor Lorenz / @taylorlorenz: a16z has hired Maggie Leung, former head of content for NerdWallet (and CNN, WSJ journalist before that) as executive editor https://a16z.com/...
Matthew Panzarino / @panzer: I believe the startup phrase I'm supposed to use now is “we view it as a validation of the space” https://twitter.com/...
Margit Wennmachers / @wennmachers: When @a16z started in 2009, we embraced blogging to speak directly to our audience of builders and founders. We're expanding our content operation into its own media property to help make sense of technology, innovation, and the future. https://a16z.com/... Here's why 👇
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Rupert Murdoch says free speech is being suppressed by an “awful woke orthodoxy” and says he is “far from done” — Mr. Murdoch of News Corp, who spoke in a video, has been relatively quiet publicly in recent years. He called conformity on social media “a straitjacket on sensibility.”
Discussion:
Vanity Fair, Mediaite, Vanity Fair, The Hill, @peterjukes, @billbarnwell, @slpng_giants, @safimichael, @lukeoneil47, @mariskreizman, @jasonhirschhorn, @markberman, @parkermolloy, @dylanbyers, @caslernoel, @edmundlee, @mattgertz, @benyt, @scout_finch, @oliverdarcy, @dylanbyers, @mattgertz, @richardhanania, @katie_robertson, @rschooley and @edmundlee
Discussion:
Marisa Sarnoff / Mediaite: Rupert Murdoch Condemns ‘Awful Woke Orthodoxy’ and Social Media ‘Censorship’ in Speech
William D. Cohan / Vanity Fair: “We're Going to Be Stunned by How Much Money He Makes”: Wall Street Looks to Donald Trump's Next Con
Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill: Rupert Murdoch rails against ‘awful woke orthodoxy’ while accepting award
Peter Jukes / @peterjukes: Ultimate source of all the ‘woke’ obsession and hard right culture wars From his gilded oligarchs cave, Murdoch thinks driving on the left in the UK is “woke pc cultural Marxism” (why not the right?) and would happily have a car crash of society in his will to power https://twitter.com/...
Bill Barnwell / @billbarnwell: Once Rupert Murdoch came to visit the building where I worked as his employee and we were told that if we looked him in the eye or said anything to him as he walked around, we would be fired So no, I don't take his concerns about cancel culture seriously https://twitter.com/...
@slpng_giants: Murdoch has done more damage to media than anyone else in the world. Fox News has aired COVID disinformation leading to its spread, harassed its critics into silence & undermined an election, leading to a violent insurrection. No one does “cancel culture” like Murdoch himself. https://twitter.com/...
Michael Safi / @safimichael: Awesome that he wore a medal and made a video for this fake award lol https://www.nytimes.com/...
Luke Oneil / @lukeoneil47: Rupert Murdoch the most powerful media mogul in the world also agrees with me and the boys that cancel culture has gone too far. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Maris Kreizman / @mariskreizman: Media mogul and billionaire accepts lifetime achievement award while decrying cancel culture. https://twitter.com/...
Jason Hirschhorn / @jasonhirschhorn: Rupert Murdoch, someone that was very good to me and I had a lot of affection for, has gotten away with murder. It's shocking. And if you saw his recent comments, has no fucks to give on the damage they've done. And he's going to do more. I'm even shocked at how far they've gone.
Mark Berman / @markberman: a quietly perfect headline https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Parker Molloy / @parkermolloy: Fox News just purged employees involved in accurately calling the state of Arizona for Biden, but do go on, Rupert. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Dylan Byers / @dylanbyers: The line from Rupert Murdoch's remarks on Saturday to the front cover of The New York Post on Monday is pretty short, and obvious: https://www.nytimes.com/...
NoelCaslerComedy / @caslernoel: The same folks that decry ‘woke-ism’ and ‘cancel culture’ attacked female comedians for using offensive words & images when reacting to the bigotry and human rights violations of the Trump era. https://twitter.com/...
Edmund Lee / @edmundlee: Fellow media reporters, I know y'all have been going through @rupertmurdoch withdrawal but he's “far from done” @katie_robertson reports: https://www.nytimes.com/...
Matthew Gertz / @mattgertz: Last week Fox laid off its longtime political editor because the president got mad at him but do go on about the perils of cancel culture https://www.nytimes.com/...
Jennifer Hayden / @scout_finch: The Murdoch family are hugely responsible for the division and hatred in this country today. Twenty five years of relentlessly promoting the idea their neighbors are the enemy. https://twitter.com/...
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy: Rupert Murdoch says he's “far from done” as he condemns “wave of censorship” and “awful woke orthodoxy” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Dylan Byers / @dylanbyers: Rupert Murdoch decried an “awful woke orthodoxy” and declared, “I'm far from done” while accepting a lifetime achievement award this weekend.... https://www.nytimes.com/... Great catch here from @katie_robertson
Matthew Gertz / @mattgertz: Last week Fox laid off its longtime political editor because the president got mad at him but do go on about the perils of cancel culture https://www.nytimes.com/...
Richard Hanania / @richardhanania: There's no way you can pay attention to Murdoch's media and not be convinced with all their ranting about community college professors and foreigners that if they had power they would enforce their own orthodoxy in ways a thousand times more oppressive. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Alexander Gladstone / Wall Street Journal:
AMC Entertainment says it signed deals for $917M in funding to survive the COVID-19 pandemic for months and avoid bankruptcy — World's largest movie theater chain buys time with debt and equity deals as it continues to burn cash during the Covid-19 pandemic
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, Variety, New York Times, /Film, Business Wire, @nicsperling, Bloomberg, The Playlist, @richlightshed, @mjsamps, @firstshowing, The Week, The Wrap and Business Insider
Discussion:
Georg Szalai / Hollywood Reporter: AMC Theatres Boosts Liquidity, Saying It Has “Financial Runway Deep Into 2021”
Naman Ramachandran / Variety: AMC Raises $917 Million to Weather ‘Dark Coronavirus-Impacted Winter’
Brooks Barnes / New York Times: Can a Brash Executive in Kansas Save Movie Theaters?
Hoai-Tran Bui / /Film: Movie Theater Chains Fight to Survive: AMC Staving Off Bankruptcy, Regal Shattering Release Windows
Nicole Sperling / @nicsperling: Blasted as both a traitor and a trailblazer, AMC's Adam Aron continues to weather the coronavirus storm. @brooksbarnesNYT asks: Can an Executive in Kansas Save Movie Theaters? https://www.nytimes.com/...
Charles Barfield / The Playlist: AMC Theatres Scores New Funding That Takes Imminent Bankruptcy “Completely Off The Table”
Rich Greenfield / @richlightshed: Looks like Regal is also giving in on shattering release windows after attacking AMC's Universal deal over the summer $RGC $CMCSA Nice scoop in this piece from @brooksbarnesNYT @nytimes Movie windowing will NEVER be the same 🍿👇 https://twitter.com/...
Mike Sampson / @mjsamps: This is good news. But lots of small- and mid-market theaters out there without the ability to raise the millions necessary to survive 2021 https://twitter.com/...
Alex Billington / @firstshowing: Everyone worried movie theaters would disappear when they just got an extra $700M to play with c'mon these big chains are just Wall Street corporations, ain't nothing happening to them. I still wish they'd learn to improve the actual experience. https://twitter.com/...
Brendan Morrow / The Week: AMC Theatres says it has raised enough money that imminent bankruptcy is ‘off the table’
Robert P. Baird / Columbia Journalism Review:
An in-depth look at Laurene Powell Jobs' Emerson Collective, which a source says has spent $250M on journalism, buying stakes in The Atlantic, Axios, and others — With the Emerson Collective, Laurene Powell Jobs is becoming a force in American media. What is she trying to achieve?
Discussion:
@jackshafer, @cjr, @zunguzungu, @cjr, @_meher, @teddyschleifer, @pennyriordan1, @raju and @mathewi
Discussion:
Jack Shafer / @jackshafer: “Since 2015, according to a person familiar with Emerson's finances, [Jobs] has spent roughly a quarter of a billion dollars on journalism.” https://www.cjr.org/...
@cjr: “One person's synergy, after all, is another's potential conflict of interest.” @bobbybaird on Emerson Collective and Laurene Powell Jobs: https://www.cjr.org/...
Aaron Bady / @zunguzungu: “What's the point of having a billionaire owner—what's the point, you might say, of having billionaires at all—if they insist on enforcing financial discipline even in the midst of a global catastrophe?” https://www.cjr.org/...
@cjr: “The outlets, in other words, are expected to make money.” Is the Emerson Collective a charity? A venture capital firm? @bobbybaird asks these questions and more: https://www.cjr.org/...
Meher / @_meher: I was hired at California Sunday thanks to the increase in funding from billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs. As soon as her funding began to contract, I was laid off. It's difficult not to question the point of Jobs' wealth when it affects you so personally https://www.cjr.org/...
Teddy Schleifer / @teddyschleifer: Anyway, this piece is packed with @peterlattman and some dishy details and some good, fair questions about the pluses and minuses of billionaire media ownership. https://www.cjr.org/...
Penny Riordan / @pennyriordan1: This CJR piece is what you need to read today, which tells the story of Laurene Powell Jobs. I had no idea the Emerson Collective has invested in *so* many of the nonprofit news orgs that are leading the way in journalism innovation: https://www.cjr.org/...
Politico:
White House says it will work with WHCA to develop new standards for media passes and won't tolerate outlets trafficking in conspiracy theories and propaganda — Some Trump loving members of the press corps are eager to get access to the Biden White House.
Discussion:
NPR, CNN, Mercury News, Financial Times, Roll Call, @matthewkeyslive, @ccadelago, @mrjohnnicolson, @ccadelago, @oliverdarcy, WTOP and New York Post
Discussion:
Scott Detrow / NPR: Biden Repeals Trump-Era Ban On Transgender Troops
Kevin Liptak / CNN: Biden replaces controversial White House physician
Katrina Manson / Financial Times: Joe Biden reverses Donald Trump's ban on transgender military service
Niels Lesniewski / Roll Call: At the Biden White House, normal operations for abnormal times
Matthew Keys / @matthewkeyslive: The White House says it will work with news organizations to develop a new set of standards for issuing media passes, with officials showing a lack of tolerance for conspiracy theory outlets https://www.politico.com/...
Christopher Cadelago / @ccadelago: “Jen took questions from literal Russian propaganda outlets when she was the State Department spokesperson,” said a colleague of White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. “Former ‘Dancing with the Stars’ finalist Sean Spicer does not scare her.” https://www.politico.com/... https://twitter.com/...
John Nicolson M.P. / @mrjohnnicolson: How to handle the press as the White House seeks to move on from Trump's post truth world. https://twitter.com/...
Christopher Cadelago / @ccadelago: Also, some news: Biden's White House won't revoke passes or review briefing access granted during Trump. But they'll work w/ WHCA to develop new standards & promise to review outlets trafficking in conspiracy theories & propaganda w @natashakorecki https://www.politico.com/...
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy: “Organizations or individuals who traffic in conspiracy theories, propaganda and lies to spread disinformation will not be tolerated, and we'll work with the WHCA to decide how to handle those instances moving forward.” https://www.politico.com/...
Steven Nelson / New York Post: Biden repeals Trump ban on transgender military members
Alex Weprin / Hollywood Reporter:
Nexstar to rebrand its national cable channel WGN America as NewsNation, positioning it as a “fact-based and unbiased” competitor to CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC — As part of the rebrand, NewsNation will add two hours of live coverage from 6-8 p.m. hosted by Nichole Berlie and Joe Donlon, respectively.
Discussion:
TVNewser, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, @alexweprin, @azalben, @triciaennis, @vexedinthecity, @jayrosen_nyu, nexttv.com, @fraying and @daveleeft
Discussion:
A.J. Katz / TVNewser: WGN America Fully Rebrands as NewsNation, Offering 5 Hours of News From 6-11 p.m.
Robert Channick / Chicago Tribune: Chicago cable network WGN America changing its name to NewsNation
Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times: WGN America will change its name to NewsNation, moving to compete with CNN, Fox, MSNBC
Alex Weprin / @alexweprin: New this morning: The cable channel WGN America will rebrand as “NewsNation,” declaring itself an “unbiased” competitor to the likes of CNN, Fox News and MSNBC: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...
Alex Zalben / @azalben: RIP to WGN America's unnecessarily elaborate press packs, like the time they sent me a box full of sticks to promote ‘Salem’ https://twitter.com/...
Tricia Ennis / @triciaennis: There is plenty out there about the difference between real “unbiased” journalism and journalism which fetishizes an APPEARANCE of non-bias. Both journalists and consumers need to learn the difference. https://twitter.com/...
Corey Richardson / @vexedinthecity: Anytime you have to bill yourself as “unbiased,” you're probably a hard right propaganda shop that thinks that not adhering to normative whiteness as the traditional lens for news and opinion is bias. https://twitter.com/...
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: Easy to say, “Our thing is we're the unbiased one, that's our superpower: we have no take...” And I get the appeal. But it's meaningless until it meets the GOP's first hyper-politicized fact-free fantasy. Then you find out what your take is. Pro-verification? Or both sides bias? https://twitter.com/...
Jon Lafayette / nexttv.com: NewsNation to be New Name For Nexstar's WGN America
Issie Lapowsky / Protocol:
Facebook says it will give researchers targeting data on 1.3M social issue, electoral, and political ads from August 3 through November 3 2020 — Facebook announced the news in a blog post Monday, following years of requests from academics. Until now, Facebook has only publicly shared data …
Discussion:
Sarah Clark Schiff / About Facebook: Increasing Transparency Around US 2020 Elections Ads
Taylor Hatmaker / TechCrunch: Facebook will give academic researchers access to 2020 election ad targeting data
Vishwanath Sarang / @vishwanathsarng: On February 1, researchers will have access, for the first time, to targeting information for more than 1.3 million social issue, electoral and political ads through the Facebook Open Research & Transparency (FORT) platform. https://about.fb.com/...
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: NEW: @Facebook is giving researchers access to targeting info. for more than 1.3 million social issue, electoral and political ads — This data package includes ads that ran during the three-month period prior to Election Day, from Aug 3-Nov 3 2020 https://about.fb.com/...
Jesselyn Cook / @jessreports: Next week, Facebook will give researchers access to some of the key targeting data for more than 1.3 million ads from the 2020 election. (NYU's Ad Observatory project was already doing this, but Facebook threatened legal action: https://www.wsj.com/...) https://twitter.com/...
Meg Graham / @megancgraham: Facebook says it will make targeting info available on its Facebook Open Research & Transparency platform for more than 1.3M social issue/electoral/political ads for the 3-month period prior to Election Day https://about.fb.com/...
Nick Statt / The Verge: Facebook will let researchers study how advertisers targeted users with political ads prior to Election Day
Geoffrey A. Fowler / @geoffreyfowler: Why not show citizens? There's huge curiosity about how, and why, politicians use our data to target and divide us! https://twitter.com/...
Issie Lapowsky / @issielapowsky: NEW: Facebook is releasing targeting data on 2020 political ads to researchers/academics. This is something that researchers at NYU and elsewhere have been pushing hard on. It's only 3 months worth, but it's something. https://www.protocol.com/...