Top News:
Kurt Wagner / Bloomberg:
Sources: Twitter is building subscription products to ease its dependence on ads, including “tipping” for exclusive content and charging for TweetDeck — - Internal groups are researching options users might pay for — Social network says ‘revenue durability’ is now top priority
Discussion:
ScreenRant, @profgalloway, New York Post, @mathewi, The Wrap, @joannastern, @tonyromm, 9to5Mac, @neerajka, @profgalloway, @rafat, @joelcifer, @samitsarkar, @mattnavarra, Gizmodo, @mattnavarra, @darrenrovell, TechCrunch, @ajbrehm24, The Verge, @trengriffin, @kurtwagner8, @ryanlawler, @walldo, @martinsfp, @imbeccable and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Automattic's enterprise-focused WordPress VIP says it is acquiring content analytics service Parse.ly — WordPress VIP (WPVIP), the enterprise arm of WordPress.com, is acquiring Parse.ly, a content analytics platform that's used by thousands of digital publishers.
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Sources: Mark Cuban is co-founding Fireside, a podcast app where hosts can talk to fans live and monetize their conversations, with plans to launch this year — Fireside is launching this year — Mark Cuban is getting in on the audio and podcasting hype.
Washington Post:
WaPo says readership of its tech coverage grew 40% in 2020 and it will add eight positions, based at its HQ and SF, growing its tech team to 27 — Added roles will be based in San Francisco and The Post's headquarters — The Washington Post today announced a significant expansion of its technology team …
Discussion:
@kerrymflynn, @alexvoica, @edmundlee, @michellemanafy, @nitashatiku, @christinaasquit, @glennf, @heatherkelly, @rachelerman, @cat_zakrzewski, @cpassariello and @cwarzel
Financial Times:
China charges Cheng Lei, an Australian journalist who worked for a Chinese state TV channel, with leaking state secrets, six months after she was first detained — Cheng Lei worked for Chinese state television and had been held in secret for six months — Beijing has charged …
Discussion:
BBC, New York Times, The New Daily, The Guardian, The Indian Express, @yuanfenyang, Variety, ABC, UPI, Al Jazeera and Axios
Hannah Murphy / Financial Times:
Sources: TikTok has briefed advertisers on new e-commerce tools launching in 2021, including letting popular users add links and earn commission — Viral video app set to unveil a suite of new online shopping tools — TikTok is planning an aggressive expansion into ecommerce in the US …
Nieman Lab:
Research: journalists who see the rise in misinfo as a threat to democracy are more likely to report using practices embracing transparency than accountability — Adapting to the misinformation era, journalists emphasize transparency in their daily practices — “Fake news” is an unfortunate phrase.
Discussion:
@spj_tweets
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Universal Music Group unveils a global agreement with TikTok, days after pulling its music catalog from TikTok-rival Triller — Via the agreement, which covers recorded music from artists at UMG's labels and songwriters with Universal Music Publishing Group, “TikTok users will be more empowered …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Music Business Worldwide and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Robert Feder:
Nexstar confirms Bill Shine is a consultant for NewsNation; sources: NewsNation news director quit because of interference by Shine and others in news decisions — After two decades as a senior executive at Fox News and a protégé of chairman and CEO Roger Ailes …
Discussion:
@robertfeder, @benyt, @jayrosen_nyu, @juliethuddytv and Daily Herald
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Murdoch's News UK TV will be streamed live and on-demand on multiple streaming platforms rather than over the airwaves when it launches in the spring — News UK has revealed it will launch a nightly entertainment show this spring after months of speculation about its plans to expand into TV.
Discussion:
@pressgazette
Kayleigh Barber / Digiday:
Bustle Digital Group says it has 2M total email subscribers across 14 newsletters and plans to have 10M by the end of 2021 — Right now the conversations around newsletters are revolving around which journalist recently joined Substack and which hotshot business newsletter was recently acquired.
Discussion:
@thekenyeung and @bradesposito
Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:
Source: Jason Fine, editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone since 2018, is stepping down effective immediately to work as its director of content development — Jason Fine, a two-decade-plus veteran of the magazine, is moving into a new role. That makes Jay Penske the latest media exec with a big job search on his hands.
Discussion:
@tpcarney, @vanityfair and @joepompeo
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