Top News:
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.
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:
@profgalloway, @mathewi, @joannastern, ScreenRant, @tonyromm, @neerajka, @profgalloway, @rafat, @joelcifer, @samitsarkar, @mattnavarra, @mattnavarra, @darrenrovell, @ajbrehm24, @trengriffin, @kurtwagner8, @ryanlawler, @walldo, @martinsfp, @imbeccable, The Wrap, Gizmodo, Engadget, TechCrunch, The Verge, 9to5Mac and New York Post, more at Techmeme »
Sarah E. Needleman / Wall Street Journal:
Reddit has raised a Series E of over $250M led by Vy Capital at a $6B valuation, doubling in value since its last funding round in February 2019 — Its WallStreetBets community played a prominent role in recent stock-trading frenzy — Reddit Inc. doubled its valuation to $6 billion …
Discussion:
Upvoted, The Wrap, TechCrunch, New York Times, The Information, Bloomberg, Reuters, CoinDesk, Axios, Insider, @minimaxir, @hshaban and New York Post, more at Techmeme »
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.
Discussion:
@johnvoorhees, @lpolgreen, @bijanstephen, @chrismessina, @russbengtson, @oberandout, @producthunt, @happierman, @isaacklee, @hshaban, @mattyglesias, @yashar, @juliaschifini, 9to5Mac, @achangeoftune, @abdallah_fayyad, @wilw_writes, @skyepillsbury, @vincenzolandino, @reckless and Insider, more at Techmeme »
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, @withmeaa, @yuanfenyang, @1amychew, @ccp_china_watch, The Guardian, The Indian Express, Variety, ABC, UPI, Al Jazeera and Axios
Financial Times:
EU lawmakers are considering regulations that would force Facebook and Google to pay for news content on their platforms, echoing a similar move in Australia — Move by MEPs would strengthen hand of publishers against Google and Facebook — EU lawmakers overseeing new digital regulation …
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 …
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
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 …
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:
Music Business Worldwide, The Verge and The Wrap, more at Techmeme »
Nikhilesh De / CoinDesk:
Documents show Binance dropped the defamation lawsuit against Forbes it filed in November 2020, but did not give a reason for the withdrawal — The exchange did not say in its latest filing why it withdrew the case for now. — Binance Holdings, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange …
Cynthia Littleton / Variety:
WGA chief describes the union's fight with talent agencies, after WGA reached a deal with last holdout WME on Friday, ending over 18 months of costly litigation — WGA West president David Goodman knew taking on Hollywood's largest talent agencies would be an uphill battle from the start.
Discussion:
@glenmazzara, @rfaughnder, Deadline, Los Angeles Business Journal, The Wrap and Law360
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