Top News:
Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
Twitter says it has suspended 500+ accounts in India for violating rules but has not taken any action on accounts of journalists, activists, and politicians — Twitter said on Wednesday it has taken actions on more than 500 accounts and reduced visibility of some hashtags in India …
Discussion:
Twitter, BuzzFeed News, Insider, @dangillmor, Financial Times, Gizmodo, The India Cable, Wall Street Journal, @rasmus_kleis, @sharmakadambini, @twittersafety, The Indian Express, @sanjukta, @raheelk, @nixxin, The Economic Times, @pranavdixit, @sagarikaghose, Bloomberg and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
Eriq Gardner / Hollywood Reporter:
A deep look at the media law defense strategy that the Murdochs' Fox News plans to use against Smartmatic in court — The Rupert Murdoch-owned news network has filed a motion to dismiss Smartmatic's blockbuster libel action. Now and down the road, the defendant will attempt …
Discussion:
New York Times, Poynter, @zeeshanaleem, @jonathanwpeters, foxcorporation, @kazweida, @dylanbyers, @jayrosen_nyu, Quartz, Washington Post and Fox News Channel Press
RELATED:
Saqib Shah / Engadget:
Google launches Google News Showcase in UK and Argentina, after debuting the service in Australia last week, and says it now has over 450 publications globally — Google News Showcase is starting to roll out to more countries worldwide, including the UK and Argentina, on the heels of its Australian launch last week.
Discussion:
The Keyword, MacRumors, HoldtheFrontPage, @googleuk, @danrussell12000, 9to5Google and The Keyword
Politico:
Polish independent media suspended news coverage on Wednesday to protest a new advertising tax that it says is aimed at undermining the freedom of the press — Media groups warn government is trying to undermine press freedom. — WARSAW — Polish independent media suspended news coverage …
Politico:
Axios let its reporter Alexi McCammond continue writing about Biden after she disclosed in November that she is dating his transition spokesman TJ Ducklo — DRIVING THE DAY — As Republicans get ready to beat back a DONALD TRUMP impeachment conviction for the second time …
Discussion:
Reuters, Washington Post, Daily Herald, @ggreenwald, @davidfolkenflik, The Hill, WKBN-TV, @w7voa, www.wnyc.org, The Daily Beast, Fox News, The Week, People.com and Raw Story
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
A closer look at the departure of Donald G. McNeil Jr. from The NYT and the tensions his comments provoked for some students on a NYT-sponsored trip to Peru — The Constitution protects people from being prosecuted twice for the same offense. But those “double jeopardy” …
Discussion:
New York Post, @conor64, Fox News, @andykroll, @esotericcd, @sarfrazmanzoor, @lesserfrederick, @cd_hooks, @lwoodhouse, @ijbailey, @jillfilipovic, @dangillmor, @ijbailey, @jeremymbarr, @conor64, @katzonearth, @chrislhayes, @bazzinyu, @lhfang, @sonnybunch, @bradfordpearson, @tomgara, @jamessurowiecki, @argojournal, @ggreenwald, @banikarim, @aaschapiro, @danielmarans, @bendreyfuss, @ryangrim, @cd_hooks, @chrislhayes, @dangillmor, @phl43, Nieman Reports, New Republic, New York Magazine and Dana Loesch's Chapter …
Jessica Toonkel / The Information:
Sources: DAZN is pulling back from pricey sports deals in the US to focus on sports rights only in Japan and European countries like Germany, Italy, and Spain — DAZN had a vision of being a global sports streaming giant, but it was hampered by the pandemic and infighting over strategy.
Dexter Thomas / VICE:
Police officers in Beverly Hills have played licensed music while being filmed by citizens, seemingly in an effort to trigger social networks' copyright filters — Police officers in Beverly Hills have been playing music while being filmed, seemingly in an effort to trigger Instagram's copyright filters.
Discussion:
@klonick, @fightfortheftr, @anylaurie16, @adamweinstein, @carolynmichelle, @kimzetter, @radicalbytes, @doctorow, @doctorow, @doctorow, @ericcrampton, @doctorow, @daphnehk, @dakami, @doctorow, @bobbylibby, @kajerstin, @chrismessina, @aneternalenigma, @maxkennerly, @mjchiusano, @xuhulk, @doctorow, @doctorow, @vice, @doctorow, @williamg1, CBS Los Angeles, @mikaelthalen, @jason_koebler, @webmink, Boing Boing and BNet, more at Techmeme »
Anthony D'Alessandro / Deadline:
Disney is closing Blue Sky Studios, the former 20th Century Fox animation division known for the Ice Age franchise, affecting about 450 employees — EXCLUSIVE: Disney is shuttering Blue Sky Studios, the $5.9 billion global grossing former 20th Century Fox animation division which during …
Discussion:
@firstshowing, @cheinwunderland, @mr_scribbles, @tiktaalexroseae, @_davemullins, @faragonart, @honeysink, @joshscherr, @crikeydave, @mrsambarlow, @tvgrimreaper, @originalspin, @flitter, @hf_rosa, @kbiegel, @iron_spike, @moth4moth, @lindsaykatai, io9, @kevinbparry, @tadleckman, @deadline, @henereyg, @cosmicrewinds, @heatwavves, @localsundeity, @ibrill, @stephlaberis, @mexopolis, @getfandom, @coopercooperco, @pamelaribon, The Mary Sue, Meduza.io, The A.V. Club, Collider, ScreenRant, Engadget, Forbes, The Playlist, The Wrap, Hollywood Reporter, /Film, Reuters, The Verge, Variety and Polygon
Twitter - Investor Relations:
Twitter reports Q4 revenue of $1.29B, up 28% YoY, and average monetizable daily active usage growth of 27% to 192M, net income of $222M, up from $119M YoY — Q4 was a strong finish to the year with revenue of $1.29 billion, up 28% year over year, reflecting better-than-expected performance across all major products and geographies.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Variety, CNBC, musically.com, MediaNama, @xpangler, @twitterir, @cnbcnow, @twitterir, The Wrap, ZDNet, The Verge, Fast Company, MacRumors, 9to5Mac and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »
New York Times:
Facebook says it will test a reduction of political content in News Feed for some users in Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia this week, and the US in coming weeks — News feeds will start getting less political content in Canada, Brazil and Indonesia, the social network said, with the change reaching the U.S. in coming weeks.
Discussion:
CNN, About Facebook, CNBC and @brianstelter, more at Techmeme »
Marc Tracy / New York Times:
NYT appoints Rebecca Blumenstein to a newly created role as a “partner” to the publisher A. G. Sulzberger to help him run newsroom operations — Ms. Blumenstein will report to the publisher, helping to oversee newsroom operations and becoming a frequent public representative for The Times.