Mediagazer: Apple and Skydance Animation cut a deal for feature films and TV series for Apple TV+, starting with Luck and Spellbound movies and The Search for WondLa series (Etan Vlessing/Hollywood Reporter)

8:00 PM ET, February 17, 2021

Top News:

William Easton / About Facebook:

Ahead of proposed media law, Facebook says it's banning Australians from sharing/viewing news and all users from sharing from and viewing Australian news Pages — In response to Australia's proposed new Media Bargaining law, Facebook will restrict publishers and people in Australia from sharing …

Campbell Brown / Facebook:

Facebook News Partnerships VP: Australia's planned law “fails to recognize ... the fundamental nature of the relationship between our platform and publishers” — Today we made an incredibly difficult decision to restrict the availability of news on Facebook in Australia.

Reuters and Associated Press:

Facebook says it generated ~5.1B free referrals to Australian publishers worth ~AU$407M last year, as Australia's Media Bargaining law passes the House — - Facebook will no longer allow people in Australia to read or share news — The move is a response to the country's proposed Media Bargaining law

Discussion: @andrewbrownau, news.com.au, The Guardian, The Independent, Mashable, @kantrowitz, @joshgnosis, @joshgnosis, The Western Journal, @acookiecrumbles, @caseybriggs, @caseybriggs, 9News, New York Post and @emilybell, more at Techmeme »

Damien Cave / New York Times:

Australia's concentrated media industry, dominated by News Corp, is aligned with the prime minister and has sought compensation from tech companies for years — Pathbreaking legislation showed that even a small nation can get the tech giant to bend. But the United States seems unlikely to follow.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Press Gazette, Press Gazette, Bloomberg, Los Angeles Times, Politico, CNBC and @alfonslopeztena

News Corp:

News Corp announces a multi-year, global partnership with Google to provide content from its news sites “in return for significant payments by Google” — Long-term Deal Involves Payment For Premium Content For Google News Showcase; — Will Yield Substantial Benefits For Journalism And Society

Discussion: @jeffjarvis, news.com.au, MediaPost, Reuters, Garbage Day, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Sydney Morning Herald, @mathewi, Mumbrella, @b_fung, @kerrymflynn, @jeffjarvis, The Guardian, Financial Times, NBC News, Politico, @cp24, @deadline, @jerusalem_post, @ilpomodoro2, @jeffjarvis, @jeffjarvis, @maxboot, @aubreybelford, @mmasnick, @kylieedo, @jayrosen_nyu, @sub8u, @presseschauer, @laukaya, @gcberg, @hillbrad, @davidmackau, The Hill, @senficon, @jeffjarvis, @jeffjarvis, @slpng_giants, @noahshachtman, @mohamed, @sarafischer, Insider, @rasmus_kleis, @kateo, @kerrymflynn, @tiffanydcross, @clarajeffery, @lee__drake, @jeffjarvis, @kimbere640, @kerrymflynn, @davidmwessel, @joshsternberg, @nandoodles, @kerrymflynn, @deniseshrivell, @davidcayj, @markhughesfilms, @jeffjarvis, @jason_kint, @djjasong, @devrelcallum, @jason_kint, @mcclure111, @sammonford, @bryson_m, @brianstelter, @jeffjarvis and @jason_kint, more at Techmeme »

Zoe Samios / Sydney Morning Herald:
Sources: Google has agreed to pay Nine Entertainment, owner of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, more than $30M/year for news content in a 5-year deal

Discussion: @rasmus_kleis, @phillutton78 and @shiannonc

Brian Flood / Fox News:

Rush Limbaugh has died at the age of 70 after a battle with lung cancer — Limbaugh's death, following Stage IV lung cancer diagnosis, announced by family — Fox News Flash top headlines for February 17 — Rush Limbaugh, the monumentally influential media icon who transformed talk radio …

Discussion: @pastpunditry, New York Times, The Wrap, HuffPost, @jessbravin, CNN, NPR, New York Times, The Wrap, Insider, Slate, @ichotiner, Axios, @drjeffreypjones, The Daily Beast, @brianros1, Mediaite, Breitbart, New York Post, The Hill, @johnjcook, @tpm, Los Angeles Times, @froomkin, Press Watch, The Corsair, @adamgoldmannyt, @maxwelltani, MediaPost, New York Post, @jessicavalenti, @kayleighmcenany, @glennbeck, @jbouie, @mattoswaltva, New York Times, @sentomcotton, @joelpollak, @govkristinoem, @bessbell, @atrupar, Washington Post, @nowthisnews, 6abc, @brithume, @jeffjarvis, @dylanmatt, Las Vegas Review-Journal, @franklin_graham, @greenfield64, @byyourlogic, @ichotiner, Newser, @froomkin, @rhetoricpj, @judgejeanine, @brianstelter, @titonka, @maureenjohnson, @mattwalshblog, CITIZEN FREE PRESS, @ashleyfeinberg, @diamondandsilk, The National Pulse, @jackmirkinson, @akilahobviously, Power Daily, @melaniatrump, Al Jazeera, @janecoaston, Insider, @bug_gwen, @johnastoehr, @randpaul, @maragay, @dylanbyers, @froomkin, @juddlegum, @rothschildmd, @tomnamako, @letsgomathias, @froomkin, @the_law_boy, @brianstelter, @grynbaum, @nigel_farage, @davidklion, @williamturton, @brianstelter, @heerjeet, @oliverdarcy, @brianstelter, @sharpe222, @allison_burnett, @cwarzel, @drpaulgosar, @mehdirhasan, @bro_pair, Deadspin, @janicedean, @mehdirhasan, @atrupar, @jessicavalenti, @cameron_kasky, Reuters, @pastpunditry, @scrowder, @oliverdarcy, @froomkin, @goldengateblond, @senrickscott, @jparkabc, @yamiche, @christnnitemare and @the_law_boy

ProPublica:

ProPublica says Richard Tofel, its founding general manager and president since 2013, will retire from the company when a successor is found — ProPublica announced today that Richard Tofel, its founding general manager and president since 2013, will retire from the company when a successor is in place …

Discussion: @dicktofel, @sulliview, @davidfolkenflik, @agolis, @craignewmark, @emmacarew, @celrae, @ericuman, @jonathanalter and @nsbarsky

Erik Wemple / Washington Post:

CNN nullified its rule that prevented Chris Cuomo from covering Andrew Cuomo when the Gov. was flying high, only to invoke it during the nursing home scandal — On his Monday night CNN program, host Chris Cuomo provided an update on the biggest story of the past year.

Discussion: CNN, New York Times, New York Post, TheBlaze, @jgrantaddison and @jessemckinley

Darrell Etherington / TechCrunch:

YouTube says it will expand Shorts, its TikTok rival in beta in India, to the US in coming weeks, announces plans for 2021 including expanding in-video shopping — YouTube has a host of big product updates coming this year, and it just detailed a lot of them in a blog post from Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan.

Discussion: MediaPost, YouTube Official Blog, The Streamable, /Film, Android Police, Fast Company, @mattnavarra, The Verge, @fwiz, Engadget and @vidiq, more at Techmeme »

Bloomberg:
YouTube says YouTube Kids app now has 35M weekly users and launches new tools for creators to make money from their fans, including an applause feature

Discussion: @lucas_shaw

Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:

Alden's audacious lie that it ensures “sustainability of robust local journalism” is evidence of its unsuitability as a newspaper owner — When Alden Global Capital announced Tuesday that it was positioned to buy the Chicago Tribune and several other major newspapers, its statement might have sounded promising.

Discussion: @sulliview, @larryryckman and @melissajpeltier

Robert Channick / Chicago Tribune:
Tribune Publishing has agreed to be acquired by Alden Global Capital in a $630M deal; Tribune will become a privately held company; Alden to sell Baltimore Sun

Christopher Dinsmore / Baltimore Sun:
A nonprofit formed by Stewart Bainum Jr., Sunlight for All Institute, is set to acquire The Baltimore Sun, The Capital Gazette, and several other area outlets

Discussion: Columbia Journalism Review, Axios, @aodespair, The NewsGuild - CWA, @ericalg, @ellierushing and @jayrosen_nyu

Anne Steele / Wall Street Journal:

iHeartMedia to acquire Triton Digital, which provides audio advertising analytics and measurement services, from Scripps for $230M — Deal for audio advertising analytics and measurement services bolsters radio giant's bet on podcasting — iHeartMedia Inc. has agreed …

Discussion: Variety, Radio & Television …, Insider, RAIN News, The Hill, AdExchanger, @wsj, @tzm_tmt, The Verge and @kerrymflynn

Alex Weprin / Hollywood Reporter:

Tucker Carlson will develop two new projects for Fox Nation streaming service, including a video podcast and “in-depth specials” called Tucker Carlson Originals — The anchor will host a video podcast for Fox Nation, and will host a series of “in-depth specials” called Tucker Carlson Originals.

Discussion: Fox News Channel Press, The Wrap, @alexweprin, Variety, @mathewi, Fox News, @jonlovett, Mediaite, @alexweprin and @alexweprin

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Climate Crisis Columnist — Prospect UK

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More News:

Etan Vlessing / Hollywood Reporter:
Apple and Skydance Animation cut a deal for feature films and TV series for Apple TV+, starting with Luck and Spellbound movies and The Search for WondLa series

Discussion: /Film, The Wrap, Deadline, ComingSoon.net, 9to5Mac and Collider

Brian Steinberg / Variety:
WarnerMedia, known for Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, plans a preschool brand, Cartoonito, and will work to attract more young girls and families as viewers

Discussion: Ad Age

New York Times:
Indian court clears journalist Priya Ramani of defamation after she made sexual harassment accusations against M.J. Akbar, the ex-EIC of Asian Age

Discussion: @tanvi_madan, @karan_singhs, @nilanjanaroy, @actionaiduk and @sominisengupta

Declan Walsh / New York Times:
Freelance journalist Theo Padnos publishes Blindfold, an account of the almost two years he spent captured by jihadi kidnappers in Syria

Cathy Applefeld Olson / Forbes:
20 music streaming services have paid $424M+ in historical unmatched royalties to Mechanical Licensing Collective; Apple paid $163M, Spotify $153M, Amazon $42M

Discussion: @davidclowery, @legrandnetwork, @zoecello, @lucas_shaw and @crispinhunt, more at Techmeme »

Earlier Picks:

Greg Evans / Deadline:
CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin announces she is leaving the network in April; she has been with the network since 2008

Discussion: @brookebaldwin, @wolfblitzer and @gloriaborger

Max Willens / Digiday:
Forbes quietly launched its first-party data platform ForbesOne in 2020, which it says it can be used to reach about 40% of its audience

Discussion: MediaPost

Vox Media:
Swati Sharma is named editor-in-chief of Vox, starting next month, taking over from Lauren Williams; Sharma is currently managing editor at The Atlantic

Discussion: @swatigauri

David Meyer / Fortune:
TikTok has been hit with a volley of complaints from Europe's consumer protection watchdogs over “misleading” privacy practices and “ambiguous” terms

Discussion: Washington Post and MediaPost

From Techmeme:

Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority:
Source: Google has canceled the development of a second-generation Pixel Tablet, planned for release in 2025, due to concerns that it wouldn't sell very well

Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple is testing a more conversational version of Siri, dubbed “LLM Siri”, with plans to release it in spring 2026 as part of iOS 19 and macOS 16

Kent Walker / The Keyword:
Google says the DOJ's “wildly overbroad proposal goes miles beyond the Court's decision”, would hurt US consumers, and jeopardize the US' global tech leadership

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