Top News:
Jason Scott / Bloomberg:
Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says he will hold talks with Zuckerberg to “see if there's a pathway forward”, but says news legislation will go ahead — - ‘The world is watching us very closely,’ says Treasurer — News content law expected to pass through parliament next week
Discussion:
@sarafischer, New York Times, Insider, @larakiara, @kenroth, @maximillian_alv, @baekdal, @baekdal, @baekdal, @pomeranian99, @baekdal, BBC and Wall Street Journal, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: NEW: @Chartbeat says outside traffic to Australian news sites has fallen day-over-day by over 20% — “And looks like it's fallen a bit more in recent hours.” — Also large drop in traffic from readers within Australia. 10 percentage pt drop of visits from within Australia since ban
Damien Cave / New York Times: Facebook's New Look in Australia: News and Hospitals Out, Aliens Still In
Insider: Facebook's news ban has crushed traffic for Australian publishers, and news execs elsewhere are bracing for wider global fallout
Lara O'Reilly / @larakiara: .@perlberg and I spoke to publishers about how they're watching Facebook's Australia news ban with some unease. The sense is that this won't be the last of these legal tussles globally https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...
Kenneth Roth / @kenroth: Facebook wanted to make a point by depriving Australians of access to news on its site if the government was going to make it pay for offering news, but it acted irresponsibly, billing itself as a community bulletin board but removing key community notices https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Maximillian Alvarez / @maximillian_alv: This story is fucking nuts. Corporate domination of the internet is a disaster https://www.nytimes.com/...
Thomas Baekdal / @baekdal: So media companies in Australia say that they have lost 20% of their traffic after Facebook blocked them ... this also means that this is the value of Facebook to publishers. They generate 20% of their on-site revenue + an unknown percentage of conversions to subscribers.
Thomas Baekdal / @baekdal: BTW: The 20% is from @larakiara's article: https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...
Thomas Baekdal / @baekdal: This is what is called ‘check mate’ ... Because the next time a newspaper says that Facebook needs to pay them, they can just point to this number and say: “but we are already generating 20% of your traffic/revenue” ... while news is only 4% of our platform https://twitter.com/...
Clive Thompson / @pomeranian99: A good synthesis of the three main ways Australians have responded to Facebook turning off news (and many other types of info): https://www.nytimes.com/...
Thomas Baekdal / @baekdal: I should add, in the above tweet, I meant “20% of the onsite **advertising** revenue” ... not the total revenue that a publisher has from all revenue sources.
Mike Cherney / Wall Street Journal: Facebook Surprises Australians With News Blackout
RELATED:
Mike Masnick / Techdirt:
Facebook's refusal to pay a misguided media tax, pushed by Rupert Murdoch, is a defense of the open web and criticizing it for rejecting a link tax is bizarre — None of this should have been a surprise. Back in September we wrote about Facebook publicly saying that if Australia went forward …
Discussion:
@mmasnick, Financial Times, @zenjournalist, @saramorrison, @theophite, @lachlan, @hughhewitt, @mmasnick, @mmasnick, @mmasnick, @robpegoraro, @emilybell, @emilybell, @foofdawg, @likpiara, @hkanji, @benthompson, @emilybell, @evan_greer, @bobbyallyn, @randyebarnett, @wexler, @mathewi, TechCrunch, New York Post and @katecrawford, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Mike Masnick / @mmasnick: I got tired of responding to every bad take regarding the Facebook Australia news on Twitter, and have now written a longer post about it. Just don't try to share it on FB in Australia. https://www.techdirt.com/...
Andrew MacGregor Marshall / @zenjournalist: Another good post on why the Australian government and Murdoch empire brought the Facebook debacle on themselves https://www.techdirt.com/...
Sara Morrison / @saramorrison: @emilybell @mmasnick @foofdawg @robpegoraro Facebook has already said that they used a “broad definition” of what pages should be banned because they thought the law didn't “provide clear guidance.” This was intentional.
One Wag / @theophite: the tech industry has built infrastructure for every country on earth, and unlike every other product but like things like roads, virtually everyone uses it for free, but unlike every other member of that category, no individual country can regulate it https://www.techdirt.com/...
Lachlan Markay / @lachlan: “But here, a bunch of lazy newspaper execs who failed to adapt and to figure out better internet business models not only want the traffic, they also want to get paid for it.” https://www.techdirt.com/...
Hugh Hewitt / @hughhewitt: I hadn't been following the @FB clash Down Under until this AM, and am glad @KateOHareWrites sent this along before I reacted. The #BigTech wars always have multiple sides to them. https://www.techdirt.com/...
Mike Masnick / @mmasnick: @robpegoraro Right, but they put those back up, and part of the reason they went down in the first place was the very broad/vague description of news in the bill.
Mike Masnick / @mmasnick: I just had to ring the bell hanging over my desk, as for the first time in my life, I've convinced someone to change their opinion on this here internet. https://twitter.com/...
Mike Masnick / @mmasnick: @emilybell @foofdawg @robpegoraro The health pages were still available. I don't get this line of argument at all.
Rob Pegoraro / @robpegoraro: @mmasnick I would have respected Facebook more in this case if they had outright exited Australia. Or if they had at least implemented this ban without taking out a bunch of state and local government pages in the process.
Emily Bell / @emilybell: @mmasnick @robpegoraro But the bill isn't law. They didn't have to take anything down at all yet. There is time built in for clarification and exit even after it has passed into law.....
Emily Bell / @emilybell: @mmasnick @foofdawg @robpegoraro Not last night they weren't - owner of Queensland public health page posted about it. So did the First Nations media network who lost half their sites. Everyone knows it was a disorderly mess - Facebook deleted their *own page*
@foofdawg: @emilybell @mmasnick @robpegoraro If something is about to become costly or illegal, you generally don't want to wait until the last moment to make sure you aren't being charged or doing something illegal. They got out ahead of the problem like most business are encouraged to do when there's regulations changes?
Malik Piara / @likpiara: This article is enlightening and changed the opinion I had of Facebook in the Facebook/Australia matter. https://twitter.com/...
Hussein Kanji / @hkanji: We can argue about whether or not Facebook is “compatible with democracy” but the simple facts of the situation are that Australia - pushed heavily by Rupert Murdoch - has decided to put in place a plan to tax Google and Facebook for any links to news https://www.techdirt.com/...
Ben Thompson / @benthompson: I think what is illuminating about this story is the breathtaking dishonesty of many Facebook critics. It's probably worth keeping in mind to what extent the “whatever side Facebook is on is the wrong one” heuristic applies to other more difficult to understand stories as well. https://twitter.com/...
Emily Bell / @emilybell: @foofdawg @mmasnick @robpegoraro That's just nonsense. There are clear guidelines and a timetable for compliance. The bill hasn't yet passed, Facebook pulled a stunt which had unintended consequences of knocking out public health pages in a pandemic (!). It's not defensible
Evan Greer / @evan_greer: I agree that Facebook's business model is incompatible with democracy and basic human rights. But imposing a tax on linking to news articles is incompatible with an open Internet. Facebook has too much power. The Australian law is stupid. Pretty simple.. https://www.techdirt.com/...
Bobby Allyn / @bobbyallyn: “This fight was not ‘Facebook v. Australia.’ Or ‘Facebook v. journalism’ even though some ignorant or dishonest people are making it out to be the case. This was always ‘Rupert Murdoch v. the open web.’ https://twitter.com/...
Randy Barnett / @randyebarnett: “Australia is saying it wants to tax links to news on Facebook, and Facebook responds in the exact way any reasonable economist would predict: it says that's just not worth it and bans links. That's not incompatible with democracy....” https://www.techdirt.com/...
Nu Wexler / @wexler: “We may not like Facebook in the role of the defender of the open web ... But Facebook saying that it won't pay a link tax is a defense of the open web and against Rupert Murdoch. It's the right move ...” https://www.techdirt.com/...
Mathew Ingram / @mathewi: I agree with @mmasnick on the law, but Facebook is the worst possible defender of the open web. It's like saying foxes are the best defenders of the chicken coop. FB has done everything possible to bury links, keep people inside their walled garden, and block interoperability https://twitter.com/...
Daniel Hurst / The Guardian:
In a media diversity hearing, ex-PM Kevin Rudd said that Australian politicians are afraid of Murdoch media; a News Corp exec dismissed Rudd's claims — Former PM says his fear of the Murdoch empire persisted during his time in office and only subsided after he left
Discussion:
Aidan Wondracz / Associated Press: Secrets of Rupert Murdoch: Bitter dumped PM Kevin Rudd reveals what Australia's most powerful media tycoon is REALLY like ... and claims there's only THREE things he cares about in life
news.com.au: Media diversity inquiry: News Corp executives Michael Miller and Campbell Reid give evidence
@acgrayling: The vaccine against Murdoch virus: Ban foreign ownership of press. Ban cross-media ownership: either print or broadcast, not both. “Kevin Rudd says Australian politicians ‘frightened’ of ‘Murdoch media beast’ in Senate inquiry” https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Tim Walker / @thattimwalker: Politicians in this country are too craven, corrupt and compromised to even admit we have a serious problem with Murdoch. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Cam Wilson / Gizmodo Australia: Kevin Rudd Says Australia Will Become The US In 10 Years Due To Rupert Murdoch
Paul Osborne / Blue Mountains Gazette: Ex-PM Rudd set sights on media diversity
David Thorpe / The Fifth Estate: We need a vaccine for the climate misinformation pandemic - and we need to defeat Murdoch
Marion RaeAAP / The West Australian: Media code entrenches Murdoch empire: Rudd
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
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, Nieman Lab, Splice, @campbell_brown, @jeffjarvis, Bloomberg, Washington Post, Poynter, ABC, The Lightbulb, @dylanbyers, Futuro Lento, 9News, Sydney Morning Herald, CNBC, OneZero, CNN, Just Security, Hollywood Reporter, The Guardian, @nickfeik, CityAM, @troyhunt, @brokep, What's New in Publishing, @joshfrydenberg, Beyond Search, Journalism.co.uk, Mumbrella, The Wrap, @benedictevans, Slate, @matthewstoller, @caseynewton, AdNews News, New York Post, BBC, Snopes.com, Insider, @mikeisaac, wan-ifra.org, New Republic, @aaschapiro, Reuters, Webworm with David Farrier, Reason, @mja_editor, @campbell_brown, @davidleyonhjelm, @damiancollins, TechCrunch, @martynmcl, @mmasnick, @tomtaylormade, @karaswisher, @zaidjilani, The Status Kuo, The Verge, @jeffjarvis, @rasmus_kleis, @daphnehk, @_claireconnelly, @jayrosen_nyu, Vox, @mattburgess1, Fast Forward, @jonahstein, National Review, @dailypostdan, Marketing Land, @belindajones68, Media Nation, Fortune, Light Reading, Are You Engaged?, The Muffin por Mauricio …, @normative, @oliviasolon, @matt_hopcraft, @dgisserious, @kmbaussie, @emilybell, @mikarv, @pt, @kashhill, @emilybell, @itsbouquet, Digiday, @jamesrbuk, @profgalloway, @peterbale, @bobbyallyn, @jakefmooney, @timmarchman, @juhasaarinen, @campbell_brown, @katecrawford, @jeffreyatucker, @erratarob, @jerusalem_post, @deadline, MediaNama and Foreign Policy, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab: In Australia, Facebook's ban on sharing news stories has sent publishers' traffic tumbling
Campbell Brown / @campbell_brown: We've reluctantly made the decision to restrict the availability of news on Facebook in Australia. Our goal was to find resolution that strengthened collaboration with publishers, but the legislation fails to recognize fundamental relationship between us & news organizations
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: Google just announced a deal with News Corp. I hate this. It means that media blackmail works. It sets a terrible precedent for the net. It gives Google yet more power over news. It is a win for the devil, Murdoch. I really hate that.
Natalia Drozdiak / Bloomberg: Europe Publishers Turn Up Heat on Facebook After Australia Spat
Cat Zakrzewski / Washington Post: The Technology 202: Facebook's ban on Australian news triggers greater scrutiny of its vast power
Tom Jones / Poynter: What was Ted Cruz thinking? It's a bad look for the Texas senator, especially when his wife's texts became the subject of news reports
Adam Haworth / The Lightbulb: Facebook is battling Australia and everything's stupid
Dylan Byers / @dylanbyers: Facebook breaks from Google in Australia policy: “In response to Australia's proposed new Media Bargaining law, Facebook will restrict publishers and people in Australia from sharing or viewing Australian and international news content.” https://about.fb.com/...
Edoardo Maggio / Futuro Lento: Futuro Lento 🎲 #6 … La frase qua sopra è di Jim Barksdale, ex amministratore delegato e presidente di Netscape.
Sarah Swain / 9News: Emergency and health Facebook pages starting to return after ‘inadvertent’ bans
Sam Shead / CNBC: It will ‘annoy a huge group of the population’: How Australians have responded to Facebook's news ban
Will Oremus / OneZero: Facebook Just Banned News in Australia. Like, All of It.
Rebecca Hamilton / Just Security: Facebook's Unconscionable Action in Australia - and What It Means for the Rest of the World
Abid Rahman / Hollywood Reporter: Australia's Leader Vows to Press Ahead With Content Law Despite Facebook Block on News
The Guardian: Misinformation runs rampant as Facebook says it may take a week before it unblocks some pages
Nick Feik / @nickfeik: This was posted around an hour before FB blocked most major Australian sites: https://twitter.com/...
James Warrington / CityAM: Screenshot: Will Facebook regret going nuclear over Australian news?
Troy Hunt / @troyhunt: From what I understand of the proposed legislation, it's a bit batty and seems to be driven by big media seeking to capitalise on something we take for granted as part of social media - sharing news. Gutsy of FB to pull the pin like this. More form them: https://about.fb.com/...
Peter Sunde Kolmisoppi / @brokep: Facebook got trump elected. Then they got Biden elected. They have proven they decide our politics, not the other way around. This is not a showdown, this is a showoff. https://twitter.com/...
Josh Frydenberg / @joshfrydenberg: This morning, I had a constructive discussion with Mark Zuckerberg from #Facebook. He raised a few remaining issues with the Government's news media bargaining code and we agreed to continue our conversation to try to find a pathway forward.
Stephen E. Arnold / Beyond Search: Facebook Decision Sparks Colorful Language
Marcela Kunova / Journalism.co.uk: Facebook ban on news in Australia: “It caught us completely off guard”
Benedict Evans / @benedictevans: The Australian newspapers are proposing that that Google and Facebook pay them 10% of revenue. https://twitter.com/...
Matt Stoller / @matthewstoller: Facebook has also banned the ENTIRE WORLD from getting Australian news content. Holy shit. https://twitter.com/...
Casey Newton / @caseynewton: Australia's dumb and bad ‘bargaining code’ with platforms is coming soon to a country near you. So we should probably talk about how dumb and bad it is https://www.platformer.news/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Mariam Cheik-Hussein / AdNews News: What the Facebook news ban means for Australian publishers
Rachel Bovard / New York Post: Australia took a stand against Facebook — and got silenced
Bethania Palma / Snopes.com: Did Facebook Ban Its Own Page in Australia?
Lauren Johnson / Insider: Publishers brace for a potential Facebook traffic crash after Australia ban
Rat King / @mikeisaac: Big news: Hours after Google cut a deal with News Corp, Facebook pulls the trigger and restricts publishers and people from sharing news links in Australia https://about.fb.com/...
Elizabeth Shilpa / wan-ifra.org: Facebook restricts users in Australia from sharing or viewing newslinks
Jacob Silverman / New Republic: Facebook Is a Global Mafia
Avi Asher-Schapiro / @aaschapiro: Though FB is getting much of the attention in the Australia story, this move by Google is notable: Google “buried” Australian news in search results, as part of its lobbying campaign against the social media/news law. Google called it an “experiment.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Byron Kaye / Reuters: Facebook ‘unfriends’ Australia: news pages go dark in test for global publishing
David Farrier / Webworm with David Farrier: Why Facebook decided to kill the news
Scott Shackford / Reason: Everybody's Wrong About the Facebook/Murdoch Standoff in Australia
@mja_editor: MJA, the country's leading peer-reviewed general medical journal, has been blocked by Facebook. Our Facebook page provides vital information - not just to doctors, academics and researchers, but also to the general public who follow our page. Dangerous precedent. Unconscionable. https://twitter.com/...
Campbell Brown / @campbell_brown: I hope in the future, we can include news for people in Australia once again. For now, we continue to be focused on bringing Facebook News and other new products to more countries. We will continue to invest heavily in news around the world. More here: https://www.facebook.com/...
David Leyonhjelm / @davidleyonhjelm: Media: You are stealing our content and must pay. Facebook: We'll stop stealing it then. Media: That's unreasonable. You must pay. https://twitter.com/...
Damian Collins / @damiancollins: The spreaders of hate speech & disinformation can do their worst in Australia, it's the real news Mark Zuckerberg is stopping you from sharing. Facebook is protecting profits at the expense of democracy, so we need to stand up for each other in this fight https://www.smh.com.au/...
Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch: Facebook applies overly broad content block in flex against Australia's planned news reuse law
Martyn McLaughlin / @martynmcl: Facebook's contempt for journalism has always been hidden in plain sight, but this shows just how far it'll go to protect its profits at the expense of established democracies. Australia may call its bluff, but checking Big Tech's power requires a focused, multilateral effort. https://twitter.com/...
Mike Masnick / @mmasnick: This is literally not an admission of monopoly power. This is such a bad take. Facebook is not “threatening to bring an entire country to its knees” it's a country saying “you need to pay to link” and Facebook responding by saying “okay, that's a bad deal, so we're out.” https://twitter.com/...
Tom Taylor / @tomtaylormade: All because Murdoch wants Facebook to pay him. This government has done so much damage for their overlord. https://twitter.com/...
Kara Swisher / @karaswisher: As @mmasnick says, this is a lot more complex than the first react. That said: Cloddish execution of negotiations by Facebook makes them look real evil. Which is amazing given News Corp. is run by Rupert “Uncle Satan” Murdoch . https://twitter.com/...
Zaid Jilani / @zaidjilani: Why is a capital strike by Facebook being treated as like a florist blog banning a commenter or something? Facebook has a dominating presence over the Internet and is a major component of economics and governance. Its Standard Oil or the railroads in 2021... https://twitter.com/...
Jay / The Status Kuo: Facebook Just Unfriended All of Australia. Is this a Sign of Trouble Ahead for the Company?
Casey Newton / The Verge: Why Google caved to Australia, and Facebook didn't
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: Hey, @guardian, be careful what you lobby for — especially when you do it along the devil Murdoch. Australia politics live: ‘Facebook was wrong’ to block pages in news ban, Josh Frydenberg says https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Rasmus Kleis Nielsen / @rasmus_kleis: Wow. Let's see what happens next. https://twitter.com/...
Daphne Keller / @daphnehk: I would like to see a wealth transfer from platforms to news organizations. I don't see how this system gets us to the right math for that. Not sure how this deals with the definition of worthy news orgs, either. Definitely everyone's mad though. So it has that in its favor. https://twitter.com/...
Claire Connelly / @_claireconnelly: 'Missing from almost every article I have read about the code is how it will actually benefit journalism. Based on my reading of the code, there's no requirement that any subsidy given from the platforms to the publishers be spent on news gathering at all' https://www.platformer.news/ ...
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: “For journalism to become more sustainable in the long run, it can't rely on handouts from the biggest tech companies of the moment to the biggest publishers of the moment.” https://www.platformer.news/ ... @CaseyNewton's smart read on the Australian law that targets the plarforms.
Sara Morrison / Vox: Why Facebook banned news in Australia
Matt Burgess / @mattburgess1: Wow. Facebook is blocking news publishers in Australia over plans to make tech firms pay for news content. Publishers: can't share or post on their Pages People in Australia: cannot view or share Australian or international news content on Facebook https://about.fb.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Jonah Stein / @jonahstein: @profgalloway All Australia is doing is forcing Facebook and Google to pay Rupert Murdock. I like the precedent here but there are no winners I can champion.
Zachary Evans / National Review: Facebook Bans Australians from Sharing News in Response to Law Forcing Payment for Journalism
Dan McGarry / @dailypostdan: You didn't ‘restrict the availability of news in Australia’. You blocked Australian news globally. You also blocked govt public health and safety, and weather sites. You blocked literary sites. You blocked Pacific islands news. But you left the anti-vax stuff. Stay classy. https://twitter.com/...
Kim Davis / Marketing Land: The effects of Google's search choice screen, Facebook's Aussie decision: Thursday's daily brief
@belindajones68: Well, that went well 'eh @JoshFrydenberg? Your ‘constructive’ discussions are about as successful as your mathematics. 🐝 #auspol #qt https://twitter.com/...
Dan Kennedy / Media Nation: The standoff in Australia shows why Google needs news more than Facebook does
Danielle Abril / Fortune: The news Down Under — In the face of proposed regulation in Australia that would require tech giants …
Robert Clark / Light Reading: Facebook cuts off Australia news over new rules
Mauricio Cabrera / The Muffin por Mauricio Cabrera: Facebook Antijournalism Project
Julian Sanchez / @normative: The government decided to impose a cost on X; a company decided X wasn't worth that cost, so they've stopped doing it. This is not necessarily extortion; maybe the product just isn't that valuable to them. https://twitter.com/...
Olivia Solon / @oliviasolon: From now on, Australians will only get news via status updates from their uncle Carl who is ‘just asking questions’ about MSM https://twitter.com/...
@matt_hopcraft: Strange decision to say that the Bureau of Meteorology is a publisher? https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Danny Gold / @dgisserious: Australia is the *perfect* place for Facebook to go back to its real roots as a site where people go to post vacation bathing suit photos and other people go to look at those photos https://twitter.com/...
@kmbaussie: Don't believe this BS. Australian media companies tried to shake Facebook down by using the govt to force social media to party for content that they never asked to be posted on their platforms. Google compromised. Facebook wants the smoke. Instead of caving, they blocked it. https://twitter.com/...
Emily Bell / @emilybell: @evelyndouek Given literally anything on Facebook can self-certify as ‘news media’ - everything that has done so in Australia is now blocked ...that we can find ...good news! No more Epoch Times!! Bad news, your college paper, your health website, your parish magazine ....also gone!!
Michael Veale / @mikarv: try market based regulatory solutions in monopolies and, weird thing! the market (let's call him mark for short) can choose not to buy anything! https://twitter.com/...
Parker / @pt: Are we really using “deplatforming” to describe businesses reacting to bad legislation by adjusting their business to discontinue now-unprofitable lines of business? Can we please just continue calling that Capitalism? https://twitter.com/...
Emily Bell / @emilybell: Just a note my colleague reminded me of. The law Facebook is ‘reacting to’ by wiping all news-like links off its platform, including weather and health services, college papers, community news- has not been enacted yet.....
Coalition Tea Lady / @itsbouquet: That worked well ... https://twitter.com/...
Kate Kaye / Digiday: 'I'm afraid of repercussions': Publishing industry members question Google's motives in paying off News Corp
James Ball / @jamesrbuk: What a backdrop for our @EJNetwork debate tomorrow night at 6:30pm - Who controls the messengers? Regulating journalism and social media while protecting free speech Feat: @jilliancyork, @arusbridger and @carolecadwalla, chair: @MeeraSelva1 https://www.eventbrite.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Scott Galloway / @profgalloway: Imagine America w/testicles 🇦🇺 https://twitter.com/...
@peterbale: @rasmus_kleis It's regrettable that there'll be no journalistic counterweight to misinformation. Publishers deliberately rejected FB news tab, hoping they'd get more from ACC. Just tried to post an SMH story on misinformation. Can't. https://twitter.com/...
Bobby Allyn / @bobbyallyn: Useful context in light of FB's decision to restrict news articles in Australia: The evidence gathered by House investigators outlining how FB has many major news publishers by the scruff of their neck: https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Jake Mooney / @jakefmooney: @timmarchman Also has the phrase “with a heavy heart” ever been used in a way that felt sincere?
Tim Marchman / @timmarchman: It literally has the tone of the UN regretfully announcing it's cut off oxygen shipments to the Martian colonies and it's like ... you realize you're just an app old people use not a world-bestriding power, don't you
Twenty Twenty One / @juhasaarinen: @ErrataRob No... it's a bill. Law not passed yet. Facebook is blocking Australian news for everyone, and international news for Australians. Not sure yet how far the block goes, but sharing links is certainly gone.
Campbell Brown / @campbell_brown: We were prepared to launch Facebook News in Australia and significantly increase our investments with local publishers, however, we were only prepared to do this with the right rules in place. We will now prioritize investments to other countries.
Kate Crawford / @katecrawford: It happened: Facebook just went off the deep end in Australia. They are blocking *all* news content to Australians, and *no* Australian media can post news. This is what showdowns between states and platforms look like. It's deplatforming at scale. https://about.fb.com/...
Jeffrey A Tucker / @jeffreyatucker: This is just incredible. It could really hurt traffic for Australian media sources. The upside is that people who turn to other aggregators — as they should have long ago. https://twitter.com/...
@erratarob: Uh, no. Australia passed a law that charged Facebook to link to news sites. So Facebook didn't want to pay, so stopped linking to news sites. https://twitter.com/...
@jerusalem_post: #Facebook Inc will block news content from being read and shared in its news feed in #Australia, drawing a line in the sand against a proposed Australian law that would require it and Alphabet Inc's Google to pay the country's news publishers for content. https://www.jpost.com/...
Deadline Hollywood / @deadline: Facebook will restrict publishers and users in Australia from sharing or viewing Australian and international news content as the Parliament there debates a law that would force tech and social media platforms to pay more for journalism on their sites https://deadline.com/...
Casey Newton / Platformer:
Banning Australian news makes sense for Facebook and may prompt people to visit news sites directly; Google's payoffs, though, will invite global shakedowns
Discussion:
The Guardian, @jayrosen_nyu, New York Times, @adamkovac, @nxthompson, Bloomberg, Quartz, CNBC, Institutional Economics, @hunterwalk, @alecstapp, @sarthakgh, The Information, @caseynewton, @gadyepstein, Financial Times, @s8mb, @journalismfest, @caseynewton, @emilybell, @emilybell, @emilybell, @emilybell, @emilybell, @karaswisher, @waxy, American Press Institute, @beneltham, @evadienel, @_claireconnelly, @evanspw, @joshelman, @swesterman, @gaberivera, @laurenweinstein, @adamnash, Breitbart and Beyond Search
Discussion:
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: ... @jeffjarvis isn't having any. https://galley.cjr.org/... https://twitter.com/...
Kara Swisher / New York Times: A New-Media Showdown in Australia
Adam Kovacevich / @adamkovac: Heck, @newscorp's Robert Thomson explicitly *thanked* the Australian politicians who did News Corp's bidding: https://www.businesswire.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
@nxthompson: “I think Facebook basically did the right thing, and Google basically did the wrong thing.” @CaseyNewton on the Australian social media news (and the misguided apoplexy it has caused) today. https://www.platformer.news/ ...
Saheli Roy Choudhury / CNBC: Facebook's move to restrict Australian publishers was a ‘nuclear option,’ expert says
Stephen Kirchner / Institutional Economics: The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism
Alec Stapp / @alecstapp: This line in @CaseyNewton's piece 👀👀👀 “Australia's treasurer was also ‘the best man at the wedding of Ryan Stokes, who is a son of Kerry Stokes, the billionaire owner of Seven West Media, one of the companies that have reached a deal with Google.’” https://www.platformer.news/ ...
Sar Haribhakti / @sarthakgh: “I think Facebook basically did the right thing, and Google basically did the wrong thing...” Clear-eyed take! Exchange of value doesn't always have to mean getting paid directly! That traffic publishers are desperate for comes from FB's loyal userbase https://www.platformer.news/ ... https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Martin Peers / The Information: Australia Kerfuffle Wins Facebook Friends: The Information's Tech Briefing
Casey Newton / @caseynewton: By request, I've also taken yesterday's members-only piece about Australia's bargaining code and made it free for all to read: https://www.platformer.news/ ...
Gady Epstein / @gadyepstein: This is such backwards logic. Jeff is of course right that most newspapers acted like dinosaurs (that may be an insult to dinosaurs). But a meteor was coming. And if you think starting a Next Door in one metro area was a viable biz strategy, you're misreading platform economics https://twitter.com/...
Sam Bowman / @s8mb: I mean, look at this. “Bringing an entire country to its knees” by, uh, not linking to news articles it was being forced to pay for. This is the kind of feverish nonsense that some sections of the anti-Big Tech world have embraced. It's bananas. https://twitter.com/...
Journalism Festival / @journalismfest: “I don't know a single journalist who feels comfortable with social networks being anyone's primary source of news ... Strange to see so many people insisting that Facebook is obligated to share publishers' content, on whatever terms” writes @CaseyNewton https://www.platformer.news/ ...
Casey Newton / @caseynewton: The thing about Australia's deal with Google — and one it might still reach with Facebook — is that it's bad for *journalism*. https://www.platformer.news/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Emily Bell / @emilybell: Final thought ordering on the FB/Aus issue. 1. Facebook is entirely within its rights to remove any /all links and pages from its platform so it doesn't have to pay a link tax on news.(Even though it already does exactly this for news tab, which is ad hoc and discretionary)
Emily Bell / @emilybell: 2. But the manner and timing of the removal was potentially damaging, and reckless. It removed many items that were not news (like healthcare sites, community pages) and news that is a long way outside the corporate media - eg half all pages in First Nation media network
Emily Bell / @emilybell: 7. The interaction of news services with platforms, the distribution of news services, the support for journalism needs regulation. The Aus act might not be the right law, but, arguably it is better than no law. More enforceable civic obligations are needed not fewer //
Emily Bell / @emilybell: 5. Facebook is not civically minded. It is commercially minded. It does not care about harm that flows from its actions, it cares about the commercial liability that accompanies it. And, Facebook does not care about news or misinformation. It cares about perception.
Emily Bell / @emilybell: 4. If Facebook were a civically minded company it could still legitimately withdraw news links from Australia. However in order to fulfill a basic duty of care to its users and all citizens it would have done it in an *entirely* different way. With notice, and care.
Kara Swisher / @karaswisher: This is exactly right. Murdoch, as always, is the satanic villain here, though FB looks bad due to its execution of this and also the distrust it has engendered over the years. https://twitter.com/...
@waxy: Facebook calls Australia's bluff, bans external links to Australian news media: I can't believe I'm siding with Facebook on any issue, but forcing platforms to pay publishers for links to their sites... https://www.platformer.news/ ...
Ben Eltham / @beneltham: Good analysis here by Casey Newton https://www.platformer.news/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Eva Dienel / @evadienel: Ok, so this deeper dive is interesting and gets into political cronyism that's happening behind the scenes in Oz. Also offers some good alternatives on how to ensure money from any regulation would actually go into journalism: https://www.platformer.news/ .... https://twitter.com/...
Claire Connelly / @_claireconnelly: 'I wish Australia would take Facebook's rejection as a sign to rethink its approach to media regulation entirely. It could just tax companies based on their revenues, for example. And earmark those revenues to support journalism — nonprofit public media.' https://www.platformer.news/ ...
Peter Evans / @evanspw: Part 3 of the Casey Newton piece pretty on the money. https://twitter.com/...
@joshelman: Gosh I remember in 2009 when I first met @AndreaBreannaNY and we dreamed of what HuffingtonPost could do with Facebook to share more news and content. There was almost no news then. It has come a long way.... and now this whoa https://www.platformer.news/ ...
Scott Westerman / @swesterman: @CaseyNewton on how Facebook and Google are taking very different approaches as Australia tries to make them pay publishers for the right to share links to news content. Feels a lot like my Cable days when the sports networks held us hostage. https://www.platformer.news/ ...
Lauren Weinstein / @laurenweinstein: @gaberivera This is the key point. Once you start down the road of pay-to-link, the entire underpinning of the Web collapses. Competition reduces vastly, and small players are frozen out. Users by and large don't have a clue of how much they have to lose in this battle.
Adam Nash / @adamnash: Good read on the situation w/ @Facebook @Google and Australia by @CaseyNewton. Surprised this isn't more of a diplomatic issue between the US & Australia. https://www.platformer.news/ ...
Simon Kent / Breitbart: Australia PM Scott Morrison Tells ‘Arrogant’ Facebook: Respect Democracy, Prepare for Regulation
Stephen E. Arnold / Beyond Search: Alphabet Google: Rambling, Scrambling, and Managing
Benedict Evans:
Australia's proposal for media compensation, which covers raw link sharing, is presented as a competition case when it's actually a tech tax and media subsidy
Discussion:
@carnage4life, Quration, @mrdenmore, @noam, @techreview, @sub8u, @globalnews, @eric_seufert, @journalismfest, @benedictevans, @adamnash, @jackshafer, @katebevan, @kayjebelli, @modestproposal1, @mcannonbrookes, @benedictevans, @spignal, @dicktofel, @raju, @mlothianmclean and The Drum, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Dare Obasanjo / @carnage4life: This post captures the biggest problem with GDPR and various platform privacy changes. Making personalized ads less relevant for privacy reasons hurts media sites more than big tech. This makes them more reliant on government lobbying and subscriptions https://www.ben-evans.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Simon Betschel / Quration: Quration 25: The Pursuit of Truth
Mr Denmore / @mrdenmore: Journos saying Google & Facebook should ‘pay for news’ should read this from tech guru @benedictevans “If all links have value, why should only newspapers be paid?” If PI journalism is important then the answer is a public subsidy not competition law. https://www.ben-evans.com/...
Noam Bardin / @noam: @benedictevans is spot on in the Australia debate. Publishers have tremendous traffic due to Google/FB and their own content. They need to figure out how to monetize it, like any other business and not tax those who have. https://www.ben-evans.com/...
@techreview: This is a thread about how Australia has become the battleground for a power struggle between governments and Big Tech, as explained in today's Download newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/... https://twitter.com/...
Subrahmanyam Kvj / @sub8u: Very cogent and spot-on read from @benedictevans on the new Australian law on asking Google/FB to pay for links! Our dislike for Facebook doesn't mean we develop a liking for utterly stupid regulation. Dumb can't replace evil! https://www.ben-evans.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@globalnews: The outcome could be similar if Canada joins Australia and other countries in pushing Google, Facebook and other internet giants to pay publishers for news content. https://globalnews.ca/...
Eric Seufert / @eric_seufert: 2/ @benthompson's daily update is the best starting point for background on the topic. @benedictevans also provides trenchant analysis. Essentially: Google capitulated & cut a deal with News Corp, FB simply called the Australian govt's bluff https://www.ben-evans.com/...
Journalism Festival / @journalismfest: “If all links have value, why should only newspapers be paid? ...newspapers are worth more to society! They deserve it! Well, perhaps they do - but ‘we like them more’ is not a competition law argument. It's an argument for a subsidy from public funds” https://www.ben-evans.com/...
Benedict Evans / @benedictevans: No-one pays to link. No-one has ever paid to link. This was nothing to do with market power. The honest argument would be ‘we could never charge for links because the intent was too decentralised, but now there is someone big enough that we can try to make them pay’
Adam Nash / @adamnash: This post by @benedictevans eviscerates the new Australia 🇦🇺 law on paying for news links, and puts the flaws in its logic in sharp relief. https://www.ben-evans.com/...
Jack Shafer / @jackshafer: “Google and Facebook created huge new ad businesses on the internet, that advertisers prefer, and some newspaper companies think that somehow or other they should get some of that money.” —@BenedictEvans https://www.ben-evans.com/...
@katebevan: This is also an interesting read (hat tip to @ruskin147 for this). I tend to agree with the view that Facebook can block links if it wants to and that forcing anyone to pay for links is insane, but the way FB has done this is outrageous. https://www.ben-evans.com/...
Kay Jebelli / @kayjebelli: The reason no one pays to link news content isn't market power, it's because there are hundreds of other sources of content that can be linked to. You're competing with 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘵, a world of content suppliers who would gladly take that free traffic off your hands. https://twitter.com/...
Modest Proposal / @modestproposal1: “Meanwhile, very little of the traffic on Google or Facebook comes from news, and very little advertising appears next to news search results. Google didn't take their money, any more than Boeing took money from the ocean liners. The internet destroyed the model.” https://twitter.com/...
Mike Cannon-Brookes / @mcannonbrookes: “If you do accept the novel theory that links being free for 25y is market failure... a further breach of basic logic: if links have value, why should only newspapers be paid? If links were paid, newspapers' share would be a pittance.” @benedictevans 👏🏻 https://www.ben-evans.com/...
Benedict Evans / @benedictevans: Paying for news. If you want new taxes on the internet, and to subsidise news, do that. But you should be honest and debate it on that basis, instead of basing it on entirely imaginary, Alice-in-Wonderland theories of internet economics." https://www.ben-evans.com/...
Stanley Pignal / @spignal: Newspapers are hopelessly conflicted when it comes to analysing their relationship to Big Tech/paying for links. Luckily @benedictevans is there to spell out what their most lucid editorials might look like. Getting Google or FB to subsidise news is mad. https://www.ben-evans.com/...
Richard Tofel / @dicktofel: Here's the big question coming out of the Australia Divergence: will Google pay only publishers of which they are afraid? Certainly looks that way. And there are too few of those for such deals to change the trajectory of the news business.
Raju Narisetti / @raju: Would be particularly good today if university profs, who are also media critics on either side of @Facebook @Google Australia pay-for-news debate, actively disclose if/what $ they, their projects, depts and schools have/continue to receive, from said tech/social media platforms.
Moya Lothian-Mclean / @mlothianmclean: This is thanks to a wrangle in Australia over getting major news aggregating platforms like Google and Facebook to pay for news, but it seems to just be aiding the existing monopoly, not smaller outlets https://www.google.com/...
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
Discussion:
Andrew Brown / @andrewbrownau: Facebook has banned Facebook's own Facebook page https://twitter.com/...
Nassim Khadem / ABC: Facebook news ban could backfire as media publishers draw communities and advertisers away
Julia Carrie Wong / @juliacarriew: Whatever you think of the proposed bill, Facebook's behavior in Australia should be a clarion call to publishers, government agencies, and any organizations with a public interest purpose that it's time to divest from Facebook as a communication platform https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Mar Hicks / @histoftech: “that's a nice communications system you have there... be a shame if something happened to it.” —fb, probably https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Peter Dahlin / @peterinexile: Funny how @Facebook et al always talk about the need to adjust to local laws, usually as an argument for appeasing dictators in exchange for money. And yet.... https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Rory Medcalf / @rory_medcalf: Grateful that I have barely touched Facebook in years ... https://twitter.com/...
Meaa / @withmeaa: Credible journalism is a check on the spread of misinformation. This irresponsible move by Facebook will encourage the dissemination of fake news, which is particularly dangerous during the COVID pandemic and is a betrayal of its Australian audiences. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Josh Taylor / @joshgnosis: Facebook's news ban hammer having a lot of collateral damage. https://twitter.com/...
Kevin Rudd / @mrkrudd: Morrison's shambolic handling of Facebook demonstrates the perils of enlisting Murdoch to co-design media policy. If we want strong diverse media we need comprehensive policy guided by best evidence. Senate Inquiry on #MurdochRoyalCommission starts Friday. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Carole Cadwalladr / @carolecadwalla: This is too too good https://twitter.com/...
@slpng_giants: .@Facebook would rather ban themselves than ban Steve Bannon. https://twitter.com/...
Josh Taylor / @joshgnosis: Facebook statement just now. They're trying to undo it. https://twitter.com/...
Priyanjana Bengani / @acookiecrumbles: So one can't post Google AMP links either, but https://apple.news/ links go through. https://twitter.com/...
Nicholas McElroy / ABC:
Australian authorities in public health, weather, and other areas say Facebook has removed posts from their feeds following Facebook's news ban
Discussion:
@mikarv, Washington Post, @sallymcmanus, CNN, @eamonnoneill, @yathinkn, @jennymcallister, @senator_patrick, @juliacarriew, @raecooper1, @emilygorcenski, @leesawatego, @abcnews, @nat_whiting, @anetmcc, @emilygorcenski, @andrewbeatty, @andrewbeatty, @sussanley, @sarah_collard_ and @kantrowitz, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Michael Veale / @mikarv: A lot of people are posting examples of sites and links that Facebook is blocking in Australia. I haven't seen someone actually paste the legal text from the Bill at third reading yet defining ‘news’: here it is. And FB is not wrong — *extremely* broad and vague. https://twitter.com/...
Gerrit De Vynck / Washington Post: Australia is demanding tech giants pay for news. Google relented, Facebook didn't
Sally McManus / @sallymcmanus: So @Facebook has blocked access to our website. We are not a news organisation. Australian workers can not now find out about their rights at work via @Facebook. This is disgraceful & needs to be reversed immediately https://twitter.com/...
CNN: ‘Sort this out’: Facebook's chaotic news ban in Australia blocks pages for fire services, charities and politicians
Eamonn O'Neill / @eamonnoneill: This is what happens when a largely unaccountable social media company becomes a global behemoth with the economic resources of a small country and the swagger of a bully. It's not a virtual media war when it's having real consequences for real people. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
@yathinkn: Doubt it was botched at all. FB might be saying some ‘inadvertently’ caught up, but I reckon they did on purpose in relation to the badly worded & over-reaching definition of ‘news’ in the actual legislation to prove a point. https://twitter.com/...
Senator Jenny McAllister / @jennymcallister: Women fleeing domestic violence need more information not less. The Government needs to explain why this has happened on their watch & what they're doing to ensure essential DV services are up & running on Facebook again. #auspol https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Rex Patrick / @senator_patrick: .@Facebook has done a rare thing this morning - they have united the Federal Parliament. #auspol https://www.abc.net.au/...
Julia Carrie Wong / @juliacarriew: you can't check the weather in australia but you can still spread racist propaganda based on a white nationalist conspiracy theory bc that's the facebook we know and love https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Rae Cooper / @raecooper1: From what I can see here today #facebook has blocked access not only to Oz news sites but to domestic and family violence organisations, bushfire information, trade unions, weather reports. All critical services protecting the community. Facebook 🗑, Yours #australia
Leesa Watego / @leesawatego: Looking at First Nations media pages on Facebook. Can't see any NITV posts this morning. Alot of Indigenous communities rely on Facebook for information & news. Let's see how this plays out. 🤔
@abcnews: Facebook is restricting access to news content in Australia - but don't worry, we're still bringing you the latest. Download our news app here: https://www.abc.net.au/app/ https://twitter.com/...
Natalie Whiting / @nat_whiting: #PNG and pacific news watchers, Australian news currently can't be shared on Facebook, including on ABC's @radioaustralia page. With how popular Facebook is for sharing news here, please spread the word that the stories are still available on news websites https://www.abc.net.au/...
Anet McClintock / @anetmcc: Well clearly #Facebook hasn't banned all Australian news media... Pretty nervous about the fact that disinformation pages are now truly the only source of ‘news’ left on the website & the effect on growing right-wing populism in Australia https://twitter.com/...
Emily G / @emilygorcenski: Just absolutely incredible. I never want to hear about how good these people are at algorithms ever again. https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Beatty / @andrewbeatty: Facebook confirms they didn't mean to knock out homepages of Australia emergency response services (in the middle of a pandemic, bushfire and flood warnings) per @robertsonholly https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Beatty / @andrewbeatty: #UPDATE @AFP (Brisbane) Several Australian emergency services have been hit by Facebook's ban on sharing news content Down Under Thursday, with official pages that carry public warnings about Covid outbreaks, bushfires and hurricanes rendered blank.
Sussan Ley / @sussanley: The Bureau of Meteorology's Facebook page has been impacted by the sudden Facebook news content restrictions. Weather info is always available at https://www.bom.gov.au/ and on the #BOM Weather app. @bom_au, @bom_qld, @bom_nsw, @bom_vic, @bom_tas, @bom_sa, @bom_wa @bom_nt
Sarah Collard / @sarah_collard_: It's not just big news orgs bearing the brunt of the News ban by @Facebook. Smaller Indigenous and community media orgs are too. Vital for getting info out about COVID, telecommunications outages and emergencies to communities. https://twitter.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik:
[Thread] In audio obtained by NPR, Chicago Tribune EIC Colin McMahon told staffers that Trib papers make 10-13% profit now and new owner Alden will seek 20%+ — NEWS: Chicago Tribune editor Colin McMahon told staffers - audio obtained by NPR > praises staffers' journalism > calls fears of Alden “valid” > says “space” for mission will be “smaller than it is today” > says Trib papers make 10-13% profits - says Alden will seek 20%+
Discussion:
@nancycbarnes, @mattdpearce, @mattdpearce, @mattstephens, @katieperalta, @mattdpearce, @brendenmoore13, @davidfolkenflik, @pattmlatimes, @samuelaadams, @samaugustdean, @davidfolkenflik, @maxwellstrachan, @mattstephens, @mattdpearce, @hshaban, @davidfolkenflik, @mattdpearce, @nancycbarnes, @mattdpearce, @mattdpearce and Chicago Tribune
Discussion:
Nancy Barnes / @nancycbarnes: @davidfolkenflik They are interested in harvesting cash, and those margins are still better than a lot of other business
@mattdpearce: Even if you're an uptight fiscal conservative who thinks ruthless hedge fund management is just what can whip your local newspaper into its tightest shape so the profits can be sunk into needed growth, I have news for you about where that cash is going. https://dfmworkers.org/... https://twitter.com/...
@mattdpearce: Creative innovation from private industry will always be an option in revolutionizing the business of local news. But last I saw, the hottest new thing in media is an app where executives go to hear themselves talk.
Matt L. Stephens / @mattstephens: People have no idea how crazy profitable some newspapers are. Critics point to downsizing as a sign an outlet is struggling financially. That's often not the case. It's turning a good profit, but its hedge fund owner wants to build its 7th mansion. https://twitter.com/...
Katie Peralta Soloff / @katieperalta: This is so damn depressing. https://twitter.com/...
@mattdpearce: Anyway, yes, this is ultimately a public policy problem. The current policy is capitalist, to encourage newspaper owners to siphon cash out of local newspapers to invest in other more promising industries. The current public policy is *not* to ensure people have good local news.
Brenden Moore / @brendenmoore13: I always tell anyone outside our industry who will listen that it's not that newspapers aren't still profitable. They are. But they're not profitable *enough* ... it's very frustrating. I feel for all the hardworking folks at the @chicagotribune @CTGuild. https://twitter.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: McMahon, con't “With Alden given Alden's track record of how it handles news group, of the digital first media and the titles that belong to those groups, completely aware of that, understand it and would say it's these are all valid concerns.”
Patt Morrison / @pattmlatimes: 20%. This is vampirism, not corporate leadership — going from one victim-company to the next and draining them of blood. https://twitter.com/...
Sam Adams / @samuelaadams: that last bullet point is the killer. It's not that newspapers can't be profitable; it's that new owners jack the margins up to the point it's unsustainable https://twitter.com/...
Sam Dean / @samaugustdean: I've had a lot of conversations with people in tech that eventually circle around to questions about journalism's business model vs the industry's trajectory. Imagine how many companies would be destroyed if new investors regularly demanded 2x margins overnight. https://twitter.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: McMahon Simply hoping a wealthy benefactor steps in is just “dreams and hope” - things Jimenez says he and they cannot control. Says he does not expect federal anti-trust issues.
Maxwell / @maxwellstrachan: way past time to start questioning whether the market is capable of solving such a core democratic problem as the one facing this country's free press https://twitter.com/...
Matt L. Stephens / @mattstephens: It should also be noted that Digital First outlets in the Bay Area and The Denver Post were reportedly operating around a 20% profit margin. That didn't stop Alden from cutting 30% of the newsroom at 5990 Washington in Denver in 2018.
Matt Pearce / @mattdpearce: When journalists talk about Wall Street harvesting newspapers for organs, this is what we're talking about. The Chicago Tribune already has layoffs to hit a 10% profit margin. Now a hedge fund comes in and wants immediate 20% profit margins. And all the rest of us are the losers. https://twitter.com/...
Hamza Shaban / @hshaban: This is like that scene in Mad Men when the British people buy Sterling Cooper and Duck Phillips talks about “financial maturity” and getting rid of the creative people. Bert Cooper says: “I don't think I heard the word client once” https://twitter.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: McMahon: “I acutely feel the stress that people are under the frustration with the way the company has been handling things, the concern and even fear of what is to come.”
Nancy Barnes / @nancycbarnes: @davidfolkenflik You need only look to Denver
@mattdpearce: The tax code could be made more favorable for local publishers or journalist cooperatives; the nation could directly invest in public options, like a stronger local PBS or BBC; advertising monopolies could be regulated to give publishers a fairer shake. These are policy choices.
Georg Szalai / Hollywood Reporter:
Amid a gold rush in the music library space, a look at Hipgnosis, which has spent $1.75B on 129 catalogs, accumulating 60,836 songs, as of the end of January — A former music manager's company has acquired more than 100 publishing catalogs, including a 50 percent stake in Neil Young's …
Discussion:
Jem Aswad / Variety: Beach Boys Sell Controlling Interest in Intellectual Property to Irving Azoff's Iconic Artists Group
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Roku beats with Q4 revenue of $650M vs $615M expected, up 58% YoY, net profit of $65.2M vs an expected loss; 14.3M active accounts were added for FY2020 — Roku grew revenue in the fourth quarter 58%, to a record $649.9 million — and posted a $65.2 million net profit for the quarter, whereas Wall Street had expected a loss.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Roku, @loudmouthjulia, AdExchanger, Light Reading, Ad Age and Deadline, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Julia Alexander / @loudmouthjulia: Quibi: What is dead is never truly dead...or something along those lines. “We [Roku] will begin launching Quibi content later this year” https://ir.roku.com/...
Tony Rifilato / AdExchanger: Roku Has Strongest Quarter Ever As Viewers Flock To Streaming
Jeff Baumgartner / Light Reading: Roku ARPU flies past $28
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Sweden-based podcast host and ad network Acast says it is acquiring RadioPublic; RadioPublic's podcast app will remain live and its team will stay in the US — It already claims to be the biggest everywhere else — Acast, a podcast host and ad network, is looking to improve its tech and broaden its reach.
Discussion:
Anthony Ha / TechCrunch: Acast acquires podcasting startup RadioPublic
Sara Fischer / Axios: Acast acquires podcast tech startup RadioPublic
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
YouTube removed a PewDiePie video critical of Cocomelon, its most-watched children's channel; PewDiePie has aimed at channels that threatened his high rank — - The video ‘Coco’ violated the site's harassment rules — Cocomelon is the most-watched kids' channel on YouTube
Discussion:
Lindsay Dodgson / Insider: YouTube removed PewDiePie's diss track on a kids' channel, saying he violated harassment and child-safety rules
Allison Schonter / Celebrity: PewDiePie's Cocomelon Diss Song ‘Coco,’ Explained
Lucas Shaw / @lucas_shaw: Imagine explaining this sentence to your mom. “The video, titled “Coco,” was an escalation in a long simmering feud between Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, and Cocomelon, a channel that makes animated nursery rhymes.” https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Lucas Shaw / @lucas_shaw: YouTube has taken down a video in which one of its biggest stars, PewDiePie, goes after another of its biggest stars, @cocomelonkids. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
@teamyoutube: @TomWilson2323 (1/2) This video violated two policies: 1) Child safety: by looking like it was made for kids but containing inappropriate content. 2) Harassment: by inciting harassment @ other creators- we allow criticism but this crossed the line. Specific policy details in the image below. https://twitter.com/...
Vivian Wang / New York Times:
Hong Kong replaces head of public broadcaster with civil servant, accuses it of a lack of objectivity, calls for supervision by government-appointed advisers — The broadcaster, Radio Television Hong Kong, is known for independent reporting often critical of the government.
Discussion:
Li Yuan / @liyuan6: Unbelievable how fast Hong Kong's media landscape is changing. Reminded me of the fall of Southern Weekend in early 2013. Then everything else followed. https://twitter.com/...
Vivian Wang / @vwang3: Hong Kong's public broadcaster, RTHK, is known for deep investigations and scrutiny of the government. That has made it a target. On the official move today to tighten oversight: https://www.nytimes.com/...
Julia Alexander / The Verge:
HBO Max announces it's expanding its Cartoon Network franchises as it seeks to be an alternative to Netflix and Disney+ for families — Infinity Train, Ben 10, Teen Titans Go!, and more — With orders for new shows, specials, and movies from some of Cartoon Network's biggest franchises …
Nardine Saad / Los Angeles Times:
Nielsen debuts Gracenote Inclusion Analytics, to measure onscreen diversity in terms of gender, race, and sexual orientation and how much it reflects audiences — Ratings titan Nielsen has begun tracking inclusion in television to accelerate diversity and equity in media.
Discussion:
Nielsen / PR Newswire: Nielsen Launches Gracenote Inclusion Analytics to Accelerate Diversity Transformation in Hollywood
Dino-Ray Ramos / Deadline: Nielsen Launches Gracenote Inclusion Analytics To Bolster Diversity On TV
Marcus Ryder Mbe / @marcusryder: Nielsen, as well as doing standard audience TV ratings, will start reporting on-screen & audience diversity figs, & “will expand coverage to include... behind-the-camera talent such as directors,producers, writers & others holding key roles.” #gamechanging https://www.latimes.com/...
Annenberg Inclusion Initiative / @inclusionists: This is great news and the direction research needs to go. Great work @nielsen https://www.latimes.com/...
Nicholas Quah / Vulture:
Reply All's P.J. Vogt is leaving the show and Sruthi Pinnamaneni is stepping back from its series on Bon Appétit after staffer said they created a toxic dynamic — Oh, you like podcasts? Sign up for Vulture's new recommendation newsletter 1.5x Speed here.
Discussion:
@pjvogt, @sruthiri, @eeddings, Los Angeles Times, Columbia Journalism Review, New York Times, Family Meal, @rosieatlarge, The A.V. Club, @andizeisler, The Wrap, @mattdpearce, @judsoncollier, @nicktheandersen, @vulture, @jamessurowiecki, @marybeth_sb, @poorlyhidden, @oz_f, @rswirling, @eeddings, @eeddings, The Supercreator, Today in Tabs, The Daily Dot, Insider, Newser, @memles, Washington Post, @vulture, @camillard, The Plate Cleaner, The Wrap and bookforum.com
Discussion:
PJ Vogt / @pjvogt: https://twitter.com/...
Sruthi Pinnamaneni / @sruthiri: https://twitter.com/...
Eric Eddings / @eeddings: Last week I got an email from Sruthi about Reply All's Test Kitchen series. I had been avoiding listening but once I did I felt gaslit. The truth is RA and specifically PJ and Sruthi contributed to a near identical toxic dynamic at Gimlet. This will be a longer thread, apologies.
Jenny Gross / New York Times: Host of ‘Reply All’ Podcast Takes Leave of Absence After Accusations of Toxic Culture
Rosie Fletcher / @rosieatlarge: If I were contributing to a toxic workplace, I would strongly consider not hosting a high profile series on people contributing to a toxic workplace https://www.vulture.com/...
Andi Zeisler / @andizeisler: Has “Milkshake Turducken” entered the lexicon yet https://www.vulture.com/...
Ross A. Lincoln / The Wrap: Kate McKinnon Exits Hulu's Miniseries About Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes
Matt Pearce / @mattdpearce: I'm not gonna say anything about this in particular because every situation is a little different. But I've had a lot of coworkers who were against the union or really soft on the idea, and with patience and good will, a ton of them did come around and it was great when they did. https://twitter.com/...
@judsoncollier: i want to hold in both hands, 1. i deeply loved this show and truly have needed this show, 2. feel like gimlet culture is bad point blank and they need to handle their business https://twitter.com/...
Nick Andersen / @nicktheandersen: i long for a world where HR protects employees, unions are strong and no one has to relive trauma in a public forum in order to force change https://www.vulture.com/...
@vulture: Update: The departure of P.J. Vogt, Reply All's founding co-host, will be permanent https://www.vulture.com/...
James Surowiecki / @jamessurowiecki: If this were a storyline on “The Newsroom,” everyone would be like, “Give me a break. Why does everything Sorkin writes have to be so on the nose?” https://www.vulture.com/...
Marybeth Seitz-Brown / @marybeth_sb: I don't think this is very useful tbh! people who were anti union and then change their minds are actually very common, better to just explain why you didn't support originally and why you do now, and actively invite other people who were anti or on the fence to join you https://twitter.com/...
@poorlyhidden: The idea that you've committed a transgression if you don't support your company's unionization drive is insane. It's the union's responsibility to convince you that it would help you! If you don't support it, that means it's failed to justify its value to you. https://twitter.com/...
Osman Faruqi / @oz_f: Wow imagine any journalist in Australia resigning/"taking a step back" after not doing enough in a unionisation campaign with diversity as one of the key demands. Inconceivable. https://twitter.com/...
Robyn Swirling / @rswirling: “I should have reflected on what it meant to not be on the same side of a movement largely led by young [colleagues] of color at my company” is a worthwhile reflection prompt for many white people. https://twitter.com/...
Eric Eddings / @eeddings: The focus should be on BA and what they experienced, but this series feels like an effort to rehabilitate themselves in the eyes of colleagues at Spotify and the ones who have left.
Eric Eddings / @eeddings: The BA staffers' stories deserve to be told, but to me it's damaging to have that reporting and storytelling come from two people who have actively and AGGRESSIVELY worked against multiple efforts to diversify Gimlet's staff & content. A bit of background.
Michael Jones / The Supercreator: Ask Michael: How can I upgrade my virtual events?
Rusty Foster / Today in Tabs: Notes Appétit — Yesterday started with one implosion and ended with another one.
Claire Goforth / The Daily Dot: After podcast about Bon Appetit's toxic culture, Reply All host takes leave over fostering similar environment
Rachel E. Greenspan / Insider: The ‘Reply All’ podcast is facing a reckoning after claims of anti-union bullying surfaced amid its Bon Appétit miniseries
Myles McNutt / @memles: Me, last week: “Oh, I'll assign the Test Kitchen podcast for my labor and representation unit in my Media Industries class.” Me, now: “...we're gonna need a bigger unit.” https://twitter.com/...
Tim Elfrink / Washington Post: A popular podcast dug into Bon Appétit's racism scandal. Then its own host was accused of creating a ‘toxic’ workplace.
@vulture: The Gimlet podcast came under scrutiny after releasing a series on the problems at “Bon Appetit” https://www.vulture.com/...
Camilla Blackett / @camillard: Such a raw and brave thread that lays bare the racism in a “nice white workplace” and why “POC” can often be both a meaningless term and cloak for anti-black violence. https://twitter.com/...
Mike Takasaki / The Plate Cleaner: 9. Setting Myself Up — Like a many, many other people I was a huge fan of Bon Appetit's …
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