Top News:
Dylan Byers / NBC News:
Spotify launches Renegades: Born in the USA, an exclusive, eight-episode podcast with Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen as co-hosts — Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen are making a podcast. — Spotify on Monday announced the launch of “Renegades: Born in the USA,” …
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Chris Welch / The Verge:
Spotify says it will launch a subscription later this year called HiFi that will offer “CD-quality, lossless audio”; Spotify currently tops out at 320kbps audio — Your turn, Apple Music — Spotify is going hi-fi. Well, “HiFi.” It's taken longer than competitors like Tidal …
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Todd Spangler / Variety:
Spotify says it will launch in 80+ new markets in the coming days, expanding from 93 markets, making the service available to 1B potential new users — Spotify unveiled plans to launch in 85 new markets over the next few days, areas that represent more than 1 billion potential new listeners, according the company.
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@eldsjal, Ad Age, Bloomberg, CNET, @kerrymflynn, @lucas_shaw, TechCrunch, @dbricej and @lucas_shaw, more at Techmeme »
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Spotify says it will test paid podcast subscriptions in the US this spring through a new feature in Anchor
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Spotify
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Spotify will launch an audio advertising marketplace, the Spotify Audience Network, and plans to offer podcasts on its self-serve ad platform Spotify Ad Studio
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@sarafischer, AdExchanger, Spotify and Adweek, more at Techmeme »
Brian Stelter / CNN:
Networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC, sticking to “both sides-ism”, still let GOP leaders spread the “Big Lie” that Trump won the election with little or no pushback — (CNN Business)A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter.
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ABC:
Australia says Facebook agreed to reinstate news content in Australia in the coming days after the government promised amendments to its proposed media bill — We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work.
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Alex Barker / Financial Times:
Microsoft says it will work with Europe's four largest news publishing lobbying groups to “mandate payments” for content used by “gatekeepers”
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BBC, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, @rasmus_kleis, Yahoo Finance, Protocol, Engadget, @robpegoraro, Engadget, @yathinkn, @klyngec, @carolinwehrhahn, @jason_kint, @rcostaricardo, @newsceo, @mattyglesias, @gaberivera, @benedictevans, @epc_angela, @stevesi, MediaPost, @jbenton, Press Gazette, Reuters and Marketing BS …, more at Techmeme »
Pamela McClintock / Hollywood Reporter:
Following Warner Bros., Hollywood studios are increasingly concealing their box office grosses, citing hybrid releases due to theater closures — In the latest twist, Searchlight Pictures didn't provide any numbers at all for ‘Nomadland’ when the Oscar hopeful expanded nationwide over the Feb. 19-21 weekend.
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@tatianasiegel27, @brentalang, @anoushasakoui, @thr and @melsil
Nieman Lab:
Facebook's Australian news ban may leave it operating like WeChat, with news provided by platform-specific content houses posting tons of low-quality articles — Last week, in response to Australia's proposed media bargaining code, Facebook effectively halted all posting of links …
Discussion:
Washington Post, CNBC and Herald Sun
The New York Times Company:
NYT: Maggie Haberman will take on a new beat and join Washington bureau's investigative/enterprise team and still track the post-Trump scene with Politics desk — Elisabeth Bumiller, Dick Stevenson and Patrick Healy share Maggie's new role, which will span investigative/enterprise in Washington and Politics.
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@brianstelter, @ericliptonnyt, @sollenbergerrc, @timothynoah1, @juliehdavis, @jswatz, @dylanbyers and @froomkin
Los Angeles Times:
Investigation finds non-profit HFPA, which runs Golden Globes, makes substantial payments to members, as questions persist about its ethics and legitimacy — It appeared to be a moment of triumph in the long, tumultuous story of the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.
Discussion:
@juliaturner, Los Angeles Times, @sarafischer, @jackshafer, @yascha_mounk, @jacoboller, @piyasroy, @markharrisnyc, @iam_brookesmith, @farhip, @nancywyuen, @juliaturner, @kristenmeinzer, @juliaturner, @tanvi_madan, @melsil, @vivian, @juliaturner, @christineadams, @mchenryjd, @casey_mink, @juliaturner, The Week, Us Weekly, @bendreyfuss, @meredithblake, @franklinleonard, Breitbart, @hannaflint, @markharrisnyc, @lalehkhalili, @davidfolkenflik, @latimes, Insider, @markharrisnyc, @dangillmor, @joshuahorowitz, Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, Variety, Always Be Watching, IndieWire and The A.V. Club
Brendan Brady / ANTENNA:
Analysis: The Office drove 3.9x sign-ups to Peacock vs average December weekend; Netflix churn rate was not impacted as <1% of Netflix subs signed-up to Peacock — After finding a second life as a cultural phenomenon on Netflix, The Office returned home to NBCU's Peacock on January 1, 2021.
Discussion:
The Streamable, Observer and @ballmatthew
Kathryn Hopkins / WWD:
Hearst says O, The Oprah Magazine will get a new name and a paywall on its website, as the magazine hires a new general manager and shifts to quarterly print — Hearst also revealed that the publication's name will be changed and a paywall is to be introduced.
Discussion:
@kerrymflynn, Daily Front Row and @jkosner
Kelsey McKinney / Defector:
Internal memo: Slate indefinitely suspended The Gist host Mike Pesca over a Slack discussion; sources: he argued for the use of the N-word in some cases — Mike Pesca, host of Slate's daily podcast, The Gist, has been suspended from the company indefinitely according to an internal memo sent …
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