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Emails: BuzzFeed is shutting down HuffPost UK's news operation and video desk, except for its politics team, affecting 16 of 29 journalists — Exclusive: Owner BuzzFeed's move leaves more than half of editorial staff at risk — BuzzFeed has told the UK staff of its recently acquired HuffPost website …
Discussion:
@archiebland, The Independent, @nadine_writes, @howardfineman, @joncstone, @seyiakiwowo, @healthuntodeath, @ianmartin, @ziaweise, @jessicaelgot, @jane__bradley, @thattimwalker, @sarahljaffe, @charliehtweets, @horton_official, @mehdirhasan, @joejsmiddleton, @timharford, @hkesvani and @jamesrbuk


As House holds hearing on tech and news, Microsoft accuses Google of making publishers depend on it and Google claims Microsoft just wants to undercut a rival — - Microsoft and Google sparred over their practices and treatment of news outlets in a battle between antitrust targets of past and present.


Media and politics news site Mediaite is launching a paywall that allows ten free articles per month; subscriptions will cost $4.99 per month or $44.99 per year — As you may know, Mediaite is one of the few major websites in the country that is personally funded (and not by a wildly wealthy banker …


AT&T says it plans to launch HBO Max international and AVOD in June and expects HBO Max and HBO subscribers worldwide to reach 120-150M by 2025 — That is up from AT&T's previous forecast of 75-90 million. — AT&T Corp. said Friday that it now expects to reach 120-15 million HBO Max …
Discussion:
Variety, Adweek, Ad Age, Observer, The Streamable, MediaPost, IGN India, @loudmouthjulia, @loudmouthjulia, @natjarv, @loudmouthjulia, Bloomberg, @jbflint and Cord Cutters News


In a letter to GOP Senators, Amazon says it removed a book because of its policy not to sell books that frame LGBTQ+ identity as a mental illness — Company states policy in response to inquiry by several Republican senators over recent removal of book by conservative author
Discussion:
@lucas_shaw, The Wrap, Forbes, @jack_turban, @ryantand, The Week, @evelyndouek, Breitbart, New York Post and CNET, more at Techmeme »

How Substack Pro works: Year One, some writers get pay similar to salaries, Substack gets 85% of revenue; Year Two, writers keep 90% of revenue, no minimum pay — When we started Substack in mid-2017, the future for writers was frightening. The news industry was rapidly contracting, eliminating countless journalism jobs.
Discussion:
@hamishmckenzie, @fka_tabs, @alex, @rickpaulas, @notd_io, @athertonkd, @athertonkd, @athertonkd, @athertonkd, @hondanhon, @athertonkd, @hondanhon, @hondanhon, @hondanhon, @hondanhon, @alex, @athertonkd, @ryanlcooper, @mikeisaac and @fka_tabs


YouTube says it has taken down 30,000 videos that made false or misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccines over the last six months — YouTube has taken down more than 30,000 videos that made misleading or false claims about COVID-19 vaccines over the last six months, YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez …
Discussion:
Breitbart, @evelyndouek, @niemanlab, Slashdot and Engadget


Daily Mail owner demands ViacomCBS remove images of its headlines, which were “taken out of context or deliberately edited”, from Meghan and Harry interview — Associated Newspapers, the owner of UK tabloid the Daily Mail, has written to ViacomCBS demanding the removal of …
Discussion:
Variety, Press Gazette, The Wrap, Hollywood Reporter, @markdistef, @snigskitchen and @pkafka


Epidemic Sound, a marketplace for online creators looking for background music, raises $450M from Blackstone and EQT Growth, at a valuation of $1.4B — The popularity of video and other streamed content like podcasts is continuing to grow at a breakneck speed, and today a startup called Epidemic Sound …
Discussion:
@specht_p, Complete Music Update and Music Business Worldwide, more at Techmeme »

In memo, Jeff Zucker says CNN is targeting an August 1 return to Atlanta offices and September 1 for NYC, DC, SF, and LA — In note to staff, CNN President Jeff Zucker announces plans for staff returning to the office. “In Atlanta, we are targeting an AUGUST 1 return for our News and Sports colleagues. In New York, DC, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, we are targeting SEPTEMBER 1.” https://twitter.com/...
Discussion:
American Press Institute, The Hill and TVNewser


The Weeknd says his albums will no longer be submitted to the Grammys due to its anonymous voting committees, which some believe subvert the will of the voters — The event on Sunday will address the challenges of a music industry hit hard by the pandemic.


Google is further integrating the Publisher Provided Identifier into its Ad Manager, aiding publishers' first-party tracking in lieu of third-party cookies — The PPID's technical setup works like this: the publisher will create a unique ID for users, based on a first-party cookie or a log-in ID.
Discussion:
@ashk4n, Press Gazette, Adswerve, @chronotope, @sarahsluis, @aripap, @jbrouet, Privacy News Online …, Michael Tsai, The Keyword and IAB Tech Lab