Top News:
Gideon Lichfield / @glichfield:
[Thread] A look at Facebook's PR tactics to push back against unflattering stories, including trying to overwhelm editors with lists of supposed factual errors — With all the pushback from Facebook against @_KarenHao's recent story, and as one of the editors on the piece, I thought it worth making some observations on the PR strategy Facebook has adopted in response. Other journalists may find this useful. https://www.technologyreview.com/ ...
Discussion:
@_karenhao, @gadyepstein, MIT Technology Review, @moonalice, @pareene, @clarajeffery, @sesmith, GeekWire, @hetanshah, @teddyschleifer, @aaschapiro, @notrivia, @sanjanah, @timnitgebru, @mikamckinnon, @anabnos, @zackwhittaker, @jason_kint, @glichfield, @fitzthereporter, @sivavaid, @eaterofsun, @tomcoates, @glichfield, @roseveleth, @themarkup, doxa and The Verge
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Sources: Fox's free streaming service Tubi is planning to start funding original movies and TV shows; Roku and Pluto TV are also exploring original programming — Free streaming services increase their ambitions after growing like weeds during pandemic — Fox Corp.'s free streaming service Tubi …
Discussion:
The Verge, @awallenstein, @newsynick, @lucas_shaw and @lucas_shaw
RELATED:
Natalie Jarvey / Hollywood Reporter:
Roku has hired several former Quibi executives as it prepares to roll out content from Quibi's library of 75+ shows to The Roku Channel — Former Quibi senior content executives Colin Davis and Brian Tannenbaum are among those who have joined Roku. — Two months after acquiring the Quibi library …
Discussion:
Realscreen
Archie Bland / The Guardian:
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, @nadine_writes, @claireshrugged, @jenwilliamsmen, @howardfineman, @liamthorpecho, @mehdirhasan, @pregnantscrewed, @markdistef, @thattimwalker, @joncstone, @healthuntodeath, @hkesvani, @seyiakiwowo, @ianmartin, @ziaweise, @jessicaelgot, @jane__bradley, @sarahljaffe, @charliehtweets, @horton_official, @joejsmiddleton, @timharford, @jamesrbuk and The Independent
Lauren Feiner / CNBC:
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.
Discussion:
The Keyword, Wall Street Journal, Ars Technica, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, @killedbygoogle, @sam_l_shead, @timnitgebru, @jason_kint, @theregister, @mshannahmurphy, @cnbc, The Information, @walterolkowski, @johnwilander, @ceciliakang, @b_fung, @suka_hiroaki, GeekWire, MediaPost, The Verge, AppleInsider, ZDNet, Reuters, Microsoft On the Issues, Ad Age and The Hill, more at Techmeme »
Nicole Sperling / New York Times:
McKinsey report: Hollywood is leaving $10B/year on the table by ignoring racial inequities in film and TV and should set concrete goals to increase diversity — A McKinsey report that combined previous research and new interviews argues that concrete steps like company bonuses tied to improved representation can lead to change.
Discussion:
@mckinsey, McKinsey Insights & …, @radiomirage, @franklinleonard, @jemelehill, @ej11lizzie, @attorneycrump, @walthickey, @tressiemcphd, @mckinsey, @larenztate, @minjinlee11, Mashable, @chrisiousity, @franklinleonard, @jnelsonldf, @franklinleonard, @elsahiltner, @tcmbigcheese, @absurdbirdz, @franklinleonard, @nicsperling, @tressiemcphd, @drphilgoff, @andrewlavallee, Insider, Mediaite, CNBC, Variety, Bloomberg and Vanity Fair
Hamish McKenzie / Substack Blog:
Substack co-founder on how Substack Pro works: year one, writers get upfront pay, Substack keeps 85% of revenue; later, writers keep 90% 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, @diannaeanderson, Destroy Your Safe …, @eoinhiggins_, @badastronomer, @femme_thoughts, Adventures In “Journalism”, @qjurecic, @ggreenwald, @parkermolloy, @film_girl, @roseveleth, @roseveleth, @roseveleth, @roseveleth, @andrewchen, @zunguzungu, @zunguzungu, @zunguzungu, @zunguzungu, @atrubek, @grimkim, @sadydoyle, @zunguzungu, @britnidlc, @fka_tabs, @alex, @bijanstephen, @lmatsakis, @tyschalter, @graceonfootball, @ninocipri, @rickpaulas, @notd_io, @athertonkd, @athertonkd, @athertonkd, @athertonkd, @hondanhon, @athertonkd, @hondanhon, @hondanhon, @hondanhon, @hondanhon, @ktmboyle, @alex, @athertonkd, @ryanlcooper, @paulskallas, @sadydoyle, @mikeisaac, @ericnewcomer, @fattymph, @fka_tabs, @noyokono, @baekdal, Things That Have Caught … and Doyles, more at Techmeme »
Todd Spangler / Variety:
A SPAC led by ex-Disney execs Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, Forest Road Acquisition Corp. II, raised $350M in an IPO to focus on tech, media, telecoms companies — A special-purpose acquisition corporation targeting tech, media and telecom firms led by two former senior Disney execs …
Dan Abrams / Mediaite:
Media and politics news site Mediaite is launching a paywall that allows 10 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 …
Discussion:
@dorseyshaw
Georg Szalai / Hollywood Reporter:
AT&T says it plans to launch HBO Max international and AVOD in June and expects HBO Max and HBO subscribers worldwide to reach 120M-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, @natjarv, @xpangler, @erichaywood, @loudmouthjulia, @loudmouthjulia, @jbflint, @loudmouthjulia, IGN, MediaPost, CNBC, Bloomberg and Engadget
Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg / Wall Street Journal:
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, @douthatnyt, @evelyndouek, Insider, The Daily Signal, New York Post, @jack_turban, @ryantand, The Wrap, Forbes, Breitbart, The Week and CNET
Jo Piazza / Town & Country:
Profile of Amber Venz Box, who says influencers working with her shopping app LikeToKnowIt and marketing service RewardStyle sold $8B+ in products by 2020's end — How Amber Venz Box and her ‘Harvard of Influencing’ taught social media stars how to monetize their brands and got everyone else to spend billions on Instagram.
Discussion:
@arielbogle, @erikmaza, @taylorlorenz and Insider
Editor - The Upshot, NY — 
Economic Policy Reporter, DC — 
Senior Director - Editorial, NY — 
Accountability Reporter, ME — 
Senior Editor, FL — 
Senior Writer - Politics, NY — 
Senior Sydney Correspondent — 
Investigative Reporter, OR — 
Decision Desk Specialist - Elections, PA — 
Publishing Editor, NY — 
Watchdog Reporter, CA — 
News Editor, IN — 
Senior Writer - Politics, TN — 
Editor - CFO Brew, NY — 
Breaking News Reporter, CA — 
Audience Strategist, CO — 
Senior Editor, Remote US — 
Reporter, NY — 
IT Industry Reporter, MA — 
Jackson Reporter, MS — 
Curation Editor, NY — 
Managing Editor, OR — 
Deputy Editor-in-Chief, NY — 
Arts & Culture Reporter, WI — 
Breaking News Reporter, Remote — 
Assitant Business Ed., TX — 
Asset-Based Finance Reporter, NY — 
Ellsworth/Acadia Reporter, ME — 
Live Blogger, London — 
Criminal Justice Reporter, LA — 
Editorial & Opinion Page Editor, NV — 
Senior Editor, NY — 
Principal Writer - Investigative & Trust — 
Culture & Travel Reporter, NY — 
