Top News:
Ev Williams / Medium:
Medium announces buyout offers to everyone in its editorial division and the departure of Siobhan O'Connor, VP of editorial, as it adjusts publication strategy — We announced a buyout and leadership change to the Medium editorial team today. Below is the email I sent to the company. — Team,
Discussion:
New York Times, VICE, Medialyte, The Hill, @joshsternberg, @benyt, @jkottke, Goodwill factories, @ev, The Muffin por Mauricio …, @alex, @davezatz, @ryanlawler, @rmac18, @stephaniemlee, @caseynewton, @melissaryan, @mrmisocainea, @benedictevans, @raju, @jfagone, @alexckaufman, @helaineolen, @dansinker, @harrymccracken, @katie_robertson, @caseynewton, @carnage4life, @sarthakgh, @alexeheath, @lukeepplin, @rvoronacote, @kerrymflynn, @micahsingleton, @constar24, @stokel, @lmatsakis, @lanceulanoff, @bigblackjacobin, @hcmarks, @devindra, @peterbale, @readdanwrite, @navalang, @thekenyeung, @yaelwrites, @jasonhowell, @vice, @jathansadowski, @aarieff, @warmoth, @iankar_, @mbaram, @mcwm, @thekenyeung, @thekenyeung, @tomkrazit, @brookeobie, @benyt, @tamigraph, @parismarx, @jason_koebler, @pierce, @thekenyeung, @ryanlawler, @jayrosen_nyu, @waywardwinifred, @rmac18, @alexeheath, @robpegoraro, @smashdawg, @alexeheath, @themadstone, @ow, @kerrymflynn, @s_m_i, @hshaban, @clarajeffery, @bdeskin, @thecitywanderer, @adamwren, @timmaughan, @grahamstarr, Insider, The Wrap, Jezebel and The Information, more at Techmeme »
David Leonhardt / New York Times:
Analysis finds 87% of COVID-19 coverage in the national US media last year was negative, compared to 51% in international media and 64% in scientific journals — The U.S. media is offering a different picture of Covid-19 from science journals or the international media, a study finds.
Discussion:
@dleonhardt, @mpolikoff, @ericboehlert, @bmorrissey, @jayrosen_nyu, @asymco, @sapinker, @dleonhardt, @kushal_mehra, @alisciaandrews, @mallarytenore, @jayrosen_nyu, @neilcybart, @mulvihill79, @elaberwarren, @rogerpielkejr, @jonfavs, @raju, @chrisvanderveen, @picardonhealth, @jeromeadamsmd and @natesilver538
Steven Perlberg / Insider:
Leaked memo: NYT is creating a system to approve outside work by its journalists, including newsletters, podcasts, book deals, or consulting on film projects — - A committee of Times leaders are expected to review outside work for journalists. — Both paid and unpaid newsletters may require approval from The Times.
Discussion:
@caseynewton, @kellyannepolls, @joshconstine, @lowenaffchen, @benthompson, @esportsguy, @ryanlawler, @jamesivings, @perlberg, @josephpalbanese, @nathanblawrence, @kantrowitz, @bendifrancesco, @mdekuijper, @scottbelsky, @mattyglesias, @edzitron, @mattdpearce, @yongfook, @errrica, @ranjanxroy, @jason, @whatthebit, @adamdavidson, @jacobwolf, @jarroddicker, @joshsternberg, @jamesfdennin, @wetcasements, @oliviasolon, @simonowens, @adriana_lacy, @loudmouthjulia, @baekdal, @mathewi and The Hill
Axios:
Ahead of House hearing, Mark Zuckerberg calls for Section 230 reform that makes protections conditional on platforms' ability to identify and remove content — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will tell lawmakers his plan for “thoughtful reform” of a key tech liability shield rests …
Discussion:
NBC News, @dylanbyers, AppleInsider, The Verge, @mathewi, CNBC, @matthewstoller, @dylanbyers, @notjessewalker, @baekdal, @matthewstoller, @margarethmcgill, @pkafka and @pkafka, more at Techmeme »
Meg James / Los Angeles Times:
LA Times says it has received a $10M PPP loan, its first during the pandemic, to help cover payroll and other costs amid a plunge in advertising revenue — The Los Angeles Times has received a $10-million loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program — money that will help cover payroll …
Discussion:
The Hill, @logan_ratick, @politicsreid, @adater, New York Post, @chadterhune, @adriana_lacy, @dicktofel, @jessicamartinez, @megjameslat, @dtohl and The Wrap
Robert Channick / Baltimore Sun:
Filings: Stewart Bainum Jr. offered $650M to purchase all of Tribune Publishing even as its board endorsed a $630M offer from Alden Global Capital — A Maryland businessman has offered $650 million to purchase all of Tribune Publishing, the parent of The Baltimore Sun …
Discussion:
@lizbowie, @friscojosh, @ssdance, @benestes and @bencjacobs
Tommy Christopher / Mediaite:
Politico Playbook criticized for an item that cast Trump's administration as having been more transparent than Biden's on migrant detention at the border — Journalists, progressives, and others hammered Politico for a Playbook item that cast the Trump administration as having been more transparent …
New York Times:
Brands including Ford and Nike are funding long-form branded content for streaming services like Hulu and HBO to reach audiences who no longer see short ads — As streaming video has gained in importance during the pandemic, advertisers have put more focus on Hollywood-level branded content as a way to reach viewers.
Discussion:
AgencySpy, @nytmedia, @bristei, @tanyadua, @aexm, @nicsperling, @bristei, @johnbranchnyt, @joshsternberg, @kennethturan, @ischafer, @brooksbarnesnyt, @tiffkhsu, @dylanbyers and Variety
RELATED:
Jem Aswad / Variety:
Germany-based music company BMG and investment firm KKR say they will partner to pursue recorded music, music publishing, and other music-rights acquisitions — The already-crowded music-catalog-acquisition business just got a formidable new player: Germany-based music company BMG …
Discussion:
Forbes, Reuters, Hollywood Reporter and Music Business Worldwide
The Information:
Sources: DOJ is probing whether Sony's proposed $1.2B acquisition of Crunchyroll from WarnerMedia would give Sony dominance in the anime streaming market — Sony Pictures' hopes of countering Netflix and Amazon in the increasingly popular market for the Japanese-style animated videos known as anime has hit a snag.
Kevin Roose / New York Times:
NYT turns one of its articles about NFTs into a NFT and puts it up for auction, with proceeds going to NYT's Neediest Cases Fund — Why can't a journalist join the NFT party, too? — Normally, I'm not allowed to make sales pitches in my columns. — But this time is an exception, because what's for sale is the column itself.
Discussion:
@taylorlorenz, @kevinroose, @halhod and Bella's Bulletin
Ian Parker / New Yorker:
A deep look at HGTV, a top-four cable network since 2018, and how it handled two crises: COVID-19, which shuttered TV production, and the slow demise of cable — In the streaming era, does the network need to be more than wallpaper? — One morning last June, a dozen executives at HGTV …
Discussion:
@lanceulanoff, @discoveryinctv, @newyorker, @newyorker and @langealexandra
Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:
Sources: WaPo is looking for a “Journalistic Unicorn” to replace Marty Baron, someone with his stature but a stronger connection to “journalists of tomorrow” — The most buzzed-about candidate isn't on the short list, as a trio of Times editors' names make the rounds.
Discussion:
@joepompeo and @joepompeo
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