Top News:
Orlando Sentinel:
Orlando Sentinel's editorial board says an impending takeover of Tribune by Alden Global Capital feels like “an existential moment for our newspaper's future” — The Orlando Sentinel's extensive coverage of Joel Greenberg started getting attention this week.
Discussion:
Poynter, @saragregory, @royalpratt, @scott_maxwell, @bgrueskin and @skylerswisher
Tom McKay / Gizmodo:
WaPo published a piece revealing an anti-QAnon researcher's real name, when it learned he was writing for them under a pseudonym for safety, contrary to policy — One of the hosts of the anti-conspiracy theory podcast QAnon Anonymous is no longer so anonymous.
Discussion:
Washington Post, @arictoler, @justinbaragona, @dylanreeve, @misterepete, @walldo, @thetomzone, @arictoler, @swin24, @ejdickson, @gayleforce22, @travis_view, @iwriteok and @pinealdecalcify
Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:
Study: political polarization slowed in Palm Springs, CA, in July 2019 when the local paper, The Desert Sun, covered only local issues in its opinion section — Shifting the focus of a newspaper's opinion section from national (Trump! Pelosi! distant, scary!) to local (schools! development! …
Discussion:
@jbenton, @jbenton, @julie_makinen and The Desert Sun
Lauren Harris / Columbia Journalism Review:
An overview of the journalism crises happening globally, with significant closures and job losses in the US, Europe, Australia, India, and elsewhere — Early in the pandemic, media closures, layoffs, furloughs and salary cuts spread across the globe, encompassing the US, Canada, Mexico …
Discussion:
@cjr, jamlab, @cjr and @vwpickard
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Voice artists are experiencing a surge in demand as Netflix and other streamers offer a broad range of programming from around the world in local languages — Wendel Bezerra, a voiceover artist in Sao Paulo, attained modest fame when he became the Portuguese-language voice of SpongeBob SquarePants a couple of decades ago.
Discussion:
@lucas_shaw, @christopherkay, @codaunite, @business and @lucas_shaw
Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
How Bacardi, Clorox, and Cadillac are preparing for the loss of third-party cookies, including investing in first-party data and changing their ad tech partners — Bacardi, Clorox and Cadillac are among the marketers preparing for new Google restrictions that will include the blocking of third-party cookies
Neda Ulaby / NPR:
TRG Arts' analysis of box office sales: US dropped 86.1% from March 2020 to March 2021, UK dropped 89.3%, and Canada dropped 90.3% — Economic fallout due to the pandemic has been “catastrophic” for the performing arts, according to new data from the industry consulting group TRG Arts.
Discussion:
@npr
Richard C. Paddock / New York Times:
Since Myanmar's coup Feb. 1, 56+ journalists have been arrested, communications have been blocked, and citizen journalists have stepped in to document protests — The security forces have arrested at least 56 reporters, outlawed online news outlets and crippled communications.
Discussion:
The Indian Express, @kenroth, @lexiherr, The Fix, @nytimes, @rickgladstone, @kenroth, @stanfordsaparc, @bbcrosatkins, @cengizyar, @emilyfishbein11 and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Financial Times:
Sources: Snap has explored how it could track iOS users with data from third-party companies, which would be a violation of Apple's new privacy rules — Owner of Snapchat has explored how to track users with data from third party companies — Snap has explored how it can circumvent …
Discussion:
9to5Mac, @itsjeffhiggins, @thezedwards, @patrickmcgee_, 9to5Mac, @jason_kint, @martijnrasser and @patrickmcgee_, more at Techmeme »
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
A look at TV news' push into streaming, which has created opportunities for young anchors, bypasses Nielsen ratings pressure, and has space for in-depth content — TV streaming wars have erupted in Hollywood and are wreaking havoc on Madison Avenue. They are even making a splash in places like Gainesville, Ga.
Discussion:
@tvkatesnow, @sarahscire and @bristei
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
Q&A with ex-Vox EIC Lauren Williams and Akoto Ofori-Atta, who are launching Capital B, a Black-focused national news org with local bureaus, in the fall — “We know as well as anyone that Black communities across the country are not monolithic. Black people within communities are not monolithic."
Discussion:
@morisy, bookforum.com, @ketchcast, @jdesmondharris, @jdesmondharris, @adriana_lacy and @niemanlab
Amelia Pollard / American Prospect:
How right-wing nonprofit PragerU, known for viral videos, has pushed content into US schools through its PREP program, used by 6,000 educators — The right-wing nonprofit, known for viral videos like ‘The Left Ruins Everything,’ launched a program specifically designed for teachers last fall.
Discussion:
@taylorlorenz, @bernstein, @jbouie, @amandalitman and @parkermolloy
Amy Kroin / Free Press:
The Free Press blasts the ruling upholding FCC's abandonment of media ownership restrictions: “This Supreme Court decision couldn't come at a worse time” — Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838 — WASHINGTON — On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed strictly on procedural …
Discussion:
Media Nation, Radio & Television …, @timkarr, @notaaroncraig, @freepress and The Wrap
RELATED:
Ashley Cullins / Hollywood Reporter:
SCOTUS upholds FCC's decision to scrap three media ownership restrictions, including a ban on cross-ownership of newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations
SCOTUS upholds FCC's decision to scrap three media ownership restrictions, including a ban on cross-ownership of newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations
Discussion:
Variety, MediaPost, @jcburton85, New York Times, @fromthebunkerjr, @rockymntnmike, Reuters, Radio & Television …, Associated Press, Law360 and Free Press