Top News:
Lindsey Ellefson / The Wrap:
Over 100 AP staff sign a letter saying they “strongly disapprove” with how Emily Wilder's firing was handled and call on AP to update social media policies — Over 100 Associated Press employees signed a letter to management Monday saying they “strongly disapprove” …
Discussion:
@kat__stafford, @janinezacharia, CNN, BuzzFeed News, The Intercept, @brianstelter, Columbia Journalism Review, @tasneemn, @omar_gaza, The Hill, @froomkin, @dylanbyers, @jakemgrumbach, @w7voa, @alexgibneyfilm, @lizsly, @nycsouthpaw, @dakekang, @jayrosen_nyu, @bruce_arthur, @sameralatrush, Mediaite, @thegarance, @elaheizadi, @jordanchariton, @bcrodriguez, @feliciasonmez, @davidfolkenflik, @ericboehlert, @brianstelter, @laurie_garrett, @froomkin, @debrajsaunders, @jnicholsonindc, @dctello, @jdakwar, @karenattiah, @oliverdarcy, @miriamelder, @juliareinstein, @chrisrugaber, @dmrider and Vanity Fair
Discussion:
Kat Stafford / @kat__stafford: A statement from @AP staff: We love the AP. We also want it to change. We hope the institution that we serve with bravery and tenacity every day will join us in charting a more equitable future. https://docs.google.com/...
@janinezacharia: Many have commented on the selective application of social media policies in @vv1lder's firing by @AP and have discussed the need for clearer guidelines and enforcement. I agree that would be helpful. But I want to explain how that isn't the core issue here. (1/12)
Brian Stelter / CNN: Associated Press employees want answers after reporter's firing
Tasneem Nashrulla / BuzzFeed News: AP Staffers Demanded To Know Why Emily Wilder Was Fired After A Conservative “Smear Campaign” Over Her Pro-Palestinian Activism
Ken Klippenstein / The Intercept: AP, in Leaked Memos, Doing Damage Control With Staff: “You Will Have a Voice”
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: When asked for comment about today's open letter, a corporate spokesperson said “The @AP looks forward to continuing the conversation with staff about AP's social media policy.”
Jon Allsop / Columbia Journalism Review: Emily Wilder, tradition, and the double standards around objectivity
Tasneem N / @tasneemn: AP spokesperson responds to the open letter signed by more than 100 AP staffers criticizing how the company fired Emily Wilder for violating its social media policy https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Omar Ghraieb / @omar_gaza: Change always comes from within, well done @AP staff for holding AP accountable & demanding change regarding biased policies towards #Palestine & Palestinians & pro Palestinians. https://twitter.com/...
Thomas Moore / The Hill: Associated Press reporters protest firing of Emily Wilder
Dan Froomkin / @froomkin: The implication here that somehow @vv1lder presented a danger to the “business of fact-based journalism” is despicable and someone @AP is digging in deeper and needs to be stopped. https://twitter.com/...
Dylan Byers / @dylanbyers: Update: AP News leadership just sent email to staff outlining plans to address concerns about social media policy. Re: @vv1lder firing: “We can assure you that much of the coverage and commentary does not accurately portray a difficult decision that we did not make lightly.” https://twitter.com/...
Jake M. Grumbach / @jakemgrumbach: This is nice. The Emily Wilder firing is an especially hurtful one. A Jewish American woman tarred as antisemitic and fired at the behest of antiliberal Fortress Worlders and Christian End-Timers for doing the most Jewish thing of all: standing up for the downtrodden https://twitter.com/...
Steve Herman / @w7voa: “We demand more clarity from the company about why Wilder was fired. It remains unclear — to Wilder herself as well as staff at large — how she violated the social media policy while employed by the AP.” - @AP staff open letter regarding the firing of @vv1lder. https://twitter.com/...
Liz Sly / @lizsly: Incisive thread by a former colleague on the trap @AP fell into when it fired Emily Wilder in the heat of the latest Gaza war. The firing revealed bias as much as the hiring did. “Beware of campaigns to redirect your attention from one newsworthy event to another.” https://twitter.com/...
Southpaw / @nycsouthpaw: I guess they didn't name her publicly, just curtly announced her departure to AP staff worldwide ensuring the news would leak. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Dake Kang / @dakekang: 1/ The AP has a strict social media policy. I generally support having one and believe it is necessary for us to do unbiased journalism. Though some of Wilder's posts from her college days would likely have violated the policy, this policy isn't and shouldn't be retrospective. https://twitter.com/...
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: The current policy is unsustainable. The employees know it. Any social media policy grounded in the attempt to manage “appearances” hands power to the culture warriors who want you dead, or injured. https://twitter.com/...
Bruce Arthur / @bruce_arthur: Whole thread. Every news organization needs a Gamergate editor, or just enough senior people who have read this. https://deadspin.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Samer Al-Atrush / @sameralatrush: “We are also concerned about the ramifications of this decision for newsroom morale and AP's credibility. Wilder was a young journalist, unnecessarily harmed by the AP's handling and announcement of its firing of her.” https://twitter.com/...
Rudy Takala / Mediaite: AP Staffers Blast Reporter's Firing for Old Social Media Posts in Open Letter: It ‘Caused the Public to Question the Credibility of Our Reporting’
Garance Franke-Ruta / @thegarance: Creating a playbook for supporting staff targeted by digital harassment campaigns is so important and something all news orgs that cover controversial subjects need to have in place. https://twitter.com/...
Elahe Izadi / @elaheizadi: Open letter signed by AP staff calls on AP to provide more clarity on why it fired Emily Wilder, and more. “Once we decide to play this game on the terms of those acting in bad faith, we can't win.” https://twitter.com/...
Jordan / @jordanchariton: Underneath the pushback against the AP for firing Emily Wilder is the reality that all of these corporate outlets pretend to be neutral when they are overwhelmingly biased toward corporations, capitalism, government officials, and the status quo https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ ...
Barbara Rodriguez / @bcrodriguez: I started my career at @AP and care deeply about it. But the news organization needs to do better. I'm proud of my former colleagues for demanding more equitable policies from AP on its social media practices and how it plans to support staff targeted by harassment campaigns. https://twitter.com/...
Felicia Sonmez / @feliciasonmez: Wow. Bravo to the @AP staffers across the country and globe who organized and signed this letter on @vv1lder's firing. “We need to know that the AP would stand behind and provide resources to journalists who are the subject of smear campaigns and online harassment.” https://twitter.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: UPDATE: AP Executive Editor @SallyBuzbee tells NPR she had no role in dismissing @vv1lder: “By the time the situation came up, I had accepted The Post job and thus handed over day-to-day operations at AP, so I was not involved in the decision at all.” More on this at 4.24/6.24p
Eric Boehlert / @ericboehlert: AP staffers are pissed. what abt the Post newsroom? https://www.cnn.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: More than 100 employees at the Associated Press have signed an open letter calling for more transparency about the firing of @vv1lder. My latest >> https://www.cnn.com/...
Laurie Garrett / @laurie_garrett: AP reporter Emily Wilder came under attack from the @Stanford Young #Republicans Club for her personal statements about Palestinians, posted years ago. AP fired her, and the editor who did so is taking over the @washingtonpost . Now AP reporters worldwide are rallying to Wilder. https://twitter.com/...
Dan Froomkin / @froomkin: By the way, NICE JOB AVOIDING CONTROVERSY, @AP! And we still need to hear directly from @SallyBuzbee. https://twitter.com/...
Debra J. Saunders / @debrajsaunders: Bad journalism trend: Stories with link to conservative tweets but not original left-wing tweets that sparked brouhaha. AP Staffers Demanded To Know Why Emily Wilder Was Fired After Conservative “Smear Campaign” Over Her Pro-Palestinian Activism https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ ... @TasneemN
Jonathan Nicholson / @jnicholsonindc: A) this is VERY un-AP, where the old bulls tell tales of being consigned to the overnight “lobster shift” for looking at the buro chief sideways; and b) needed if AP is to shed its rep for stodginess and compete for best talent. https://twitter.com/...
Darcy Costello / @dctello: “As journalists who cover contentious subjects, we are often the target of people unhappy with scrutiny. What happens when they orchestrate a smear campaign targeting another one of us?” https://twitter.com/...
Jamil Dakwar / @jdakwar: Important letter that should be a wake-up call for other media organizations as well. If you want media freedom and independence to be protected you should support your journalists when they get smeared. Background in case you're just hearing about it: https://www.vanityfair.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Karen Attiah / @karenattiah: A masterclass in how to write a lot of words, but say absolutely nothing. https://twitter.com/...
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy: Associated Press employees have signed an open-letter asking for more info about @vv1lder's firing. “Wilder's ouster, and the newswire's lack of candor about its cause, has caused a rare uproar inside the storied news organization,” @brianstelter writes. https://www.cnn.com/...
Miriam Elder / @miriamelder: Sally Buzbee, current AP editor in chief and incoming WashPo EIC, did not respond to a request for comment 👀 https://www.vanityfair.com/...
Julia Reinstein / @juliareinstein: love to see this collective action from the AP staff https://www.buzzfeednews.com/ ...
Chris Rugaber / @chrisrugaber: I signed this, my name fell off somehow. A letter on the firing of a young journalist last week. https://twitter.com/...
David Rider / @dmrider: “...we strongly disapprove of the way the AP has handled the firing of Emily Wilder and its dayslong silence internally. We demand more clarity from the company about why Wilder was fired. It remains unclear ...how she violated the social media policy while employed by the AP.” https://twitter.com/...
New York Times:
Nexta Telegram channel founder Roman Protasevich arrested as Belarus, under orders from Lukashenko, sends fighter jet and forces Ryanair flight to land in Minsk — The dissident, Roman Protasevich, co-founded a Telegram channel that is a popular opposition outlet in Belarus.
Discussion:
@ryanairpress, @lizsly, @maxseddon, New York Times, Nieman Lab, @gitanasnauseda, Insider, @franakviacorka, @franakviacorka, @thomasvlinge, The Atlantic, Poynter, @tsihanouskaya, @vonderleyen, Washington Post, DW.COM, The Guardian, Forbes, Financial Times, The Week, New Republic, Bloomberg, @sarahemclaugh, @primeministergr, @ingridasimonyte, @krisjaniskarins, United States Senate Committee …, @cdeloire, Politico, @tadeuszgiczan, CNN, @anneapplebaum, @lionelbarber, @tcwittes, @anthony, Glenn Greenwald, @sevaut, @matinastevis, New York Post, @maxseddon, @agnescallamard, @briankarem, @emilybell, @jeffjarvis, @biannagolodryga, @blakehounshell, The Daily Beast, @kenroth, @kenroth, The Morning Dispatch, Foreign Policy, Politico, @guyverhofstadt, @billbrowder, @chrismurphyct, @billbrowder, @jimsciutto, New York Times, @nytgraphics, @mikebutcher, @reedbrody, @christopherjm, United States Department …, @simoncoveney, @ruskin147, @iyervval, @g_boccaletti, @brianklaas, @iyad_elbaghdadi, @juliaangwin, @stavridisj, @bopanc, @antontroian, @lotteleicht1, @carlzimmer, @thinink, @raydubicki, @arjunbasu, @cbcchrisbrown, @edgarsrinkevics, @flyingwithsara, @mathieuvonrohr, @mollyjongfast, @denismacshane, @charlesarthur, @nytimesworld, @ivohdaalder, @tashecon, @linkeviciusl, @lisanandy, @billbrowder, @vladdavidzon, @tadeuszgiczan, @lugaricano, @bryvkin, @radeksikorski, @josepborrellf, @glandsbergis, @josepborrellf, @ndkirschmann, @avindman, @davidcoltart, @evanchill, @sashachavkin, @kshahrooz, @wiczipedia, @donie, @erinburnett, @jesselynradack, @biannagolodryga, @phastidio, @maxseddon, @j_bertolotti, @ncweaver, @davmicrot, @michaeldweiss, @cjcmichel, @xsovietnews, @b_nishanov, @christopherjm, @repmeijer, @maxseddon, @dethveggie, @mitchprothero, @jamesrbuk, @christopherjm, @biannagolodryga, @danielrhamilton, @bobrae48, @andrewkimmel, @vloracitaku, @sovietsergey, Washington Post, @nycsouthpaw, @marcburleigh, @jason_kint, @henryjfoy, @asluhn, @tadeuszgiczan, Lucian Truscott Newsletter, DW.COM, Slate, APOLLO NETWORK Newsletter, The Republican Standard, Reuters, The Guardian, ABC News, Bloomberg, BBC, The Sun, Voice of America, TASS, Mirror.co.uk, euronews, Radio Free Europe/Radio … and CNN
Discussion:
@ryanairpress: Our FR4978 flight has landed safely in Vilnius at 19:25hrs UK time (21:25hrs local time). Here is Ryanair's statement on today's diversion to Minsk Airport 👇 https://twitter.com/...
Liz Sly / @lizsly: UPDATE: Ryanair has now amended its statement on the abduction of the Belarus journalist from its plane in Minsk. “Nothing untoward” has been changed to “an act of aviation piracy.” https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Max Seddon / @maxseddon: With a completely straight face, the Belarusian transport ministry claims: - the Ryanair “bomb threat” came from Hamas - Hamas didn't send it to the Vilnius airport, but Minsk, a totally different one not on the flight path - they demanded a ceasefire two days after it happened https://twitter.com/...
Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab: A “state hijacking” in Belarus shows how far its autocratic regime will go to stop dissident journalists
@gitanasnauseda: Unprecedented event! A civilian passenger plane flying to Vilnius was forcibly landed in #Minsk. Belarusian political activist & founder of @NEXTA_EN was on the plane. He is arrested. 🇧🇾 regime is behind the abhorrent action. I demand to free Roman Protasevič urgently!
Lauren Frias / Insider: The EU moves to isolate Belarus after the government diverted a flight carrying a Belarusian dissident
@franakviacorka: BREAKING! The regime landed @Ryanair plane, which was flying from Athens to Vilnius,in order to arrest the famous Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich. In Belarus, he faces the death penalty. Belarus has seized a plane,put passengers in danger, in order to repress an opponent https://twitter.com/...
@franakviacorka: ❗❗Raman Pratasevich, obviously beaten, says Lukashenka's thugs treat him “correctly” and “lawfully”. He is in the Minsk Detention Center #1. Terrifying video. https://twitter.com/...
Thomas van Linge / @thomasvlinge: #Belarus: insta-stories by one of the passengers on board #FR4978. Protasevich apparently begged the @Ryanair crew not to hand him over. They told him “we have no choice, it's in Ryanair legal agreements” https://twitter.com/...
Anne Applebaum / The Atlantic: Other Regimes Will Hijack Planes Too
Tom Jones / Poynter: The Associated Press fired a reporter over social media use — and what it means for other news outlets
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya / @tsihanouskaya: The regime forced the landing @Ryanair plane in Minsk to arrest journalist and activist Raman Pratasevich. He faces the death penalty in Belarus. We demand immediate release of Raman, @ICAO investigation, and sanctions against Belarus. https://twitter.com/...
Ursula von der Leyen / @vonderleyen: It is utterly unacceptable to force @Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius to land in Minsk. ALL passengers must be able to continue their travel to Vilnius immediately and their safety ensured. Any violation of international air transport rules must bear consequences.
Washington Post: E.U. agrees to impose sanctions on Belarus, bars E.U. airlines from country's airspace, after authorities forced down a Ryanair jet
Andrew Roth / The Guardian: Belarus KGB believed to be on plane forced to land in Minsk, says Ryanair CEO
Carlie Porterfield / Forbes: Belarus Intercepts Ryanair Flight And Detains Journalist, Sparking International Outrage
Catherine Garcia / The Week: EU to impose sanctions on Belarus following forced landing of plane
Sarah McLaughlin / @sarahemclaugh: Mrs. Lincoln took part in a night at the theater. Following a delay, she departed the theater safely after the performance. https://twitter.com/...
Prime Minister GR / @primeministergr: The forced landing of a commercial plane to detain a journalist is an unprecedented, shocking act. We demand all passengers' immediate release. Tomorrow's #EUCO must address the need to step up pressure on Belarus. Enough is enough.
@ingridasimonyte: Passengers and crew of Ryanair flight en route from Athens to Vilnius have been put in danger - when forcibly landed in Minsk. We demand that the plane and passengers be allowed to fly to Vilnius immediately!
@krisjaniskarins: Concerning reports about forced landing of @Ryanair flight in Minsk and safety of all the passengers. We call for independent international investigation of this incident and immediate release of Belarusian opposition activist Roman Protasevich arrested on this flight.
Senator Bob Menendez / United States Senate Committee …: Chairman Menendez and European Allies Condemn Lukashenka Regime for Intercepting Civilian Flight to Arrest Journalist
Christophe Deloire / @cdeloire: What happened may seem extravagant, in reality it is extremely serious. Hijacking a plane to arrest a journalist is pushing state treachery to the extreme. We expect from the international community sanctions commensurate with this perfidy. #PressFreedom #Belarus https://twitter.com/...
Tadeusz Giczan / @tadeuszgiczan: What we know so far: KGB operatives boarded the plane in Athens this morning together with Roman Protasevich (he noticed dodgy-looking ppl taking pics of him at the gate). Then when the plane has entered Belarus airspace KGB officers initiated a fight with the Ryanair crew (1/2)
Anne Applebaum / @anneapplebaum: The Belarus government has forced down a commercial airplane flying over its territory in order to arrest a passenger - an opposition journalist. This is state-sponsored hijacking. https://twitter.com/...
Lionel Barber / @lionelbarber: A brazen act of air piracy which demands a response, starting with demands for the freeing of the targeted dissident blogger. Failure to act by EU will render all journalists and critics of Belarus fair game for the regime https://www.ft.com/...
Tamara Cofman Wittes / @tcwittes: This is horrifying. https://twitter.com/...
@anthony: Belarus secret service agents also believed to be on the diverted plane, says Ryanair's Michael O'Leary, calls it a state-sponsored hijacking https://www.wsj.com/...
Glenn Greenwald: As Anger Toward Belarus Mounts, Recall the 2013 Forced Landing of Bolivia's Plane to Find Snowden
Seva / @sevaut: I see people claiming that Lukashenko is acting on Putin's orders and folks, Lukashenko does not need anyone's orders to do insane idiotic things
Matina Stevis-Gridneff / @matinastevis: Paul Rusesabagina, a Belgian national & Rwandan dissident accused of “terrorism” by Rwandan govt, was lured on to a Greek-operated private plane bound for Burundi. He was forcibly taken to Kigali, jailed instead. Lawlessness in the skies has precedent for EU citizens too.
Emily Jacobs / New York Post: US condemns Belarus over opposition journalist's arrest after forced landing
Max Seddon / @maxseddon: Even by the standards of Belarus' crackdown, this story is nuts. Lukashenko personally forced an EU plane flying between EU capitals to land just so Belarus could arrest a dissident. A huge test for EU foreign policy. with @JamesShotter and @rmilneNordic https://www.ft.com/...
Agnes Callamard / @agnescallamard: Forcing a plane to land, on false pretense (a bomb threat), so that a journalist could be arbitrarily arrested: this is how far #Belarus is prepared to go in its repression. https://www.ft.com/...
Brian J. Karem / @briankarem: When you don't impose sanctions against MBS and Saudi Arabia for murdering a journalist, you give every other despot on the planet the go ahead . . . and this is the fallout. https://twitter.com/...
Emily Bell / @emilybell: Listening to the BBC reports about Protasevich this morning, they are using the phrase ‘prominent opposition activist’ , but not ‘journalist’ which is how the NYT, and others, are describing him https://www.nytimes.com/...
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: The mother of Roman Protasevich to @derspiegel: “I ask the world community to influence this insane regime. As a mother, I ask, I implore you.” https://twitter.com/...
Bianna Golodryga / @biannagolodryga: Belarus release a video of Roman Protasevich claiming that he is in good health and being treated lawfully. He also acknowledges he was at the protests and is cooperating with the govt. This has all the hallmarks of a forced confession and I can only imagine how fearful he is. https://twitter.com/...
@blakehounshell: Here's what it was like aboard the hijacked plane to Minsk https://www.politico.eu/...
Julia Davis / The Daily Beast: Top Kremlin Pundits Celebrate Mid-Air Takedown of Journo Facing Execution
Kenneth Roth / @kenroth: The Belarus pretext — to address a security threat rather than to arrest a dissident — isn't even credible for its forced down of the Ryanair jet. The jet was already nearer its destination in Vilnius than it was to Minsk where it was forced to land. https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Kenneth Roth / @kenroth: A new low for Belarus President Lukashenko: his forces endanger a commercial jet flying over its territory to force it down and arrest a dissident journalist on board. https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Shawn Pogatchnik / Politico: Ryanair CEO calls Belarus landing a ‘state-sponsored hijacking’
Guy Verhofstadt / @guyverhofstadt: This is big ! International community must condemn this hostile act & demand his immediate release. Time for EU to step up sanctions ! https://twitter.com/...
Bill Browder / @billbrowder: Ryanair's statement fails to mention that 6 people didn't continue on to Vilnius: Roman Protasevich, the Belarusian opposition journalist and his girlfriend who were detained, and four mysterious Russians who decided to end their trip on Minsk. https://twitter.com/...
Chris Murphy / @chrismurphyct: Just a run of the mill unscheduled 7 hour layover in Minsk for a journalist kidnapping. Sorry for the inconvenience! Apply online for a voucher! https://twitter.com/...
Bill Browder / @billbrowder: Correction: the Belarusian opposition journalist arrested on the commandeered Ryanair flight faces the death penalty! https://twitter.com/...
Jim Sciutto / @jimsciutto: And the costs are clearly survivable. If Russia can poison and then jail its main opposition leader (and throw others out windows), Belarus calculates it can hijack a plane to arrest its own. And the cycle goes on. https://twitter.com/...
Ivan Nechepurenko / New York Times: Belarus Scrambles Jet to Force Down Plane Carrying Dissident
NYT Graphics / @nytgraphics: Belarus sent a fighter jet to intercept a European airliner traveling through its airspace and ordered the plane to land, where a prominent opposition journalist aboard was seized, provoking international outrage. https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Mike Butcher / @mikebutcher: The head of Russia Today: “I have never envied Lukashenko. But now i do. A beautiful performance by Bat'ka” - translates like “Daddy” #Protasevich https://twitter.com/...
@reedbrody: Reminds me of when the US forced down the plane of #Bolivia president Evo Morales in #Austria in its hunt for whistleblower #EdwardSnowden @snowden. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Christopher Miller / @christopherjm: Reaction from the Belarusian opposition leader in exile who'd have likely won last year's presidential election if it hadn't been rigged. She's asking for an international response, including further sanctions against Lukasheno's regime. https://twitter.com/...
Antony J. Blinken / United States Department of State: Diversion of Ryanair Flight to Belarus and Arrest of Journalist
Simon Coveney / @simoncoveney: It is utterly unacceptable. This is an Irish Airline with EU citizens on board, forced to land in Minsk, while travelling between EU cities. A strong an united response from EU needed. EU inaction or indecision will be taken as weakness by Belarus. @dfatirl https://twitter.com/...
Rory Cellan-Jones / @ruskin147: Terrifying thread https://twitter.com/...
Abhijit Iyer-Mitra / @iyervval: Not unprecedented- in 2010 Iranians did the same to an Emirati plane from Dubai to Bishkek capturing & executing AbdolMalek Rigi. ZERO action against Iran. Notice despite the fury nobody is citing the exact law that prevents a first freedom flight from being forced to land https://twitter.com/...
Giulio Boccaletti / @g_boccaletti: This is insane. A civilian passenger plane of a European airline forcibly landed. No one is safe if @EU_Commission tolerates a dictator and autocrat at its gates hijacking a plane. It must respond. https://twitter.com/...
Brian Klaas / @brianklaas: This is a crucial point. What happened in Belarus is being watched closely by authoritarian despots around the world. Can you get away with forcing down a civilian aircraft with a fighter jet to arrest someone? The West needs to ensure that the answer is a resounding “No.” https://twitter.com/...
@iyad_elbaghdadi: This is an extremely dangerous precedent for all journalists, activists, and journalists in the entire world. If this is allowed to pass without serious - and I mean *serious* - consequence, then it's no less dangerous than the precedent set by the 2018 Khashoggi murder
Julia Angwin / @juliaangwin: This is horrifying and will transform the threat models for journalism - and global air travel - if it goes unchallenged. https://twitter.com/...
@stavridisj: This is beyond outrageous. The international community must take decisive action to demonstrate that this behavior utterly unacceptable. The alternative is to surrender international air travel to the whim of dictators. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Bojan Pancevski / @bopanc: A Ryanair airliner flying between two EU/Nato countries was hijacked and escorted by warplane on the personal order of Belarus's dictator to kidnap a dissident. How will Europe respond? https://www.nytimes.com/...
Anton Troianovski / @antontroian: A Russian MP's reaction to the Ryanair forced landing today: “A brilliant special operation.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Lotte Leicht / @lotteleicht1: Incredible. #Lukashenko's thuggish regime force a commercial plane -en route from one #EU state to another EU state- to land in #Belarus .. for the purpose of arresting a critical journalist on board the airliner. End impunity. #JusticeMatters. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Carl Zimmer / @carlzimmer: Belarus Forces Down Plane Carrying Dissident and Seizes Him https://www.nytimes.com/...
Thin / @thinink: What the actual eff? This is going to embolden the world's dictators even more... https://www.nytimes.com/...
Ray Dubicki / @raydubicki: Not that you needed more to pay attention to, but keep an eye on Belarus. Forcing down a civilian flight with a sham terrorist attack in order to arrest a journalist is bad stuff. https://twitter.com/...
Arjun Basu / @arjunbasu: Wow. This is nuts. https://twitter.com/...
Chris Brown / @cbcchrisbrown: This is an incredible story that's unfolding ... https://twitter.com/...
@edgarsrinkevics: This is completely unacceptable and contrary to the international law. Plane and ALL passangers must be released immediately and should continue to their destination. International reaction must be strong and effective https://twitter.com/...
Sara Nelson / @flyingwithsara: Deeply concerning reports coming out of a Belarus that the government there essentially hijacked a Ryan Air flight, forced it to land and then arrested a journalist onboard https://twitter.com/...
Mathieu von Rohr / @mathieuvonrohr: #Ryanair leave out of their statement that one of their customers was kidnapped in #Minsk by state authorities https://twitter.com/...
Molly Jong-Fast / @mollyjongfast: This is fucked up https://twitter.com/...
Denis MacShane / @denismacshane: Well said https://twitter.com/...
Charles Arthur / @charlesarthur: Fine while Lukashenko was just imprisoning people inside his country. Now he's detaining overflying jets? Things are going to change. Of course, have to hope this isn't Gavrilo Princip's sandwich. https://twitter.com/...
@nytimesworld: Belarus said its president gave an “unequivocal order” to make the plane, carrying Roman Protasevich, do a U-turn and land. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Ivo Daalder / @ivohdaalder: Outrageous actions by Belarus to force down civilian plane flying from Athens to Vilnius requires strong, concerted action by US and EU, including new sanctions and banning flights from Belarus. https://twitter.com/...
Timothy Ash / @tashecon: No plane is safe flying over Belarus airspace after this. https://twitter.com/...
Linas Linkevicius / @linkeviciusl: It just turned out that Pratasevich was detained at #Minsk airport. All this reckless and lawless ‘operation’ by 🇧🇾 special services deserves strong response, not just condemnation. One can't use airspace controlled by regime criminals. https://twitter.com/...
Lisa Nandy / @lisanandy: Intercepting a civilian airliner to detain a journalist is appalling, dangerous, and illegal. It imperils the freedoms of the air and freedom of speech. The Belarus government must face serious consequences. https://twitter.com/...
Bill Browder / @billbrowder: Truly shocking and unprecedented: Ryanair flight carrying Belarusian journalist critical of the regime forced to land in Minsk. The journalist was subsequently arrested and faces 15 years in prison. A true nightmare. This is why I'll never fly over Russia. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Vladislav Davidzon / @vladdavidzon: French, Belgian, Greek, Romanian and almost a hundred Lithuanian citizens have been taken hostage after Belarus hijacks plane in midair to capture a political opponent. https://twitter.com/...
Tadeusz Giczan / @tadeuszgiczan: MiG-29 of the Belarusian Air Force has returned to the airbase in Baranovichi after successfully intercepting Ryanair Athens-Vilnius flight and forcing it to land in Minsk. The plane with 171 passengers on board still hasn't been released. https://twitter.com/...
Luis Garicano / @lugaricano: Dear Mme @vonderleyen This kidnapping shows that the dictators-first Putin, then Erdogan, now Alexandr Lukashenko have discovered there is nothing behind our “we condemn” and our “we strongly condemn”. Let's save ourselves the words now, and take action. https://twitter.com/...
Boris Ryvkin / @bryvkin: von der Leyen to Lukashenko: all passengers must be able to continue their travel to Vilnius immediately! Lukashenko to von der Leyen (who he regards as utterly impotent): have a carrot. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Radek Sikorski Mep / @radeksikorski: This is a dangerous precedent for travellers everywhere. I shall be tabling a resolution @Europarl_EN to expel Belorus from @ICAO and impose other sanctions until Mr Pratasevicz is freed and the guilty of this outrageous act of state terrorism are punished. https://twitter.com/...
Josep Borrell Fontelles / @josepborrellf: We hold the government of Belarus responsable for the security of all passengers and the aircraft. ALL passengers must be able to continue their travel immediately. (2/2)
Gabrielius Landsbergis / @glandsbergis: Disturbing news regarding @Ryanair plane from Athens to Vilnius forced landing in Minsk. Working with international partners to secure safe passage back to Vilnius for all passengers.
Josep Borrell Fontelles / @josepborrellf: Closely following developments around today's @Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius, which was forced to land in Minsk over an alleged security threat. This is totally inadmissible. (1/2)
ND Kirsch / @ndkirschmann: Whelp, definitely NOT taking Ryanair this summer. Seriously, how does this happen? The EU and US need to slap (more) sanctions on these clowns. https://twitter.com/...
Alexander S. Vindman / @avindman: Good thread on events in Belarus. Yes, the Gov. of Belarus forcing down a Ryanair flight to detain an opponent is a Human Right violation. Yes, this was a terror act. It is also violation on international norms with grave implications for vital US national interests. https://twitter.com/...
David Coltart / @davidcoltart: Belarus President Scrambles Jet to Force Down Plane Carrying Dissident . Tyrants are the same the world over. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Evan Hill / @evanchill: Belarus appears to have staged a snatch operation to force a commercial aircraft flying over its airspace to land in order to arrest 26-year-old opposition journalist Roman Protasevich. https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Sasha Chavkin / @sashachavkin: Brazen assault on press freedom and the rule of law. Dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus scrambles military jets to force down an international flight carrying an opposition journalist, who was arrested upon landing https://www.nytimes.com/...
Nina Jankowicz / @wiczipedia: Absolutely unacceptable behavior from Belarus. Protasevich and NEXTA have played an integral role in informing citizens during the past year or protest; he should be freed, and the EU & US must act to discourage this wanton disregard for int'l norms. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Donie O'Sullivan / @donie: This is incredibly messed up: A leading opposition figure has said the Belarusian regime “forced the landing of the plane in Minsk to arrest journalist and activist Raman Pratasevich. https://www.cnn.com/...
Erin Burnett / @erinburnett: See Anne's full thread about how this went down - KBG on board forced plane down https://twitter.com/...
@jesselynradack: Remember when the U.S. asked European countries to force down the plane of Bolivian President Morales bc they thought @Snowden was aboard?? https://www.nytimes.com/...
Bianna Golodryga / @biannagolodryga: Strong statement. Question is, what will be the consequences? https://twitter.com/...
Mario Seminerio / @phastidio: Waiting for the consequences, then https://twitter.com/...
Max Seddon / @maxseddon: Strong statement on Roman Protasevich's detention in Belarus from the head of the EU commission. But the bloc's options are pretty limited. “We will be super concerned and demand his release,” one diplomat told me. “But the EU can't do much, sad as it is.” https://twitter.com/...
Jacopo Bertolotti / @j_bertolotti: Immediate sanctions on Lukashenko and his cronies. Thank you @EUCouncil https://twitter.com/...
Nicholas Weaver / @ncweaver: One problem that the EU and US face on this: The EU and US did this to the President of Bolivia because we thought Snowden was on the plane, albeit not with a bomb threat. https://en.wikipedia.org/... https://twitter.com/...
David Rothschild / @davmicrot: “Belarus security service, still known as KGB” https://twitter.com/...
Michael Weiss / @michaeldweiss: Belarusian KGB hijacked a plane headed to Vilnius with a fake bomb threat to arrest a journalist wanted by Lukashenko. Extraordinary. https://www.rferl.org/...
@cjcmichel: Needless to say, unless there's massive pushback against this from the West, we're going to see repeats of this new tactic in Russia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, etc. https://twitter.com/...
X Soviet / @xsovietnews: It's now reported that a Belarusian fighter jet was scrambled to escort the Ryanair flight to Minsk so that journalist Roman Protasevich could be arrested. “On the orders of the commander-in-chief.” https://twitter.com/...
Bakhti Nishanov / @b_nishanov: The regime has gone absolutely rogue https://twitter.com/...
Christopher Miller / @christopherjm: Here's the president of Lithuania reacting to today's absolutely mad events. The Ryan Air fight was headed to his capital of Vilnius. The Irish airline had flown through EU airspace before crossing into Belarusian airspace. https://twitter.com/...
Rep. Peter Meijer / @repmeijer: The authoritarian Belarusian regime just forced down a civilian Ryanair plane flying from Greece to Lithuania to arrest a political activist who criticized the dictator Lukashenko. This is an egregious violation that deserves condemnation and stronger sanctions against Belarus. https://twitter.com/...
Max Seddon / @maxseddon: The president of Lithuania, where the plane reportedly carrying activist Roman Protasevich was headed, is calling for his release https://twitter.com/...
Deth Veggie / @dethveggie: https://www.bbc.com/... How is this not hijacking? This is incredibly messed up. https://twitter.com/...
Mitchell Prothero / @mitchprothero: Official: Belarus conducted an operation on a Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania to force the plane down in Minsk so they could arrest a dissident journalist on board. i'm having a difficult time processing how illegal this is under various international laws and treaties https://twitter.com/...
James Ball / @jamesrbuk: This action *must* have consequences, or else the reach of dictatorships to suppress free speech will extend even further than it does already. https://twitter.com/...
Christopher Miller / @christopherjm: Unbelievably brazen move by Belarusian dictator Lukashenko to fake a bomb threat, scramble a jet, & force a @Ryanair flight to land in Minsk to arrest @nexta_tv founder @pr0tez, who helped organized last years protests against Lukashenko. Protasevich could face the death penalty. https://twitter.com/...
Bianna Golodryga / @biannagolodryga: 🚨An authoritarian regime forced the landing of a plane en route to Lithuania to arrest a journalist. This is outrageous and requires immediate response from the EU. Beyond just a harsh statement. https://twitter.com/...
Daniel Hamilton / @danielrhamilton: It doesn't just require a response on the part of the EU, @biannagolodryga; it requires coordinated action on the part of the *entire* international community to exclude Belarus from the global banking system, end debt financing and to impose ban on dual-use exports. https://twitter.com/...
Bob Rae / @bobrae48: This is the world we are in - the authoritarian world ! https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Kimmel / @andrewkimmel: Belarus secret police hijacked a commercial airliner to arrest a journalist. https://twitter.com/...
@vloracitaku: This is absolutely unacceptable. The way how EU will respond to this act of aggression will determine whether such despicable actions conducted by states will become a norm in the future. https://twitter.com/...
Southpaw / @nycsouthpaw: The Belarusian govt reportedly forced a plane down in order to arrest a journalist on board. https://twitter.com/...
Marc Burleigh / @marcburleigh: Latvia's PM on the @Ryanair plane forced to land in #Belarus https://twitter.com/...
Jason Kint / @jason_kint: And this context is spot on. It's a risk calculation and any failure to respond appropriately for press freedoms and international law only increases risk to press and democracy globally. https://twitter.com/...
Henry Foy / @henryjfoy: Belarus media reporting that a @Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius, while over Belarus airspace was ordered to land in Minsk, where a journalist critical of the Lukashenko regime was taken from the plane and detained. Some reports say a fighter jet was also used https://twitter.com/...
Alec Luhn / @asluhn: Roman Protasevich of the Nexta Telegram channel, which exposed Belarus police brutality, has been arrested after his Athens-Vilnius flight made a surprise landing in Minsk due to a “bomb threat” https://meduza.io/... https://twitter.com/...
Tadeusz Giczan / @tadeuszgiczan: insisting there's an IED onboard. Eventually the crew was forced to send out SOS (literally moments before the plane would've left Belarus airspace). MiG-29 took off and escorted it to Minsk. Security services entered the plane and arrested Protasevich. (2/2)
Lucian K. Truscott IV / Lucian Truscott Newsletter: Ryanair flight forced down by military jets in Belarus
Daniel Politi / Slate: Belarus Under Fire After it Diverts Plane to Arrest Journalist: “Unprecedented Act of State Terrorism”
APOLLO NETWORK Newsletter: Bielorusia interceptează zborul Ryanair și îl reține pe jurnalist, provocând scandal internațional
Shaun Kenney / The Republican Standard: TRS Sunday Post | Crumbling Democrats Are Desperate For New Narratives
Andrew Roth / The Guardian: Belarus accused of ‘hijacking’ Ryanair flight diverted to arrest blogger
Patrick Reevell / ABC News: Ryanair flight forced to land in Belarus with top activist on board
Will Stewart / The Sun: PLANE DRAMA Ryanair bomb scare: Plane forced to land after ‘false threat led to fighter jets being scrambled to arrest passenger’
Valda Kalnina / TASS: Lithuanian president says Ryanair plane was forced to land in Minsk
Emma Grimshaw / Mirror.co.uk: Ryanair plane ‘forced to land’ in Belarus with fake bomb scare as journalist ‘detained’
RFE / Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Belarusian Journalist Arrested After His Flight Diverted To Minsk By Military Fighter Jet
RELATED:
Tim Lister / CNN:
Profile of Roman Protasevich, who now works for Telegram channel Belamova after its founder was imprisoned by Belarus in 2020, as he faces the death penalty — (CNN)For most passengers on board Ryanair flight 4978 from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday, the news that the plane would instead touch …
Discussion:
Azmi Haroun / Insider: White House calls for ‘immediate’ investigation into forced diversion of Ryanair flight carrying Belarusian dissident
@cnni: Just 26 years old, Roman Protasevich is one of a new generation of Belarusian political activists who was catapulted to prominence by the surge in public opposition to the long and repressive rule of President Alexander Lukashenko https://www.cnn.com/...
Sergei Kuznetsov / Politico: Why the Belarusian journalist was snatched from the Ryanair flight
Financial Times:
A look at the media activism of Belarusian Telegram channels like Nexta, which not only reported on last year's protests but also helped coordinate them
Discussion:
The Uprising, @mattgarrahan, @khalafroula, @brianstelter, @maxseddon, @valentinapop and Al Jazeera
Discussion:
Matthew Garrahan / @mattgarrahan: Superb profile of Roman Protasevich, the “hybrid media activist” who so riled the Lukashenko regime, by @JamesShotter and @maxseddon Includes these comments from Protasevich's father, Dimitry. It's hard to imagine what he's going through tonight https://www.ft.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Roula Khalaf / @khalafroula: “The goal is pretty obvious: to show that going forward, if you value your life you can't do anything of the sort in Belarus ever again.” How Roman Protasevich became one of Lukashenko's prized targets https://www.ft.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: “Many Belarusian activists realised ten years ago that activism was not enough to win, and that in journalism you can do much more. At the same time, journalism cannot win alone. And this hybrid type of media activist appeared and Roman was one of them.” https://www.ft.com/...
Max Seddon / @maxseddon: .@JamesShotter and I profiled Roman Protasevich: “My son was always someone who had a strong reaction against lies,” his father Dmitry Protasevich told the FT. “The whole problem is that the authorities are scared of even the tiniest freedom of speech” https://www.ft.com/...
Valentina Pop / @valentinapop: “My son was always someone who had a strong reaction against lies. That's why he became a journalist,” his father, Dmitry Protasevich, told the FT. https://www.ft.com/... via @JamesShotter @maxseddon
Mansur Mirovalev / Al Jazeera: Why Belarus risked the wrath of the world to arrest an activist
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Amazon is nearing a deal to buy MGM Holdings for almost $9B, which could be announced as early as this week — Deal for the ‘Rocky’ and ‘James Bond’ studio would mark tech company's second largest-ever acquisition — Amazon.com Inc. is nearing a deal to buy the Hollywood studio MGM Holdings …
Discussion:
Forbes, ScreenRant, @jbflint, Vox, @jacobdotgov, Heroic Hollywood, @spoonen, @isaacstonefish, Bloomberg, Breitbart, Gizmodo, CNBC, @danprimack, @alexjamesfitz, @jbflint, The Streamable, @jbenton, @jbenton, @sherman4949, Observer, @mbgelman, @claireatki, Hollywood Reporter, Cord Cutters News and Media Play News
Discussion:
Carlie Porterfield / Forbes: Amazon Reportedly Close To Buying MGM For Nearly $9 Billion
Hope Rosenblatt / ScreenRant: Amazon Reportedly Nears $9 Billion Deal To Buy MGM | Screen Rant
Peter Kafka / Vox: Why Amazon is paying $9 billion for MGM and James Bond
Ryden Scarnato / Heroic Hollywood: Amazon Nearing Deal For ‘James Bond’ & ‘Rocky’ With MGM Acquisition
Sanjay Poonen / @spoonen: Bold move by @Amazon - via @WSJ - “Nears Deal to Buy Hollywood Studio MGM.... Deal for the ‘Rocky’ and ‘James Bond’ studio would mark tech company's second largest-ever acquisition” - https://www.wsj.com/...
Isaac Stone Fish / @isaacstonefish: It's amazing to say this, but Amazon's purchase of Hollywood studio MGM could potentially lead to a studio releasing a major film that is critical of Beijing. https://www.wsj.com/...
James Whitbrook / Gizmodo: Jeff Bezos, a Real-Life Bond Villain, May Own James Bond Very Soon
Alex Sherman / CNBC: Amazon nears deal to buy MGM Studios for nearly $9 billion
Dan Primack / @danprimack: Amazon talks with MGM confirm something a top Amazon corp dev exec told me just before the pandemic, when I asked if antitrust concerns would slow big acquisitions: (paraphrased) “We'll keep doing big deals until one actually gets blocked, instead of just political rhetoric.”
Alex Fitzpatrick / @alexjamesfitz: man the bond market is outta control https://twitter.com/...
Joe Flint / @jbflint: MGM board briefed on Amazon deal. Sale likely unveiled later this week. https://www.wsj.com/... via @WSJ
Derek Walborn / The Streamable: Reports: Amazon Close to Landing Lucrative MGM Deal
Joshua Benton / @jbenton: Nation's 20th-Century Visual Heritage Finds New Life as Marginal Upsell Incentive for 2-Day Shipping https://www.wsj.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Joshua Benton / @jbenton: Eventually, the Bezos comes for us all https://www.wsj.com/...
Alex Sherman / @sherman4949: Good on @theinformation for the initial scoop on this one — I can add an Amazon/MGM deal is expected as soon as tomorrow between $8.5b-$9b. https://www.cnbc.com/...
Brandon Katz / Observer: Amazon May Be Overpaying for MGM, But Does It Even Matter?
Micah Gelman / @mbgelman: Gonna get ownership of all that ‘The Apprentice’ raw footage https://twitter.com/...
Claire Atkinson / @claireatki: The great 2021 media rethink: AT&T spins WarnerMedia, MGM sells to Amazon, Wanda gets out of AMC, Televisa/Univision merger. And then there's the SPACs/IPOs. Good time to be a media banker, lawyer. What's next Aryeh?
Jess Barnes / Cord Cutters News: Amazon and MGM Are Close to Making a Deal
Erik Gruenwedel / Media Play News: Report: Amazon, MGM Acquisition Deal Imminent
David McCabe / New York Times:
A new Florida law regulates how Twitter, YouTube, and others moderate speech, with fines for banning candidates; the law exempts companies that own theme parks — The new law, a direct response to Facebook and Twitter's suspension of former President Donald J. Trump, affects candidates for statewide offices.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, @hannahgais, TechCrunch, Fast Company, Editor and Publisher, @athertonkd, @devilstower, @scout_finch, CBS Miami, Gizmodo, Associated Press, Engadget, @jaredlholt, @samstein, @radleybalko, WKMG, @johnpaczkowski, Insider, @lexnfx, @fmanjoo, @hesherman, @peterschorschfl, @cfarivar, @govrondesantis, @nberlat and @jeffreyasachs, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Cat Zakrzewski / Washington Post: Florida governor signs bill barring social media companies from blocking political candidates
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis: Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Bill to Stop the Censorship of Floridians by Big Tech
Hannah Gais / @hannahgais: very excited for Facebook and Twitter's 26-acre theme parks https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch: Florida's ban on bans will test First Amendment rights of social media companies
Steven Melendez / Fast Company: Florida's Ron DeSantis signs a ban on social media ‘deplatforming’
Kelsey D. Atherton / @athertonkd: twitter: the ride https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Mark Sumner / @devilstower: In other words, Florida signed up to spend a huge amount of taxpayer money defending a law that they absolutely no won't stand up in court. All for Trump. https://twitter.com/...
Jennifer Hayden / @scout_finch: Remember when Republicans used to claim they were for small government? They really seem to enjoy telling private companies what to do. https://twitter.com/...
Whitney Kimball / Gizmodo: There's No Way the Big Tech Law Florida Just Passed Is Legal
Brendan Farrington / Associated Press: Florida law targets social media companies that remove ‘conservative ideas’
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget: Florida governor signs state's social media ‘deplatforming’ bill into law
Jared Holt / @jaredlholt: Lmfao it does what now? Sounds like someone got a call from an angry lobbyist, if I had my guess https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Radley Balko / @radleybalko: There are many things you could call policy that forces private companies to allow political leaders to use their platforms at any time, for any reason, with no moderation, no matter how repugnant or dangerous their message. But it is not “free speech.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Emilee Speck / WKMG: New Florida law requires social media companies to explain censorship or face fines
John Paczkowski / @johnpaczkowski: “Big Tech is prohibited from de-platforming Floridian political candidates. The Florida Election Commission will impose fines of $250,000 per day on any social media company that de-platforms any candidate for statewide office” https://twitter.com/...
Insider: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis just signed a bill allowing people to sue big tech firms over alleged censorship - and the state to fine companies $250,000
Alexei Oreskovic / @lexnfx: The solution for Facebook is obvious: a ZuckWorld theme park in Orlando. https://twitter.com/...
Farhad Manjoo / @fmanjoo: Can't wait for Googleland Tampa! https://www.nytimes.com/...
Howard Sherman / @hesherman: “It is the government telling private entities how to speak. In general, it's a gross misreading of the First Amendment.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Peter Schorsch / @peterschorschfl: Good luck, Floridians, suing the wealthiest, most powerful companies in the world. Trial lawyers, I'm sure, will be tackling each other for the chance to take you're case! https://twitter.com/...
Ron DeSantis / @govrondesantis: Florida's Big Tech Bill gives every Floridian the power to fight back against deplatforming and allows any person to sue Big Tech companies for up to $100,000 in damages. Today, we level the playing field between celebrity and citizen on social media. https://www.flgov.com/...
Noah Berlatsky / @nberlat: yeah, forcing venues to publish political propaganda is pretty much exactly what the first amendment was intended to prevent. Florida is using the power of the state to force publisher's to take a particular editorial line. pretty clear first amendment violation. https://twitter.com/...
RELATED:
Gilad Edelman / Wired:
Florida's new Stop Social Media Censorship Act almost certainly violates the US Constitution and Section 230, and will likely be struck down in court — The Stop Social Media Censorship Act almost certainly violates both the US Constitution and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Discussion:
@wired: Florida's new social media legislation is the first state law to regulate online content moderation. It's also likely to become the first such law to be struck down in court. “This is so obviously unconstitutional, you wouldn't even put it on an exam.” https://www.wired.com/...
Gilad Edelman / @giladedelman: “This is so obviously unconstitutional, you wouldn't even put it on an exam.” https://www.wired.com/...
Caitlin Kelly / @caitlin__kelly: “This law looks like a political freebie...You get to pander, and nothing bad happens, because there's no chance this will survive in court.” @GiladEdelman talked to some folks about Florida's new social media law and uh, they are not impressed! https://www.wired.com/...
Matthew Dessem / Slate:
In a Last Week Tonight episode about sponsored content, John Oliver tricked three local US TV stations into airing a promo for a bogus “sexual wellness blanket” — The single greatest thing about Last Week Tonight has always been John Oliver's willingness to spend HBO's money …
Discussion:
YouTube, Mashable, Yahoo Entertainment, Salt Lake Tribune, The Guardian, UPROXX, austonia, @deadline, Deadline, @mariancw, @jillgeisler, @thr, @mnshap, @oliverdarcy, Paste, @w7voa, @iamjohnoliver, @oliverdarcy, The A.V. Club, TVSpy, @badastronomer, @oliverdarcy, Hollywood Reporter, The Week, @beebrookshire, Mediaite and The Wrap
Discussion:
Sam Haysom / Mashable: John Oliver sets up fake company, tricks local news stations into airing ridiculous product
Stephen Proctor / Yahoo Entertainment: John Oliver tricks local news stations into promoting fake sexual-enhancement blanket
Scott D. Pierce / Salt Lake Tribune: John Oliver punks KTVX-Ch. 4 and skewers both that station and KUTV-Ch. 2
Adrian Horton / The Guardian: John Oliver places fake sponsored content on to local news: ‘Far too easy’
Kimberly Ricci / UPROXX: John Oliver Invented The 'World's First Sexual Wellness Blanket' And Fooled Local News Stations Into Covering It
Sonia Garcia / austonia: Austin's KVUE falls for John Oliver spoof, promoting phony sexual wellness blanket
Deadline Hollywood / @deadline: Two major station groups said that they were reviewing their processes for airing sponsored content following a segment that aired on HBO's #LastWeekTonight https://deadline.com/...
Ted Johnson / Deadline: Station Groups Reviewing Vetting Processes For Sponsored Content After John Oliver's ‘Last Week Tonight’ Segment
Marian Wang / @mariancw: This one is super fun — come for the George Clooney appearance, stay for the “Nazi-era fuck blanket” https://twitter.com/...
Jill Geisler / @jillgeisler: This piece on sponsored content on local TV is an ethics nightmare. ‘Last Week Tonight’: John Oliver Advertises “World's First Sexual Wellness Blanket” In Crusade Against Sponsored Content https://deadline.com/... via @Deadline
@thr: The ‘Last Week Tonight’ opening credits references both his old and new corporate chiefs as “rich idiots” https://thr.cm/yVgKCgD
Manisha Pande / @mnshap: Genius episode on sponsored content that looks suspiciously like news. Much like the UP government ads that are running like news bulletins on major channels. https://www.youtube.com/...
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy: A spox for Scripps, KMGH's parent company, stresses that they have “clear distinctions” between news and “lifestyle programming.” The spox, nevertheless, adds, “We are vetting our review processes for non-news segments to ensure our stations follow the proper standards.” https://twitter.com/...
Garrett Martin / Paste - Recently Added: John Oliver Creates a “Sexual Wellness Blanket” to Point Out Local News Stations' Problem with Sponsored Content
Steve Herman / @w7voa: A @LastWeekTonight expose on sponsored content includes the show itself placing paid segments for the totally made up ‘Venus Veil Blanket’ on @abc4utah, @KVUE and @DenverChannel. https://www.youtube.com/... https://twitter.com/...
John Oliver / @iamjohnoliver: Here's our story from last night about the importance of local news, and the dangers of sponsored content...https://www.youtube.com/ ...
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy: KVUE-TV spox on running the fake @iamjohnoliver sex blanket spot: “'FYI Austin' is a two-minute commercial spot that is not a part of the KVUE newscast. While it is a commercial spot, it was an error to air it, and we are reviewing our processes, so this doesn't happen again.”
Dennis Perkins / The A.V. Club: John Oliver diagnoses your local news' product integration ailment with a fake Nazi sex blanket
Phil Plait / @badastronomer: This is an amazing segment even for the high standards of Last Week Tonight. When the actress mentioned German technology I almost choked to death on my sandwich. https://www.youtube.com/...
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy: If you haven't seen this segment yet, do yourself a favor and give it a watch. https://twitter.com/...
Kimberly Nordyke / Hollywood Reporter: John Oliver Fools Local Broadcast News Programs Into Promoting “Ridiculous” Fake Product
Peter Weber / The Week: John Oliver humiliates local TV stations with ‘sexual wellness blanket’ sponsored content
Bethany Brookshire / @beebrookshire: This is amazing and horrifying and even more important than you think. John Oliver's team got a random blanket on a bunch of local news stations as a “Venus Veil” that used “magneto-genetics. How they did it? It's spon-con. https://slate.com/...
New York Times:
Sources: in October 2016, shortly before the AT&T-Time Warner acquisition, Disney's Bob Iger called Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes about a possible deal — What if Time Warner had gotten a fateful phone call earlier in 2016? — What could have been — After its $100 billion deal …
Discussion:
New York Times: Interviews with 18 people reveal details of the Discovery-WarnerMedia deal, including stock structure change and an awkward talk with WarnerMedia's Jason Kilar
Edmund Lee / @edmundlee: Time Warner (now @WarnerMedia) could have been owned by @Disney if a phone call in October 2016 had come just a few weeks earlier. Me and @andrewrsorkin in this morning's @dealbook: https://www.nytimes.com/...
Frank Pallotta / @frankpallotta: A DC vs. Marvel movie would've made like $3 billion. https://twitter.com/...
Andrew Ross Sorkin / @andrewrsorkin: Revealed: Disney's Bob Iger tried to buy Time Warner right before it announced a deal with AT&T... https://www.nytimes.com/...
Mike Bird / @birdyword: Sort of blows me away that this is how absolutely colossal mergers happen. I guess it shouldn't be surprising, it just feels like the companies are imperfect substitutes and well... They cost tens of billions of dollars! https://twitter.com/...
Modest Proposal / @modestproposal1: I guess Iger agreed https://twitter.com/...
Anupreeta Das / @preetatweets: This tick-tock of the AT&T-Discovery deal by @koblin, @grynbaum, @edmundlee and @LaurenSHirsch is so vivid and rich in detail. And there's a fantastic pic of Steve McQueen. Inside the Discovery-AT&T Deal: Cute Emails, a Big Loan and Now, a Media Giant https://www.nytimes.com/...
The Information:
Sources: Bleacher Report revenue fell 15% to $140M in '20; Jason Kilar met with Bleacher Report execs to explore a role for it in HBO Max but nothing came of it — Shortly after Jason Kilar took over WarnerMedia a year ago, he met with executives at Bleacher Report to discuss the future …
Discussion:
Mike Shields / @digitalshields: What's interesting about this (among many things) is how disinterested big media companies seem to be in digital publishing/media. They care about streaming yes, but they no longer seem to want their very own Vice/Buzz/Refinery/Vox/GroupBustle, etc https://www.theinformation.com/ ...
Sahil Patel / @sizpatel: What happens to Bleacher Report as Discovery merges with WarnerMedia? Turner Sports says it still values BR, which is a key cog in its sports-rights deals. But BR has received M&A interest, while the business has felt stalled since AT&T took the reins. https://www.theinformation.com/ ...
Jason Gewirtz / CNBC:
CNBC is selling an NFT of a video of Mark Haines calling a bottom in the stock market on March 10, 2009, to honor the anchor on 10th anniversary of his death — CNBC launches NFT of the ‘Haines Bottom’ for charity — Ten years to the day since our cherished colleague Mark Haines passed away …
Discussion:
@jyarow, @cnbc, @harrymccracken, @sandymaltzman, @toddgordonta, @thedomino and Talking Biz News
Discussion:
Jay Yarow / @jyarow: It's been 10 years since CNBC's beloved anchor Mark Haines died. We're honoring that memory with an NFT — our first ever. Proceeds to charity. https://www.cnbc.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@cnbc: We're remembering CNBC icon Mark Haines by auctioning an NFT of his historic 2009 market call. You can visit https://mintable.app/cnbc to participate, with all proceeds benefitting charity. We're partnering with Aerial to make this a carbon neutral event. https://www.cnbc.com/...
Harry McCracken / @harrymccracken: Just saying right now that when I go, I hope that none of my former employers auction off an NFT in my honor. https://www.cnbc.com/...
Sandy Maltzman / @sandymaltzman: How cool is this? Honoring Mark Haines with @CNBC's first NFT auction https://www.cnbc.com/...
Todd Gordon / @toddgordonta: The ENTIRE studio got very quiet very quickly, but then you could hear the sobbing and crying from different corners of EC. It was indescribable https://www.cnbc.com/...
Dominic Chu / @thedomino: .@CNBC 1st ever #NFT auction...own a piece of market history w/ the late, great Mark Haines calling the market bottom during Great Financial Crisis... Auction starts 9 am ET today...ends Wed 1030 am ET. All proceeds benefit @autismspeaks @CouncilEconEd https://www.cnbc.com/...
Jeremy Barr / Washington Post:
Profile of MSNBC Pres. Rashida Jones, a “digital native” millennial who hopes MSNBC's focus on streaming will help it cultivate a new generation of news junkies — Rashida Jones, the first Black woman to run a major cable news channel, hopes streaming will cultivate the next generation of news junkies.
Discussion:
@rolandsmartin, @brooklynmarie, @jeremymbarr, @jeremymbarr, @david_darmofal, @jeremymbarr and TVNewser
Discussion:
@rolandsmartin: My biggest takeaway of this @washingtonpost profile of @MSNBC President Rashida @RJonesNews? Streaming news shows can't just look and sound like traditional TV. If that's the case, why do them? https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Brooke Binkowski / @brooklynmarie: I know for a fact what will bring in the under-40 viewership: A commitment to solid news reporting on global issues around social justice and climate change through an intersectional lens and actively going after disinformation campaigns https://twitter.com/...
Jeremy Barr / @jeremymbarr: Rather than being forced to launch new shows on streaming platforms like Peacock, Jones said that MSNBC talent is coming to management with ideas for new shows they might want to do. There will be news coming about a Nicolle Wallace streaming vehicle. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Jeremy Barr / @jeremymbarr: I profiled new MSNBC president Rashida Jones, with a special focus on the network's future and the pivot to streaming: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
David Darmofal / @david_darmofal: An interesting story on @MSNBC. Glad to see the mention of @ZerlinaShow. I'd love to see @ZerlinaMaxwell also have a show on @MSNBC. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Sensor Tower makes its first acquisition with deal for market intelligence company, Pathmatics, and gets a growth investment from Riverwood Capital — Mobile app market intelligence firm Sensor Tower has made its first acquisition. The company this morning announced it's acquiring Pathmatics …
Discussion:
Greg Rosen / @grosenberries: Super excited to announce that we (@Pathmatics) have been acquired by @SensorTower ! An incredible milestone on an 8+ year journey for me that started holed up in a tiny shared office with @gabegottlieb and Tom Lorimor. Watch out world for what's next ;) https://techcrunch.com/...
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