Top News:
Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
A group of 13 people made up of WaPo staff and families, including Afghan journalists, has left Kabul; the status of others who work for NYT and WSJ is unclear — A group of Washington Post employees, including Afghan journalists and their families, safely departed Kabul on Tuesday …
Discussion:
The New York Times Company, Press Gazette, Poynter, @wsjpr, New York Times, @nytimespr, CNN, Variety, Columbia Journalism Review, @iamamnanawaz, Wall Street Journal, @mviser, The Full Belmonte, @goanand, @anniegowen, The P Word, @ajvicens, @andrewrestuccia, @rachelabramsny, Wall Street Journal, @cliffordlevy, @oliverdarcy, @lara_korte, @nikkiusher, icfj.org and Vanity Fair
RELATED:
David Rohde / New Yorker:
A New Yorker executive editor recounts trying and failing to get Tahir Luddi, an Afghan journalist who helped him escape the Taliban 12 years ago, out of Kabul — Twelve years ago, Tahir Luddin helped us both escape after we were kidnapped by the Taliban. Now I am struggling to get his family out of Kabul.
Discussion:
@rohded, @kim_barker, @jilliancyork, @benjamingoggin, New York Times, @sbg1, @marietjeschaake, @macariomx, @lrozen and @sarapekow
Reporters Without Borders:
In a statement to RSF, Taliban spokesperson says “journalists working for state or privately owned media are not criminals and none of them will be prosecuted”
Discussion:
Voice of America, @freedomofpress, @w7voa and International Press Institute
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
Comcast and ViacomCBS announce SkyShowtime, a subscription streaming service expected to launch in 20+ European markets in 2022 — The partnership will be structured as a joint venture, with equal investment and joint control.
Discussion:
Variety, The Streamable, The Wrap, CNBC, Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance, Cord Cutters News, Broadband TV News, @loudmouthjulia, @alexweprin and @sarafischer
Joseph Bernstein / Harper's:
A look at the focus on disinformation by media, tech, and academic leaders, and how assumptions about disinfo effectiveness echo old media and advertising myths — In the beginning, there were ABC, NBC, and CBS, and they were good. Midcentury American man could come home after eight hours …
Discussion:
@benyt, Webb Chatham Report, @etbrooking, @mathewi, What's New in Publishing, @yoloethics, @noupside, @annisch, @willoremus, @annemariebridy, @willoremus, @kenvogel, @noupside, @willoremus, @jemimajoanna, @black_action, @huge_reality, @escarry, @daveyalba, @theophite, @daveyalba, @kevinwglass, @bcmerchant, @bostonjoan, @mattyglesias, @noupside, @noupside, @brizzyc, @hshaban, @arielbogle, @dangainor, @daveyalba, @nkulw, @rosiegray, @samjsutton, @willoremus, @rosiegray, @nkulw, @noahbuyon, @lionel_trolling, @tomgara, @laurawags, @johnarchibald, @neontaster, @nickconfessore, @omriceren, @chanders and @geniepee, more at Techmeme »
Benjamin Mullin / Wall Street Journal:
J2 Global, owner Mashable and IGN, is rebranding as Ziff Davis and has a $1B M&A budget, after spending $480M on deals in 2020 and earning revenue of $1.49B — Parent company J2 Global is being renamed after the century-old magazine publisher and will have $1 billion for buying up other companies
Discussion:
@seangriffey, @wsj, @davemorgannyc, @saschasegan and The Wrap
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: NBCUniversal was unhappy that BuzzFeed's SPAC deal valued it at just $1.5B, below its 2016 valuation, but approved the deal after Peretti's concessions — Chief Executive Jonah Peretti of BuzzFeed signed off on terms that could put more pressure on the company if its shares don't rise.
Discussion:
@wsj, @amrithramkumar, @benmullin and @benmullin
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Spotify expands Music + Talk, its radio DJ-like format that combines spoken word commentary with music, to creators globally through its Anchor podcasting tools — Last fall, Spotify introduced a new format that combined spoken word commentary with music, allowing creators to reproduce …
Discussion:
Tubefilter and Spotify
Gillian Tan / Bloomberg:
Sources: Forbes Media is in talks to go public via a merger with the Magnum Opus Acquisition SPAC, a deal that would value the company at $650M — - Media company had been in talks with GSV-led consortium — B.C. Forbes founded namesake business magazine in 1917
Discussion:
@techleaks24, SPAC Track, @deitaone and Talking Biz News
Tommy Walker / Voice of America:
Hong Kong's public broadcaster, RTHK, partners with China Media Group to air more pro-Beijing shows, prompting worries about RTHK's editorial independence — BANGKOK - Plans by Hong Kong's public broadcaster to partner with Chinese state media have furthered fears that it is aligning closely with Beijing.
Discussion:
South China Morning Post and @jessicajerreat
Leia Idliby / Mediaite:
OANN loses an appeal of a ruling that dismissed its defamation suit against MSNBC and Rachel Maddow and will be liable for about $250,000 in Maddow's legal fees — One American News (OAN) has faced another loss in their legal battle against MSNBC's Rachel Maddow.
Discussion:
Variety, The Daily Beast, Law & Crime, @eugene_scott, @oliverdarcy, The Wrap, Joe.My.God., The Hill, TVNewser and Barrett Media
Billboard:
Billboard partners with Logitech to launch Song Breaker Chart, giving monthly rankings of creators who are driving music consumption through their content — Billboard and Logitech For Creators, a brand extension of Logitech that helps all creators pursue their passions …
Discussion:
@billboard and musically.com
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
Right-wing media outlets and elected US Republicans distorted phrases by CNN's Clarissa Ward in Kabul to imply that Ward and CNN were rooting for the Taliban — The political right has plenty to work with right now on Afghanistan. The withdrawal from that country has gone poorly …
Discussion:
@tedcruz, @cnnpr, @clarissaward, USA Today, @nickkristof, @djjudd, @katies, @charlesppierce, @jackposobiec, Snopes.com, @mahwashajaz_, @anusharavi10, @sduncovered, @biaggi4ny, @atrupar, @jackposobiec, @kfile, @ananavarro, @kaitlancollins, @maggienyt, @frankluntz, @phil_mattingly, @farnazfassihi, @fbhutto, @mollymckew, @jackiekcalmes, @seungminkim, @keithedwards, @paulszoldra, @chrisburynews, @repdanbishop, @peterbale, @raineytime, @emgusk, @dailycaller, @byrondonalds and Insider
Consumer Tech Reporter, CA — 
Associate Editor, Remote US — 
Curation Editor (Contract), NY — 
Business Editor, CA — 
Executive Ed. - Tech & Electronics, AZ — 
Economy & Industry Reporter, TX — 
ESPN FC Associate Editor, CA/CT — 
Political Enterprise Editor, DC — 
Housing & Real Estate Reporter, ME — 
Associate Reporter - Yahoo Finance — 
Senior Editor, Remote — 
News Reporter, MA — 
Freelance Contributor, FL — 
Senior Reporter, CA — 
Managing Editor - State, CT — 
Sr. VP & Chief Content Officer, OR — 
Writer - Streaming (Temporary), GA — 
Data Graphics Reporter, CA — 
Data Reporter, TX — 
Town Reporter, CT — 
Weekend Audience Editor, VA — 
Managing Editor, FL — 
Business Reporter, WA — 
Associate Editor, NY — 
Freelance Reporter, NC — 
Crypto/Markets Reporter - Europe — 
Education & Family Reporter, OR — 
Red Sox Reporter, MA — 
Cockburn Editor, DC — 
Investigative Reporter, NC — 
Writer - Women's Soccer, Remote US — 
Senior IP Correspondent, London — 
Computational Journalist, NY — 
