Top News:
Patience Haggin / Wall Street Journal:
NYT is adding a paywall to Wirecutter, starting after users read 10 stories/month, charging $5/month or $40/year but free for NYT premium digital subscribers — Site will be available for $5 every four weeks or as part of a Times premium bundle — New York Times Co. plans to put …
Discussion:
The New York Times Company, @alexweprin, @kimmasters, Nieman Lab, @cubicleapril, @glennf, @mmasnick, @videodante, @myurow, @myurow, @russpitts, @adriana_lacy, @rafat, @sdkstl, @delrayser, @ylitvinenko, @thedavidmurphy, @timherrera, @davidellis, @mattietk, @jamesstevenson, @karengeier, @samitsarkar, @ranjanxroy, @greengart, @tomfrankly, @parismartineau, @xpatriciah, @devindra, @mattzeitlin, @davidclinchnews, @abeaujon, @pkafka, @patiencehaggin, @mrpope, @bmorrissey, @robaeprice, @reneritchie, @oliverdarcy, @jbu3, @videodante, @myurow, @thevowel, @dangillmor, @jaredlholt and @ylitvinenko
Harry McCracken / Fast Company:
Flipboard adds features that suggest related topics and let readers quickly choose subjects they care most about; it plans to expand topic fine-tuning soon — The magazine-style aggregation app always wanted to steer clear of the ugly side of virality. Now it's even easier to customize it to your passions.
Discussion:
@kfury and @dancormack
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Source: Facebook plans to downrank current events content and political posts in the News Feed, which could reduce traffic to some news publishers — Facebook plans to announce that it will de-emphasize political posts and current events content in the News Feed based on negative user feedback, Axios has learned.
Discussion:
Reclaim The Net, @saralang, @brendannyhan, Wired, Social Media Today, TechCrunch, The Verge, @calebjhull, @tonyromm, @brandonetc, @martinsfp, @themaxburns, @goangelo, Insider, @realkiradavis, @brentbozell, @kailijoy, @parkermolloy, @aaronhuertas, @sbg1, @jeremylittau and Nieman Lab, more at Techmeme »
Josh Rogin / Washington Post:
Amid the chaos and dysfunction at the Kabul airport, the Biden administration left behind 100+ USAGM employees, plus their families and contractors — Now that the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan is complete, many stories of heroic efforts to save Americans and Afghan allies are pouring out …
Discussion:
Voice of America, USA Today, @kir_bigg50, @kimzetter, @leahmcelrath, @repmeijer, @swanniontv, @neoavatara, @mccormackjohn, @farhip, @joshrogin, @joshrogin, @joshrogin, @joshrogin, @albertomiguelf5, @joshrogin, @joshrogin, @noonanjo, @victoriacoates, @joshrogin, @poppyharlowcnn, New York Times and The Hill
Garett Sloane / Ad Age:
LinkedIn is abandoning its Stories format at the end of September and has told advertisers to adjust their ad campaigns accordingly — Brands will have to adjust ad campaigns when video format leaves the platform after September — LinkedIn is telling advertisers to prepare for the end …
Discussion:
The Verge, LinkedIn, @backlon, @daviddtss, TechCrunch, @caseynewton, Gizmodo, @katie_roof, @dbinkowski, @profjeffjarviss, @adage, @film_girl, @shaayohn, @chrisbrogan, @carnage4life, @sarthakgh and @mgsiegler, more at Techmeme »
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Sources: Amazon is developing a live audio feature, led by its Music division, with a focus on live music and potentially radio and podcasts — Amazon is investing heavily in a new live audio feature that's similar to other live audio offerings like Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces and Spotify's new live audio platform, sources tell Axios.
Discussion:
@lucas_shaw, @sarafischer, @badnetworker, @chrismessina, Hot Takes, @emilybinder, @thekenyeung, @axios, New York Post and @thespoilist, more at Techmeme »
Jessica Toonkel / The Information:
Sources: Vice Media is raising $85M from existing investors since SPAC talks have ended; as part of the deal, co-founder Shane Smith is giving up voting control — Vice Media is raising over $85 million in fresh capital from existing investors, as talks to go public via a special purpose acquisition company …
Discussion:
@joshsternberg, @zeeshanaleem, @kenli729, @rafat, @richlightshed, The Wrap, @jakesherman, @joeljohnson and @parismartineau
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
HBO Max will launch in Spain and the Nordics in the fall, and in Portugal and Central and Eastern Europe in 2022 — WarnerMedia's streamer HBO Max will launch in the Nordics and Spain this fall, followed by Central and Eastern Europe and Portugal in 2022, it was revealed at a Series Mania Forum keynote conversation on Tuesday.
Discussion:
The Streamable and Hollywood Reporter
Anousha Sakoui / Los Angeles Times:
Hollywood production workers complain about burnout, with some working 18-hour days due to soaring demand for content from new streaming services — Last month, Ben Gottlieb, a 27-year-old set lighting technician, wanted to show his support for his union's campaign to improve working conditions …
Celeste Katz Marston / Nieman Reports:
A look at six rural news outlets trying to fill the information gaps in places sometimes dismissed in the national media as flyover country — These local newsrooms are helping audiences better understand the places sometimes dismissed as “flyover country”
Discussion:
@niemanreports, @niemanreports and @celestekatznyc
Jay Cridlin / Tampa Bay Times:
Tampa Bay Times sells its printing plant to Alden's real estate subsidiary for $21M in a “real estate deal, not a newspaper deal”, eliminating ~75% of its debt — The buyer of the 27-acre property is the real estate arm of hedge fund Alden Global Capital.
Discussion:
Poynter, @wolfcolin and @deggans
Alex Weprin / Hollywood Reporter:
United Talent Agency signs NFT art projects CryptoPunks, Meebits, and Autoglyphs, all created by Larva Labs, for representation across film, TV, games, and more — The agency will represent the crypto-art projects from Larva Labs for film, TV, video games, and publishing projects …
Discussion:
@meebitsdao, TechCrunch, @thankyoux, @jimprosser, @zoescaman, @sportscheetah, @jamie247, @iamdcinvestor, @jdotcolombo, @deezefi, @alexmetaverse, @pythianism, @rosgo21, @john_c_palmer, @jacksondame, @fehrsam, @flamingodao, Metaversal, @cryptovenetians, @zoink, @niftynaut and @laurashin, more at Techmeme »