Top News:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Amazon launches the Fire TV Omni Series, its first smart TVs, starting at $410 and shipping in October — Amazon is officially in the TV set business. — After years of selling Fire TV devices that plug into third-party HDTVs and teaming with TV makers for Fire TV-based products …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, The Streamable, About Amazon, CNBC, The Wrap, Ad Age, ZDNet, FierceVideo, Ars Technica, Cord Cutters News and Gizmodo, more at Techmeme »
Eoin Higgins / The Flashpoint:
The Guardian removed a section of a Judith Butler interview comparing anti-trans feminists to fascists; sources say Guardian pulled a series on trans issues — On Tuesday, British newspaper The Guardian published an interview with Judith Butler—and then removed a section …
Discussion:
VICE, @eoinhiggins_, PinkNews, The Guardian, @socialrepro, Patreon, @annamerlan, @mrbenjaminlaw, @laelaps, @ibjiyongi, @eoinhiggins_, @eoinhiggins_, @alyssam_infosec, @davidpaisley, @ggreenwald, @xoxogossipgita, @pennypentan, @parkermolloy, @janusrose, @emanuelmaiberg, @ameliahorgan, @natachakennedy, @ayocaesar, @socialrepro, @andybcampbell, @alexpaknadel, @eoinhiggins_, @eoinhiggins_, @eoinhiggins_, @ben_hr, @socialrepro, @eoinhiggins_, @tristangrayedi, @oliviasolon, @oliviasolon, @healthuntodeath, Press Gazette, @sinangag_engels, @hexpositive, @junodawson, @emme_lund, @jasebyjason, @illwilleditions, @rozkaveney, @eoinhiggins_, @mlothianmclean, Garbage Day and bookforum.com
Alex Weprin / Hollywood Reporter:
CBS News launches See It Now Studios, led by former President Susan Zirinsky, to create documentaries and more for Paramount+, ViacomCBS brands, and others — The former CBS News president will lead the news and doc studio, which will create programming for ViacomCBS and other networks and streaming services.
Discussion:
The Wrap, Talking Biz News, Variety, TVNewser, @bristei, @angeliquefiske, @enrique_acevedo, ViacomCBS Press Express and Deadline
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Ozy Media names investor and board member Marc Lasry as chairman; Lasry intends to grow its investor base and pursue acquisitions — Marc Lasry, the billionaire businessman and co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, has been named chairman of OZY Media, the digital-first media and entertainment company founded in 2013 by CEO Carlos Watson.
Discussion:
@sarafischer
Jake Kanter / The Times:
Sources: BBC is expected to confirm ex-HuffPost UK editor Jess Brammar to the top news role overseeing BBC's domestic and international channels — The BBC is expected to confirm the appointment of Jess Brammar, a former deputy editor of Newsnight and editor of HuffPost UK …
Discussion:
The Independent, @edmorrish, @josephstash, @pickardje, @aljwhite and @matt_walsh
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
Institute for Nonprofit News launches a consortium of more than 50 newsrooms to cover issues in rural America, starting in 2022 and lasting at least two years — The Institute for Nonprofit News regularly surveys its member newsrooms about their needs. What their members say they need most?
Heidi Legg / USA Today:
Examining political donations of top media owners, executives, board members, and investors: tracking is incomplete, and information about lobbying is opaque — We are in desperate need of a real-time database for super PAC spending, along with transparency on which media and platform owners fund lobbyists.
Discussion:
@dankennedy_nu, @craignewmark, @heidilegg and @heidilegg
Gerry Smith / Bloomberg:
NBC says it has nearly sold out of its Super Bowl ad units, with some spots going for a record $6.5M, a sharp increase from last year's price of $5.6M — - Cryptocurrency among new sponsor categories for February game — Super Bowl ads last year sold for an average of $5.6 million
Discussion:
Variety, Ad Age, Axios, @gerryfsmith and MediaPost
Perry Bacon / Washington Post:
How the rise of Politico and its model of insider coverage of DC shifted political journalism off course and exacerbated problems like both sides-ism — Politico's sale last month to the German media company Axel Springer for a reported $1 billion was the culmination of a stunning rise …
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, @perrybaconjr, @andrewfeinberg, @russbengtson, @drvolts, @andrewfeinberg, @ericboehlert, @drjasonjohnson, @emmamashford, @mkarnitschnig, @postopinions, @brandi_buchman, @deathcar72, @digiphile, @benlabolt, @derekwillis, @michele_norris, @jayrosen_nyu, @portiamcgonagal, @dankennedy_nu, @jon_m_rob, @jetjocko, @elongreen, @asteadwesley, @connieschultz, @terrigerstein, @tvietor08, @owillis, @jeffschogol, @johnjharwood, @danpfeiffer, The Week, Substack, @jayrosen_nyu and Media Nation
Shira Springer / Nieman Reports:
The pandemic forced sports desks to go beyond competition-focused coverage, a change that every newsroom should continue into the future — The pandemic forced sports departments to go beyond scores and records. That's a change that every newsroom should carry into the future — ARTICLE BY
Andrew Beaujon / Washingtonian:
WaPo's Tokyo bureau chief Simon Denyer is leaving the paper; he's reportedly the person referred to in Felicia Sonmez's suit as sexually harassing a colleague — Tokyo bureau chief Simon Denyer will leave the Washington Post, the publication's foreign desk announced in a terse note Thursday.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast and @lachcartwright
Kendra Clark / The Drum:
Walmart and Meredith announce a partnership as part of which Meredith will launch its first shoppable “bookazine” that pairs recipes with Walmart products — Walmart today announced it is partnering with major media corporation Meredith to simplify the shopping experience with new AI and commerce offerings.
Discussion:
Adweek and @markstenberg3
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