Top News:
Ben Smith / New York Times:
Ozy Media says it is shutting down, after coming under scrutiny for its business practices in recent days — The digital media start-up had come under scrutiny for its business practices in recent days following articles in The Times. — Read in app
Discussion:
@hunterw, So, What's the Big News ?, CNN, @karidotpeters, @shortformernie, @jayrosen_nyu, @moorehn, Gizmodo, @hunterw, @pomeranian99, The Wrap, @patrick_hruby, @om, @katie_robertson, CNBC, @danilic, @charukasturi, @charukasturi, @charukasturi, @charukasturi, @charukasturi, @charukasturi, @charukasturi, @charukasturi, Protocol, @sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman, @mmasnick, @clarajeffery, @rafat, @sharonwaxman, @danielpmalloy, @jayrosen_nyu, @katie_robertson, @thekeenanwire, @maghielse, @byronyork, @nancyromm, @markyarm, @rachelmetz, @jeffjarvis, @kerrymflynn, @film_girl, @mikeorren, @petersterne, @jbenton, @petersterne, @alexweprin, @danprimack, @geedee215, @sarafischer, @edmundlee, @aaschapiro, @megan, @film_girl, @charlesarthur, @backlon, @timkawakami, @sarafischer, @harrymccracken, @bgrueskin, @glennf, @danprimack, @charlesarthur, @alexweprin, @ashleyfeinberg, @axios, @tweetermeyer, @sarafischer, @film_girl, @genepark, @megan, @ejacqui, @sharonwaxman, @danprimack, @jasonschreier, @marceelias, @jatayler, @daveweigel, @hayesbrown, @daveweigel, @juliacarriew, @sarafischer, @thedavidmurphy, @neontaster, @louoftheville, @jbillinson, @davidfolkenflik, @joshuatopolsky, @reckless, @mikeisaac, @nichcarlson, @benedictevans, @sree, @bigblackjacobin, @robtornoe, @wsteaks, @deray, @jbarro, @pamelacolloff, @neontaster, @timjhogan, @kromandavid, @danielnazer, @britnidwrites, @dougheye, @daveleeft, @mimms, @nycsouthpaw, @rebeccajarvis, Insider, @jonathanvswan, The Signal, TVNewser, @ashleyfeinberg, Associated Press, Adweek, Matt's Newsletter, Ineptitudes, Vanity Fair, The Verge, Forbes, Insider, Bloomberg and The Hill
Discussion:
Hunter Walker / @hunterw: I know a lot of folks are enjoying the coverage of Ozy's demise but it's important to remember that these dysfunctional media companies can really hurt well meaning employees.
Shailendra Singh Bisht / So, What's the Big News ?: Fake it Till You Make it? — Welcome to RPML, a newsletter about the Running Platform Marketing Life.
Kari O-Peters / @karidotpeters: @benyt I will truly miss reading about this media outlet I never knew existed until last week.
Ernie Smith / @shortformernie: Ben Smith killed his first media outlet this week. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: Ozy Media's founder Monday: “We are strong and undeterred.” Four days later the company closed its doors. https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Spooky N. Gore / @moorehn: Also: Sophisticated investors are lied to and manipulated constantly. It's not unusual for grifters — large and small — to lie to them. I wrote a bit about those dynamics a few years back: https://www.cnbc.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Jody Serrano / Gizmodo: Ozy Media's Lies Made It Go Up in Flames
Hunter Walker / @hunterw: I was wondering why there was a little rash of toxicity in my mentions and I see it is this bold argument for not stopping Twitter fun to think of people who lost their jobs. Thanks Brandy! https://twitter.com/...
Clive Thompson / @pomeranian99: Final paragraph in the @nytimes piece on Ozy Media collapsing and shutting down: https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Antoinette Siu / The Wrap: Inside Ozy Media's Meltdown: Carlos Watson's ‘Fake Crying’ and 5 Days to Sudden Collapse (Exclusive)
Patrick Hruby / @patrick_hruby: Subtext of this saga: Professional investors are supposed to be savvy, do due diligence, know the nuts and bolts of industries, etc—but in a world rigged for capital, none that really matters! https://www.nytimes.com/...
@om: “Ozy was named after “Ozymandias,” the famous sonnet by Shelley on the theme of the impermanence of all things and people — even the great pharaoh known by that name, whom the ancients tried to render immortal with a colossal statue, which crumbled.” https://www.nytimes.com/...
Katie Robertson / @katie_robertson: Five days after @benyt's column on Ozy Media, the company is shutting down, its board says https://www.nytimes.com/...
Dan Ilic / @danilic: Wow. @benyt 's piece last week on @Ozy shut them down. Hey Ben, can you do a pice on @Australian next? thanks mate! https://www.nytimes.com/...
Charu Kasturi / @charukasturi: I resigned a day later, but offered to work until next week to help with editorial transitions, as many of our colleagues were — understandably — quitting. At the time, I didn't think the company would survive, but I did not expect it to sink within a week.
Charu Kasturi / @charukasturi: I'm devastated, angry and feel betrayed by the top leadership. They let a top quality bunch of journalists and a very special vision down in the most horrendous and indefensible way.
Charu Kasturi / @charukasturi: We could do that because we had the most wonderful, brilliant and diverse team possible — people I am so, so, so proud of calling colleagues and friends, people I've learned from, grown with, cried with. People who ANYONE would be privileged to work with.
Charu Kasturi / @charukasturi: Correction (pardon me, there might a few, I'm writing this while battling anger, frustration, exhaustion and much more): None of the senior managers knew of any of what had happened in Feb. until the news broke.
Charu Kasturi / @charukasturi: We were blindsided by @benyt's original NYT article last Sunday. The Board told Ben they were proud of how “Carlos' team” handled the Samir Rao/YouTube impersonation scandal. But “Carlos' team” — not even senior managers — knew of any of what had happened until the news broke.
Charu Kasturi / @charukasturi: But I'm as proud as ever of the fantastic journalism that our team did over so many years. We won awards, forced the biggest companies to change policies, innovated all the time and introduced our audience to every part of the world in rich, diverse ways that others ignored.
Charu Kasturi / @charukasturi: So this is how it ended — OZY, an idea/company many of us journalists have given our heart and soul to, our lives to, shut down without giving us a chance to save our contacts and work, without a chance to say goodbyes to everyone we've been in the trenches with. (THREAD) 👇
Charu Kasturi / @charukasturi: For the past two days, we weren't hearing anything from the top leadership, so those of us still there were preparing mentally for the worst. So where does all this leave someone who has worked 16 hour days (often 20 hrs) for 4+ years for an idea he believed in?
Sharon Waxman / @sharonwaxman: That was Monday. On Friday his demeanor was different: “Carlos was upset,” said one person who was present at the Friday meeting, in an interview with TheWrap. “He seemed beaten down by all of it. He seemed distracted.”
Sharon Waxman / @sharonwaxman: In a defiant interview with TheWrap shortly after the publication of the expose, Watson said he was the target of a “a bulls— ad hominem attack” in the New York Times because “Ozy's rising.”
Sharon Waxman / @sharonwaxman: It was a stunningly sudden end to a media company that only Sunday Watson told TheWrap had made $50 million in revenue in 2020 and turned a profit. A company that he claimed had been offered $250 million to be acquired by Buzzfeed in 2019.
Sharon Waxman / @sharonwaxman: “I know this isn't anything that any of us wanted,” Watson said, according to those present. “I'm very sorry to say that the board has voted, given everything that's happened, to suspend operations and to close Ozy as of today.”
Mike Masnick / @mmasnick: Whoa. A week ago I'd never heard of Ozy, and then I learned about the millions of dollars it had somehow raised... and now it's gone https://twitter.com/...
Clara Jeffery / @clarajeffery: Now THIS is a kicker https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@rafat: To blame VC money or that the digital media model is broken are wrong conclusions to draw out of Ozy debacle. Fraud is always the wrong model, irrespective.
Sharon Waxman / @sharonwaxman: Exclusive: “People on the call said Watson's crying appeared ‘fake’ and ‘theatrical,’ an individual with knowledge of the meeting told TheWrap.” A must-read on the 5-day-collapse of @OzyMedia by @antoinettesiu: https://www.thewrap.com/...
Daniel Malloy / @danielpmalloy: This needed to happen. But anyone looking for talented reporters and editors you've now got incredibly strong ones on the market: @CharuKasturi @tracymoran @bartlettkate @EromoEgbejule and many more https://twitter.com/...
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: “When the end came, it came swiftly, five days after The New York Times published an article that raised questions about the company and its leadership team.” https://www.nytimes.com/... The board — which failed in its oversight duties — said today, “we are closing Ozy's doors.”
Katie Robertson / @katie_robertson: The full story on the swift collapse this week of Ozy Media, from @benyt and me https://www.nytimes.com/...
Edward Keenan / @thekeenanwire: As they say where I'm from: Ben Smith Gets Action... https://twitter.com/...
Ross Maghielse / @maghielse: If even 25% of the “investment” money that continuously pours into random digital media companies went toward new organizations with an actual sustainable vision but lack of funds to achieve it, we'd live in a smarter world AND some people would be richer. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Byron York / @byronyork: House of cards. It took five days from @benyt piece to the total collapse of Ozy Media. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Nancy Rommelmann / @nancyromm: And the denouement (for now!), Ozy announcing they're out. Great work by @benyt. Also, are we laying bets on how long before Carlos Watson starts his new venture? https://www.nytimes.com/...
Mark Yarm / @markyarm: If you're an Ozy staffer who just lost your job, please hmu re the possibility of freelancing for @inputmag. DMs open; email in bio. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Rachel Metz / @rachelmetz: can u imagine what would have unfolded if it had lasted through next week? https://www.cnn.com/...
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: That was quick. Don't mess with @benyt. CNN: Ozy Media is shutting down after a week of scrutiny into its business. https://www.cnn.com/... via @GoogleNews
@kerrymflynn: Ozy staffers were called into a team meeting Friday shortly after 5pm ET where CEO Carlos Watson told them the company would be shutting down Here's some of what he said: https://www.cnn.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Christina Warren / @film_girl: @edmundlee Absolutely. It was clearly a house of cards waiting to collapse but for it to be THIS fast indicates they also probably lied about how much money they raised.
Mike Orren / @mikeorren: Suggests to me that the (excellent) reporting on the scam this week only scratched the surface of how big a wreck this was. https://twitter.com/...
Peter Sterne / @petersterne: @edmundlee The reason so many reporters dug into Ozy, and the reason they were able to publish articles about it so soon after Ben's initial column, is because the whole enterprise was a house of cards. There was hardly anything that could be salvaged.
Joshua Benton / @jbenton: Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed https://www.nytimes.com/...
Peter Sterne / @petersterne: @edmundlee I think it was all the follow-ups. Ozy probably could have survived Ben's column. But within days, journalists from a wide variety of publications had uncovered serious issues related to everything from a toxic work environment to fake TV development deals and digital ad fraud.
Alex Weprin / @alexweprin: @petersterne @edmundlee Not sure I agree. Through it all, the most damning thing IMO was the impersonation of the YouTube exec. Potentially criminal! Eventually it would have come back to haunt them.
Dan Primack / @danprimack: Really do feel awful for these Ozy employees. One week ago, they had jobs and the belief that their stock options could eventually have value. Many of those options were fully vested. Today, that's all gone.
Vaxton P. Hartnabrig / @geedee215: no one will ever convince me that Ozy was not just Carlos Watson frantically running from landline to landline switching identities like the climax of Mrs. Doubtfire
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: Flagging again that ~75 people worked at Ozy. I've been on the phone w lots of them. They're reading all of the stories & tweets. This is very hard for them. A lot of them did great work. It's unfair to say Ozy was a “sham.” The correct framing is that it was woefully mismanaged. https://twitter.com/...
Edmund Lee / @edmundlee: took 6 days ... the fastest media clock i've ever seen https://twitter.com/...
Avi Asher-Schapiro / @aaschapiro: Would be interesting to learn more about what happened with the deals Carlos Watson worked on while he was global head of education investment banking at Goldman Sachs.
Megan McCarthy / @megan: If Ozy was about more than just promoting its founder, then it could probably have ridden this out further. But it just seems like every example of their latest work was centering Carlos Watson, the brand, instead of Ozy, the brand. https://twitter.com/...
Christina Warren / @film_girl: @sree @benyt Honestly, it's better they get out now while they can leverage it into a good story/opportunity than letting it languish Mic/Vocativ or whatever style. Plus, Ozy had cut salaries 20%. Always sorry to see people lose jobs but in this case, it's better it be quick than dragged out
Charles Arthur / @charlesarthur: It is so fabulous that they called themselves “Ozy” after Ozymandias, the poem, and when they were told about its meaning they insisted it was about being humble. “round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away” https://twitter.com/...
Tim Kawakami / @timkawakami: Even in a high-velocity media landscape, this has been stunning to watch. https://twitter.com/...
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: A few things we learned today: — Execs told staff about Series D raise at this summer, but never specified from who or how much — Unclear whether Samir Rao actually took time off in February after the incident. Employees say if he did, they didn't notice. https://www.axios.com/...
Harry McCracken / @harrymccracken: For all the travails we know about—and the ones we don't know about yet—Ozy employed some talented journalists who did good work. https://twitter.com/...
Bill Grueskin / @bgrueskin: Wait, Ozy has the staff of a medium-sized metro paper? https://twitter.com/...
Glenn Fleishman / @glennf: Ozy come, Ozy go.
Dan Primack / @danprimack: Ozy Media has made more consequential decisions so far this week than has Congress.
Charles Arthur / @charlesarthur: HAAAAAA. I thought it could take four weeks in this morning's @theoverspill. Does that make me too optimistic, or pessimistic? https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Alex Weprin / @alexweprin: Let the record show that the poem Ozymandias ends with this line: “Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
Ashley Feinberg / @ashleyfeinberg: this is still the funniest part to me https://fortune.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@axios: Ozy told Axios earlier this year that it had 75 full-time employees, all of whom now seem to be out of a job. Go deeper: https://www.axios.com/... https://twitter.com/...
E.W. Niedermeyer / @tweetermeyer: Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare the lone and level snark stretches far away https://twitter.com/...
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: It's unclear what happens to Ozy's assets, including a Series D funding round that CEO Carlos Watson told employees was raised earlier this year. https://twitter.com/...
Christina Warren / @film_girl: Has a NYT columnist ever caused the shutdown of a company in ~5 days before? Ben is the GOAT. https://twitter.com/...
Gene Park / @genepark: honestly I feel for the people who got tricked into working there. no surprise, I'm larger than the @ozy twitter account, but an audience editor was still posting thru today. can't imagine what this day is like. I'm genuinely sorry and I hope you can shelter somewhere else https://twitter.com/...
Megan McCarthy / @megan: So @benyt who are you writing about next week?
@ejacqui: The Ozy story had so many different plot points in the last week. It's been a riveting ride if you put aside the whole “everybody loses their jobs” part.
Sharon Waxman / @sharonwaxman: I said it before, I'll say it again. DO NOT MESS with @bensmith. Can't be bought, bullied or fooled. Five days ago Ozy Media was a fully functioning media company. https://twitter.com/...
Dan Primack / @danprimack: (even Theranos stuck around for several months)
Jason Schreier / @jasonschreier: A bunch of reporters are losing their jobs because clueless grifter management inflated stats and scammed investors... today, Ozy truly became a digital media company
Marc E. Elias / @marceelias: Am I the only person on Twitter who had never heard of Ozy Media before this week?
@jatayler: It'll never not be funny that Ozy named itself after Shelley's Ozymandias based on a total misread of the poem https://twitter.com/...
Dave Weigel / @daveweigel: The feeling I get from reading @benyt's Ozy stories is the feeling the rest of you must be getting from “Ted Lasso.”
Dave Weigel / @daveweigel: Hands up if you were rooting for Ozy to go down as soon as they put out that “he was doing fraud for mental health reasons, how dare you criticize him” statement.
Julia Carrie Wong / @juliacarriew: one thing that I love about the ozy thing is that media people have either never heard of it before this week or have been quietly filing away evidence of its apparently obvious fraud for years and there is no middle ground
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: Ozy Media is shutting down, amid fraud allegations Ozy told Axios earlier this year that it had 75 full-time employees, all of whom now seem to be out of a job. https://www.axios.com/...
@neontaster: Ozy Media is basically the reverse Fyre Festival. The latter tried to swindle regular people by pretending they had lots of rich people on board, and the former tried to swindle rich people by pretending they had lots of regular people on board.
Lou Robinson / @louoftheville: I'm seeing a thousand tweets about Ozy media shutting down and I have no idea what it is/was and I guess I'll never know.
Josh Billinson / @jbillinson: Maybe they should've stuck with the conventional interpretation of the poem https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: That statement from Ozy board - which, according to a source with knowledge, consists solely of Ozy CEO & Co-founder Carlos Watson and of Silicon Valley investor Michael Moe.
Joshua Topolsky / @joshuatopolsky: Life comes at you fast https://www.nytimes.com/...
Nilay Patel / @reckless: There's a YouTube traffic botfarm operator there that's like, damn there goes our Q4 https://twitter.com/...
Rat King / @mikeisaac: holy shit. notes app screen shot to shut down a company. not even a period at the end of the sentence https://twitter.com/...
Nicholas Carlson / @nichcarlson: And long live @benyt https://twitter.com/...
Benedict Evans / @benedictevans: Looking at Ozy this week reminded me a bit of looking at restaurants in Vegas. They know all the signals that say ‘good restaurant’ and they built that, and the restaurants look great, but the actual food is terrible. Ozy *looks* like a pretty good site, but... https://twitter.com/...
Sree Sreenivasan / @sree: Five days after @benyt's exposé and a day after his second piece. While Carlos Watson and Samir Rao should be punished for what they did, I feel bad for the innocent journos and others who worked there. Sigh. https://twitter.com/...
Edward Ongweso Jr / @bigblackjacobin: ok now let's hear about those exit packages who's getting a golden parachute and who's getting a lead one https://twitter.com/...
Rob Tornoe / @robtornoe: I would say that @benyt killed Ozy, but I'm not convinced it existed in the first place. Just.. wow. https://twitter.com/...
Will Steakin / @wsteaks: .@benyt's first Ozy story was on Sunday... less than a week later: https://twitter.com/...
Pamela Colloff / @pamelacolloff: This is the journalism dream: drop an explosive story at the beginning of the week, achieve 100% impact by Friday, take the weekend off. https://twitter.com/...
Tim Hogan / @timjhogan: They are shuttering an outlet with a three sentence statement. My god. https://twitter.com/...
David Kroman / @kromandavid: Not my favorite news outlet Ozy, which I definitely read even once https://twitter.com/...
Daniel Nazer / @danielnazer: Theranos clung to life for almost three years after Carreyrou broke the story. Ozy lasted five days. https://twitter.com/...
Britni Danielle / @britnidwrites: This escalated quickly. Ozy's CEO went from talking about their strength, to being ousted, now this. https://twitter.com/...
Doug Heye / @dougheye: The speed in which this happened, especially given their funding, is unprecedented. There were Ozy posters on H St NE in DC last week. May be a coincidence, but they were gone yesterday. https://twitter.com/...
Sarah Mimms / @mimms: Wow. Thoughts with the journalists at Ozy who had nothing to do with any of this. https://twitter.com/...
Rebecca Jarvis / @rebeccajarvis: Which is sadly how it always seems to go in these instances https://twitter.com/...
Jonathan Swan / @jonathanvswan: Need more Ozy content. 💉
A.J. Katz / TVNewser: Carlos Watson's Ozy Media Is Shutting Down
Ashley Feinberg / @ashleyfeinberg: all I can think about is how the fuck the Ozy guy managed to not have a panic attack every single minute of the day https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Lindsey Brown / Ineptitudes: The Internet — Each day I start out with good intentions. But then I read the morning news.
Caleb Ecarma / Vanity Fair: Ozy Media's Swift Collapse Followed a Flurry of Resignations and Accusations
Jemima McEvoy / Forbes: Ozy Media Shutting Down Amid Accusations Of Misrepresentations About Its Business
Jordan Williams / The Hill: Ozy Media shutting down
RELATED:
David Folkenflik / NPR:
Ozy CEO Carlos Watson resigns as a corporate director of NPR, just before the board's governance committee meeting to weigh his future with NPR — Carlos Watson resigned as a corporate director of NPR on Friday after the spectacular public meltdown of the digital media company that he leads and co-founded.
Discussion:
Mediaite, @nmcalone, @bybrianbyrne, @aprjoy, @stphnfwlr, @brandyljensen, @saraashleyo, @gingergibson, @hunterw, @hunterw, @williamturton, @hunterw, @silviakillings, @lwoodhouse, @lwoodhouse, @ckrewson, @ddayen, @mikeisaac, @genepark, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, @benyt, @schwartzbcnbc, New York Times, nexttv.com, The Wrap, Current, Forbes and Bloomberg
Discussion:
Ken Meyer / Mediaite: ‘I Was Shocked by How Fast It Happened’: NY Times' Ben Smith Reacts to Ozy Media's Collapse Days After His Exposé
Nathan McAlone / @nmcalone: “In 2017 and 2018, Watson cited the number of people who might have been in Central Park on the days of the festivals, regardless of whether or not they attended, the former employee said.”: https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...
Brian Patrick Byrne / @bybrianbyrne: A lesson in why engagement, and not follower count, is what matters: https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...
April Joyner / @aprjoy: @GeeDee215 It did. I had a brief stint in Mountain View as a freelancer. Wouldn't have thought I'd be co-bylining this years later https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...
Stephen Fowler / @stphnfwlr: This Ozy story just keeps getting wilder and wilder!!! As someone who is both a millennial and incredibly online, it's still so puzzling to me that I've never heard of the supposed millennial-focused online outlet... https://www.npr.org/...
Brandy Jensen / @brandyljensen: i think most of those employees are pretty okay with everyone dunking on the bosses who exploited them https://twitter.com/...
Sara Ashley O'Brien / @saraashleyo: this. read @kerrymflynn's Ozy work culture story: https://www.cnn.com/... a lot of ppl end up being collateral damage, for lack of a better word. they buy into a charismatic leader w/ a lofty mission and don't want to let them down — even at the risk of their own health https://twitter.com/...
Ginger Gibson / @gingergibson: Ozy recruited good journalists, some who aren't in journalism anymore because of them. https://twitter.com/...
Hunter Walker / @hunterw: .@benyt's second story gets to this a bit. Big money investors and the execs who bilk them aren't at the same level of risk of employees who waste time and energy at dysfunctional outlets. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Hunter Walker / @hunterw: I have dealt with exploitative and grifty places at least three times in my life. It wasn't as ridiculous or absurd as Ozy necessarily but it makes me cognizant people are really affected by this.
William Turton / @williamturton: @hunterw Speaking as someone who has worked at a couple dysfunctional media companies, I have no issue enjoying the demise of the charlatans
Hunter Walker / @hunterw: @WilliamTurton It's the demise of more than that though William. It's not something to enjoy.
Silvia Killingsworth / @silviakillings: Like these people, who were pressured to take stock options instead of pay raises https://www.bloomberg.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Leighton Woodhouse / @lwoodhouse: This guy is truly the Elizabeth Holmes of media.
Leighton Woodhouse / @lwoodhouse: LOL Carlos Watson was on NPR's board? https://www.npr.org/...
Chris Krewson / @ckrewson: Yeah. https://www.npr.org/... https://twitter.com/...
David Dayen / @ddayen: Statement from NPR Board chair LaFontaine Oliver: “Earlier today, [OZY CEO] Carlos Watson submitted his resignation from the NPR Board of Directors. I have accepted his resignation on behalf of the Board. Mr. Watson's resignation is effective as of today.”
Rat King / @mikeisaac: watson has somehow been involved in every major media entity for years without anyone going “huh wha?” and it is extremely funny to watch everyone hit eject at the same time https://twitter.com/...
Gene Park / @genepark: media executives not savvy or smart enough to recognize very-obvious grifters explains everything about everything imo https://twitter.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: Starting with NYT's story Sunday night, Watson and his media company, Ozy, have been accused of misleading the public, advertisers & investors about the performance of the buzz-hungry digital outlet. Watson called NYT story a hit job. Each day has brought new allegations.
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: NEWS: Ozy CEO & co-founder Carlos Watson has resigned from NPR's board of directors after a week of scandal. His resignation, in a letter to NPR's board chairman, arrived shortly before NPR's governance committee was set to meet to determine his status. https://www.npr.org/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: “I've always interpreted it as, ‘Think big but be humble’,” Watson once told NPR, alluding to the poem that inspired Ozy's name. “Our ambition is to help people see more and be more, introduce them to the new and the next, but make sure... they're a little bit humble about it.”
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: Before joining the NPR board in 2016, Watson had a nearly year-long collaboration with NPR, including a weekly appearance on Weekend All Things Considered and cross-posting of Ozy articles. https://www.npr.org/...
Ben Smith / @benyt: Ozy's board announces it is “closing Ozy's doors”
Brian Schwartz / @schwartzbcnbc: Scoop: Carlos Watson, the CEO of OzyMedia,came on CNBC in 2019 to claim that Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy Osbourne were investors into his company after a year-long legal battle. He said they were friends. Sharon Osbourne tells me none of that is true https://www.cnbc.com/...
Katie Robertson / New York Times: Carlos Watson, the chief of Ozy Media, resigns from NPR's board.
Jon Lafayette / nexttv.com: Ozy Media Suddenly Announces It Will Be Shutting Down
Antoinette Siu / The Wrap: Ozy Media to Shut Down
Tyler Falk / Current: Carlos Watson resigns from NPR board
Axios:
Axel Springer says it gave up its Ozy board seat after investing $300K in its Series C in 2019, but Ozy listed Axel's rep as a director in a July 2021 filing — Good people quit good jobs to join Ozy Media. They believed in its mission, its leadership and its potential for wealth creation.
Discussion:
Ben Smith / @benyt: Ozy chairman Marc Lasry just resigned: “I believe that going forward Ozy requires experience in areas like crisis management and investigations, where I do not have particular expertise.”
Brian McCullough / @brianmcc: No one needs to hear this from me, but for 4 years I have never, never once, linked to an Ozy story. And all I do every day is parse the zeitgeist! Which... you know... Means something... https://nymag.com/...
@anjalikumar: This whole Ozy thing is comical insanity. I feel like a lot of the problems there happen at other places too and somehow go unscrutinized...I wonder why. Serious question. https://nymag.com/...
Michael Eaves / @michaeleaves: Admittedly, I've been late to this story and the mere fact that #Ozy even existed, but this whole thing is CRAZY! Like.. how, Sway?? https://nymag.com/...
Jeff Wise / @manvbrain: Well, @ozy is done. What's remarkable isn't just how long Carlos Watson's brazen shenangians went on for, but how much suffering he wreaked on the journalists who tried to worked hard to turn his flawed vision into reality. I talked to former staffers: https://nymag.com/...
Adam Taylor / @mradamtaylor: “The reason those stories weren't reported by the big outfits is that they weren't that significant ... You have to be a real social-justice trooper to read article after article about, you know, the fight for women's rights in some province in Nigeria.” 😕 https://nymag.com/...
Francine McKenna / @retheauditors: @danprimack “They believed in its... potential for wealth creation.” That's not a reason for a journalist to join a news organization. Maybe they should have done more due diligence. https://twitter.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: Last night I asked- who's on the Ozy board? We still don't know. Axios's @sarafischer did some more sleuthing this AM... finding others are not https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@nick4iezos: This is a fairly interesting piece in that it's one of just a few to go deep into all the hard, good work the team put in while facing extreme obstacles and conditions every single day https://nymag.com/...
Errol Louis / @errollouis: “Even as Watson was running around telling advertisers and investors that Ozy had tens of millions of readers, staffers knew the truth.” https://nymag.com/... via @intelligencer
Justin Miller / @justinjm1: When @Eugene_Robinson was late to work once, Carlos Watson docked from his pay $5,000 https://nymag.com/...
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: NEW w @danprimack: — Axel Springer, an early Ozy investor, tells Axios that it gave up voting rights/board seat after only investing $300k in Series C, but Ozy continued to list Axel's rep as an active director in a July 2021 filing w the state of Florida https://www.axios.com/...
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: 1/2 NEW, OZY: Axel Springer says person who was attending board mtgs in observing capacity for Axel was Jens Müffelmann, but “In light of current developments and accusations against Ozy, he has decided and informed the CEO of Ozy yesterday that he steps down from this function”
@intelligencer: Former Ozy staffers say that founder and CEO Carlos Watson's demands, expectations, and plans were often detached from reality, yet were enforced with an intensity that some felt bordered on cruelty. @ManvBrain reports https://nymag.com/...
Ben Smith / New York Times:
Ozy built a TV interview show for CEO Carlos Watson based on false claims it was for A&E and that it would then be a YouTube Original, its ex-producer says
Discussion:
Axios, The Wrap, @avakofman, @sarafischer, @saramorrison, @aaronhuertas, @johnqbarrett, @dceiver, @coopintn, @dskok, @rosalyster, @scottgordonwi, @robblissgr, @liahaberman, @dabeard, @jrosenbaum, @nancyromm, @martinsfp, @niharifan, @emilybell, @balakrishnanr, @ziadramley, @axios, @axios, @axios, @axios, @axios, @jayrosen_nyu, @sarafischer, @patrickcoffee, @adriana_lacy, NPR, @greta, @gerryfsmith, @mediainsider, @caseyjohnston, @kairyssdal, @owillis, @benyt, @nick4iezos, @nick4iezos, @digiphile, @libbycwatson, @eisingerj, @ursulaperano, @hamiltonnolan, @barry, @danprimack, @benyt, @jonathanvswan, @robertwolf32, @aprjoy, @choire, @sonnybunch, @lachlan, @jeffjarvis, The Daily Beast, @shannonpareil, @lisatozzi, @caro, @jonathanvswan, @espiers, Entrepreneur, @perlberg, @jeffjarvis, @markdistef, @elisewho, Ad Age, Mediaite, Variety, @jduffyrice, @briancgrubb, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, Sparrow One, @dannygroner and BBC
Discussion:
Sara Fischer / Axios: How Ozy fell — The downfall of Ozy Media and its charismatic founder Carlos Watson …
Dessi Gomez / The Wrap: Journalists Jeff Horwitz and Ben Smith Go Full Hillary Wearing Headbands on Sunday Talk Shows
Ava Kofman / @avakofman: In 2014, a friend emailed Ozy looking for freelance work. This was the company's response. https://twitter.com/...
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: Re: OZY — One source told Axios that more than 95% of viewership for “The Carlos Watson Show” was paid —2 sources said execs included social media interactions in overall reach metrics —Email list was massive, but many emails obtained via dubious practices https://www.axios.com/...
Sara Morrison / @saramorrison: I hope people don't think that Ozy is the only outlet that does this to writers. Many legitimate ones do, too! You send them 25 pitches and you never hear from them again. https://twitter.com/...
Aaron Huertas / @aaronhuertas: Yikes. Fake it till you make it mentality is pretty toxic but this is just straight up fraud. https://www.nytimes.com/...
John Q. Barrett / @johnqbarrett: Great reporting. Ponzi & Madoff come to mind. Who are — were — Ozy Media's lawyers? Have they withdrawn representations that they must have transmitted, and maybe made themselves, to media companies, lenders, prospective investors, etc.? @benyt @carloswatson @BradBessey https://twitter.com/...
Jason Linkins / @dceiver: this is like a bulk order from the red flag store but “get us 25-30 story ideas” is basically the tip-off that this is a scam https://twitter.com/...
Kristina Gordon / @coopintn: I knew Ozy was bad news from the beginning when they did an interview with me about forgiveness after infidelity and then slapped a headline on it that read: How to Cheat and Get Away With It. https://twitter.com/...
David Skok / @dskok: Kudos to @benyt for his intrepid reporting on this file. Personally, I take no joy from this story. It gives all media companies a bad name and makes it that much harder to win over investors for those of us building viable businesses. https://twitter.com/...
Rosa Lyster / @rosalyster: It's ridiculous to be out here saying things are a dril tweet at this late stage but the second bullet point is a dril tweet https://twitter.com/...
Scott Gordon / @scottgordonwi: This is so dumb on so many levels obv but if you're asking freelancers to pitch you 25. TO. 30. STORY. IDEAS at a pop, that's purely about making people dance for you. Nothing to do with planning out good stories or forming good relationships. Vile Caligula shit https://twitter.com/...
Rob Bliss / @robblissgr: This type of copy makes me want to jump off a bridge. You really have to be a sociopath to write this way. https://twitter.com/...
Lia Haberman / @liahaberman: This story is just wild — hubris is a big part of getting stuff done in Hollywood but where do you draw the line? https://www.nytimes.com/...
Jason Rosenbaum / @jrosenbaum: This is such a weird story. I watch a lot of popular channels on YouTube (mainly non political things about music, the NBA and professional wrestling) and I've never heard of Ozy until this week. https://twitter.com/...
Nancy Rommelmann / @nancyromm: The “false claim” in the headline is a euphemism; the Ozy execs flat-out lied and, when confronted, brushed it off like so much nuthin'. How long and how much had they been getting away with? And that batshit Goldman Sachs phone call? Amazing! https://www.nytimes.com/...
Martin Sfp Bryant / @martinsfp: “One source said that more than 95% of viewership for ‘The Carlos Watson Show’ was paid.” “Two sources said the company would often include social media interactions in its overall reach metrics.” 😳 https://www.axios.com/...
Nihari / @niharifan: The Theranos of media is turning out to be a great story https://twitter.com/...
Emily Bell / @emilybell: OZY - the exact opposite of standing up to scrutiny. @benyt peeled back the lid of the can.....worms everywhere. It does make one think though that if internal knowledge of all these practices were so prevalent, why it took so long https://twitter.com/...
R. Balakrishnan / @balakrishnanr: Catch up on something fun. A nice structured story ... Ozy Media Ozy Built a TV Show on a False Claim, Says Its Former Producer https://www.nytimes.com/...
Ziad Ramley / @ziadramley: Ben has started an avalanche of reporting on Ozy and his latest story is just as shocking as the first https://twitter.com/...
@axios: Some employees knew these things were happening and protested. Many assumed it was happening but were not directly involved so they didn't speak up. https://www.axios.com/...
@axios: Ozy Media was built on years of lies that together created a false narrative about its business, financials and culture, according to documents obtained by Axios, and dozens of conversations with former employees, investors, business partners and advisers. https://www.axios.com/...
@axios: 🧵: The story of Ozy became so viral so fast because it highlighted the worst parts of every industry in America: naive investors, digital media outlets faking their numbers and over-zealous startup founders toeing the line between dishonesty and delusion. https://www.axios.com/...
@axios: As of Friday evening, only two people remained on Ozy's Board: CEO Carlos Watson and Michael Moe, a venture capitalist. https://www.axios.com/...
@axios: • One source said that more than 95% of viewership for “The Carlos Watson Show” was paid • Another said the company bought most of its social media following • Two sources said execs included social media interactions in overall reach metrics https://www.axios.com/...
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: “Ozy Media was built on years of lies that together created a woefully false narrative about its business, financials and culture...” https://www.axios.com/... It's hard to overstate how little was there.
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: NEW: The revenue figures Carlos Watson shared with Axios in Jan 2021 align with what he told investors, recruits, board members and third-party vendors. Given all of the deception around the company's numbers (details below) everything is being questioned. https://www.axios.com/...
Patrick Coffee / @patrickcoffee: Translation: “Give us ideas for free that we can use whenever and however we choose. Then we might consider [under]paying you.” Is this an ad agency RFP?? https://twitter.com/...
Adriana Lacy / @adriana_lacy: This reminds me when I applied to the hill for some early career BS job and they wanted me to watch all of the Sunday shows and write a bunch of articles as a writing test lol I didn't even respond to the email https://twitter.com/...
David Folkenflik / NPR: Ozy shuts down after accusations of deceit, as high-profile backers peel away
Greta Van Susteren / @greta: Terrible for those who worked there....and were deceived .. via @NYTimes @benyt https://www.nytimes.com/...
Gerry Smith / @gerryfsmith: Ozy Media employees felt pressure from management to accept stock options instead of higher salaries. They describe a workplace culture of long hours and unrealistic demands that left them vulnerable to burnout. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
@mediainsider: After a bombshell New York Times report about media company Ozy, current and former staffers at the media start-up began trading messages of surprise — but not shock. Here's what they're saying. 👇 https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...
Casey Johnston / @caseyjohnston: “fast-forward trends” lmao every outlet is really trying to strategize around “a couple of times we lucked into talking about the perfect thing way before everything else. what if we did that on purpose every time” this is not a strategy!!!! it's impossible wishful thinking!!!! https://twitter.com/...
Kai Ryssdal / @kairyssdal: To that point, this great thread from @espiers https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Oliver Willis / @owillis: My big takeaway from this story is I don't lie enough https://twitter.com/...
Ben Smith / @benyt: New from me, with a lot of insight from former producers: Ozy Built a TV Show on a False Claim, Says Its Former Producer https://www.nytimes.com/...
@nick4iezos: @AvaKofman Carlos's lack of care about valuing others' time is well described in this piece, and it trickled down to their absurd hiring process: https://www.entrepreneur.com/ ...
@nick4iezos: @AvaKofman By the time I applied in 2015, they didn't do this: but they did have everyone complete an in detail memo, a writing test and 3 interviews. C andidates often were then stonewalled, or forgotten about, for months. Staffers did get the 25-30 story ideas request every NYE though...
Alex Howard / @digiphile: Maybe @ozy is modern art? https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Libby Watson / @libbycwatson: lots of great stuff to laugh at here but my personal favorite is “Are conservatives in Arkansas teaming up with Europeans? For instance.” https://twitter.com/...
Jesse Eisinger / @eisingerj: I don't think I've ever had 25-30 story ideas on anything ever, much less well-formatted term papers on forward-looking right-of-center ones. https://twitter.com/...
Ursula Perano / @ursulaperano: I talked to OZY about a job in 2020 and instead of a writing test they asked me to freelance a piece. When I said I couldn't freelance because of my then-job's contract, they suggested I write under a pseudonym, which seemed sketch (I wrote nothing) https://twitter.com/...
Hamilton Nolan / @hamiltonnolan: Media companies are funded in large part by rich people who spend five minutes thinking about “what journalism needs” and come up with stuff like “are conservatives in Arkansas teaming up with Europeans?” and then completely lose interest. So I see why Ozy raised millions https://twitter.com/...
Barry Petchesky / @barry: Asking applicants for 25-30 pitches is a bigger scam than whatever they were trying to pull on Goldman Sachs https://twitter.com/...
Dan Primack / @danprimack: Ozy Media's Samir Rao has deleted/wiped his Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Ben Smith / @benyt: Belatedly, someone points out to me that Lasry was on the board of the Weinstein Company, so he has *a bit* of experience in crisis and investigations https://twitter.com/...
Jonathan Swan / @jonathanvswan: as far as I can tell it's like Theranos but with extremely low stakes. The only victims are investment bros. https://twitter.com/...
Robert Wolf / @robertwolf32: #Ozy has really been the most fascinating story to follow in business this entire year Thank you @benyt really incredible work https://www.nytimes.com/...
April Joyner / @aprjoy: My colleagues @perlberg @JPManga @claireatki and I spoke with 18 Ozy employees who told us about the company's “toxic” culture and questionable metrics from the start. https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...
Sonny Bunch / @sonnybunch: @jonathanvswan Or like a not-mean-spirited version of Borat, in that a ton of people were essentially pranked into appearing on a talk show that doesn't exist in order to boost the self-esteem of the company's founder. https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Lachlan Markay / @lachlan: It's only like the 5th or 6th most ridiculous detail in here, but this is such amazing exercise in bullshit marketing https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Shannon Bond / @shannonpareil: now remembering when i wrote about Ozy's launch back in 2014 and Carlos Watson told me he was interested in branching out into Airbnb-style home swaps and ... dating? https://www.ft.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Lisa Tozzi / @lisatozzi: Every day there is more wild Ozy news. @benyt really opened a hell of a floodgate on Sunday! https://www.cnn.com/...
Caroline Mccarthy / @caro: One of the grossest parts of all of this is the extent to which Ozy seems to have flagrantly exploited social justice trends and the industrywide push (especially in the ad industry) for support of Black-owned businesses and media companies. https://twitter.com/...
Jonathan Swan / @jonathanvswan: Bananas from top to bottom https://twitter.com/...
Elizabeth Spiers / @espiers: This story just keeps getting crazier but all the craziness appears to revolve around one thing: the co-founders have lied repeatedly—about everything. https://twitter.com/...
Jason Feifer / Entrepreneur: ‘Ignore Your Schedule’: The Bad Advice that Ozy Media's Carlos Watson Gave to Entrepreneur
Steven Perlberg / @perlberg: “I have never once told someone that I worked at Ozy and they've known what it is. Not once. That was concerning to me.” Inside the “cult of Carlos” with @aprjoy @JPManga @claireatki https://www.businessinsider.com/ ...
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: .@benyt is a dog with a juicy bone: Ozy Built a TV Show on a False Claim, Says Its Former Producer https://www.nytimes.com/...
Mark Di Stefano / @markdistef: Find a vein and stick every one of these stories directly in there. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Elise Hu / @elisewho: Man, these Ozy stories! You never want to be Theranos, but for digital media startups https://www.nytimes.com/...
Josh Feldman / Mediaite: Ozy Media Announces It's Shutting Down Just Days After Stunning NY Times Exposé
Michael Schneider / Variety: Ozy Media to Shut Down, Following Revelations of Questionable Business Practices
Josie Duffy Rice / @jduffyrice: i am just built diff-e-rent than these people. even imagining telling this lie is making me hyperventilate https://www.nytimes.com/...
Brian Grubb / @briancgrubb: running an ad in a newspaper and then using your own language from that ad as the pullquote for another ad that you attribute to the first newspaper is... maybe the funniest thing I've ever heard? https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: @schwartzbCNBC now reports Watson wrongly told cnbc viewers Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne had become investors. https://www.cnbc.com/... Media outlets are generally built on a foundation of credibility. Doesn't work when that unravels. My talk from last night: https://www.npr.org/...
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: To date, Watson has refused my requests for an interview. His credibility is crucial. Many false and inflated claims cited by @benyt & by later reporting involve assertions by or about Watson. Claims on traffic, newsletters, shows and more. //con't https://www.nytimes.com/...
Sparrow Advisers / Sparrow One: The Emperor has no clothes — By now, you probably know more than you've ever wanted to about Ozy Media.
Clark Merrefield / Nieman Lab:
Studies show the enduring influence of local TV news, still among the most trusted ways US residents get news, and examine tech's impact and Sinclair's growth — There is no shortage of surveys indicating many Americans don't trust the news media. The U.S. registers the lowest levels …
Discussion:
Jason Alcorn / @jasonalcorn: This new fact sheet on local nonprofit news from @INN is invaluable:"Nearly one launch per month for each of the past three years." https://inn.org/...
@niemanfdn: Research explores how local TV news affects public perceptions of pandemic protocols, the rise of national coverage on local TV news, and changes in how local TV journalists do their jobs: https://www.niemanlab.org/...
Carey Higgins-Dobney, Ph.D. / @directorcarey: Much to my surprise, my research is one of the 5 recent studies on local TV news featured in NiemanLab this week! https://www.niemanlab.org/... via @NiemanLab
@spj_tweets: “The local sector of nonprofit news is growing rapidly, with an average of nearly 1 launch per month for each of the past 3 years. The number of local organizations has nearly doubled since 2016, and the newcomers often operate on much smaller budgets...” https://inn.org/...
@niemanlab: Sinclair “embraces the ‘cable newsification’ of local news, where local news comes to look more like the partisan outlets on cable.” https://www.niemanlab.org/...
RELATED:
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
INN: the number of local nonprofit news sites nearly doubled since 2016, with 33 launching between 2018 and 2020; single-topic nonprofits quadrupled since 2008 — The number of single-topic nonprofit news organizations has quadrupled since 2008, according to a series of new reports …
Discussion:
Nicholas Dawes / @nicdawes: @SarahScire @NiemanLab And when local nonprofit newsrooms build durable partnerships with specialist national outlets, a powerful new kind of networked journalism organism begins to grow.
Todd Spangler / Variety:
YouTube TV and NBCUniversal renew their carriage deal; YouTube TV's price will remain the same and Peacock Premium will not be bundled with the service — YouTube TV said the price of the internet-television package will remain the same. In reaching the carriage renewal …
Discussion:
@youtubetv, @variety, @lukebk, @xpangler, MediaPost, Droid Life, The Verge, Deadline, Gizmodo and Ars Technica
Discussion:
YouTube TV / @youtubetv: We're thrilled to share that we have now reached an agreement with NBCUniversal. You'll continue to have access to 85+ channels, including all NBCU channels, their Regional Sports Networks, and your local NBC station, with no change to our current monthly price.
@variety: YouTube TV customers will continue to get NBCUniversal's suite of cable channels and local NBC stations after Google and NBCU announced an official agreement Saturday https://variety.com/...
Todd Spangler / @xpangler: NBCU and YouTube Clinch New Agreement, No Price Increase for TV Streaming Service https://variety.com/... via @variety
Dade Hayes / Deadline: NBCUniversal And YouTube TV Reach Carriage Deal, Avoid Blackout; NBCU Says It Felt “Obligated” To Warn Viewers - Update
Brianna Provenzano / Gizmodo: YouTube TV and NBCUniversal Have Agreed to Make Nice—for Now
RELATED:
Angela Watercutter / Wired:
The dustup between YouTube TV and NBCUniversal serves as a harbinger that bundling and contract disputes for streaming could be similar to cable TV disputes
Discussion:
Gizmodo, The Streamable, The Streamable, @wiredculture, @wired, @davidpoland, @jenlucpiquant, Los Angeles Times, Hollywood Reporter, Android Central and USA Today
Discussion:
Alyse Stanley / Gizmodo: YouTube TV and NBCUniversal Have Kissed And Made Up
Jason Gurwin / The Streamable: YouTube TV and NBCU Are Finalizing a New Carriage Deal, Channels to Remain on Service
Jason Gurwin / The Streamable: OFFICIAL: YouTube TV and NBCU Agree to New Deal, Channels to Remain With No Change in Monthly Price
@wiredculture: Streaming was supposed to help people cut the cord, but it mostly just replaced it. https://www.wired.com/...
@wired: If you're a YouTube TV user and like Sunday Night Football, chances are you've spent the past few days wondering whether you'll be able to stream this weekend's game. https://www.wired.com/...
David Poland / @davidpoland: Uhhhh... yeah. Welcome to reality. And Hulu was a completely different concept than any streamer currently out there. It was also a money saver for studios, taking money out of talent's pockets. https://www.wired.com/... via @wired
Jennifer Ouellette / @jenlucpiquant: The YouTube TV, NBCUniversal Debacle Feels Like a Harbinger. Streaming was supposed to help people cut the cord, but it mostly just replaced it. https://www.wired.com/...
Meg James / Los Angeles Times: YouTube TV, NBCUniversal reach new carriage deal, keeping NBC, MSNBC, Bravo on the air
J. Clara Chan / Hollywood Reporter: NBCUniversal, YouTube TV Inking Carriage Deal to Avoid Dropped Channels
Dan Froomkin / Press Watch:
NYT's Congressional coverage once again overhyped conflict among Democrats and reached subjective, unsupported conclusions — Sometimes, the political reporters at the New York Times really tip their hands. — Today is such a day. — The House Democratic leadership on Thursday blew …
Discussion:
Susan B. Glasser / New Yorker: The Democratic Civil War Has a Winner: Donald Trump
Josh Marshall / @joshtpm: Today's Times account of yesterday's events is a distillation of the wired-for-Republicans/Meet The Press insider culture which still shapes news in DC https://talkingpointsmemo.com/ ... via @TPM
James Gleick / @jamesgleick: I don't know how my former employer can be so devastatingly wrong about Washington politics when, if they read @joshtpm, they could get a clear understanding. https://twitter.com/...
Ryan Cooper / @ryanlcooper: “Here though is an article which is so comically wrong in its basic understanding of events that I really do have to wonder what's wrong with the publication's DC bureau.” https://talkingpointsmemo.com/ ...
Joe Sudbay / @joesudbay: as always, read @froomkin —> New York Times reporters humiliate themselves again “What the Times story revealed was the reporters' triumphalist delight in anything that can be characterized as a failure by progressives.” https://presswatchers.org/... via @froomkin
Dan Froomkin / @froomkin: This duo is up to tricks again today. I wrote about them yesterday. Does no one edit them? https://twitter.com/...
Dan Froomkin / @froomkin: Congress is a Rorschach test for political reporters, producing varied interpretations that reveal their own emotional functioning. The Times story revealed triumphalist delight in anything that can be characterized as a failure by progressives https://presswatchers.org/...
Eric Boehlert / @ericboehlert: it's gone from “feud” to “civil war”!! DC press has been a joke this week;https://www.newyorker.com/ ...
David Sirota / @davidsirota: What's interesting about this tweet is that it is from a New York Times “reporter” — he's issuing an edict that progressives must stand down, declaring that things will not happen. This isn't reporting — this is corporate advocacy. https://twitter.com/...
Dan Froomkin / @froomkin: An overwrought, smarmy and inaccurate lead Times story by @jonathanweisman and @ESCochrane described a sky-is-falling scenario for Democrats brought about by a “liberal revolt” that amounted to a “humiliating blow” for Biden. https://presswatchers.org/...
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo: Something's Very Wrong with the Times
@pareene: really been something to see so much of the press still go with the usual “progressive tantrum is dooming the Democratic agenda” framing but I think the actual answer here is they now incredibly think of Biden as one of the extremists stopping Gottheimer from Being Reasonable https://twitter.com/...
Greg Sargent / @theplumlinegs: Now, we don't know if the bills will survive. The whole house of cards very well may collapse. But the idea that this postponement is itself the harbinger of doom is nonsense. Again, it all very well may fail. But if anything, last night makes success marginally more likely. 2/2
Greg Sargent / @theplumlinegs: CODA: As we wrote, a delay should NOT be seen as the sky falling. Instead of misinforming readers, tell them this is typical of major, complex legislation. Differences remain deep. But if the bills remain linked, bridging them is more likely, not less: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Dan Froomkin / @froomkin: FFS “The Democratic Civil War Has a Winner: Donald Trump” And: “The stakes for Biden are about as existential as they come in politics” https://twitter.com/...
Greg Sargent / @theplumlinegs: As expected, the postponement of the vote is being treated as a “crushing blow” and a “huge setback” to Biden's agenda. Utterly ludicrous. Such things happen all the time with complex legislation. This kind of coverage, which masquerades as savvy, is the opposite of savvy. 1/
Kim Cross / Nieman Storyboard:
Q&A with The Atlantic's Ed Yong on interviewing sources that range from top scientists to the hands-on nurse in a hospital during the pandemic — Pulitzer Prize winner Ed Yong of The Atlantic takes the same open approach with COVID scientists and frontline nurses
Discussion:
@nicholasibekwe, @spj_tweets, @michaelkruse, @rasmus_kleis, @niemanstory, @edyong209, @jonmsutton, @kimhcross, @sheilacoronel, @padams29, @laurenyoung, @citizenmurphy, @nikita_mandhani, @danielrothberg, @engagingnews, @connconnection, @bhumikatharoor, @katherinejwu, @pavsmo, @luckytran, @risj_oxford and @edyong209
Discussion:
Nicholas ‘The Brave’ Ibekwe / @nicholasibekwe: This piece is a masterclass of how to do pretty much any interview. https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
@spj_tweets: “There are so many things that we prize in journalism, and so many things we talk about as cultural professional values. But I feel like we don't talk enough about the value of empathy, and of being kind to people,” said @edyong209. https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Michael Kruse / @michaelkruse: “You can get a lot through the phone,” @edyong209 tells @KimhCross. “We sometimes forget this.” https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Rasmus Kleis Nielsen / @rasmus_kleis: “Every piece I write, I try and ensure that at least half the people I'm talking to are people I've never interviewed before.” Science journalist @edyong209 speaking to @KimhCross about his choice of sources to interview and his interview techniques https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
@niemanstory: How does a top explanatory reporter — @edyong209 of @TheAtlantic — do emotional interviews? With empathy. https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Ed Yong / @edyong209: Re-upping this interview on interviewing. I remember, when I started, feeling like interview technique was a huge black box that, unlike structure, you couldn't reverse-engineer from the finished product. So maybe this'll be helpful to other journalists? https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Dr Jon Sutton / @jonmsutton: This is absolute gold for journalists and editors, although I could have done without “I transcribe in real time” ;) https://twitter.com/...
Kim Cross / @kimhcross: One of the joys of my job is that I never stop learning. That I get to learn from people like @edyong209 is an exquisite bonus. https://twitter.com/...
Sheila Coronel / @sheilacoronel: “i'm not doing an interview to get good quotes. And I'm not doing it to confirm something I already thought. I'm really trying to pick people who are going to teach me something new about the situation that's unfolding.” - Sage advice via @edyong209 https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Paul Adams / @padams29: I am not sure everyone realizes how much there is to learn at a technical level from the journalistic techniques @edyong209 uses to approach his stories. https://twitter.com/...
Lauren Young / @laurenyoung: “The majority of experts quoted in media tend to be white and male. If you just try to find women or people of color to talk to, you'll tend to get people who've done fewer interviews in the past.” — @edyong209 1/2 https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Justin Murphy / @citizenmurphy: “Often we are asked, ‘How do you get a source to trust you as a journalist?’ But we don't ask enough about ‘How should you be trustworthy to a source?’” @edyong209 is such a pro. https://twitter.com/...
Nikita Mandhani / @nikita_mandhani: “There are so many things that we prize in journalism, and so many things we talk about as cultural professional values. But I feel like we don't talk enough about the value of empathy, and of being kind to people.” This interview with @edyong209 is GOLD. https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Daniel Rothberg / @danielrothberg: “There are so many things that we prize in journalism, and so many things we talk about as cultural professional values. But I feel like we don't talk enough about the value of empathy, and of being kind to people.” - @edyong209 https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
@engagingnews: .@edyong209 makes many important points in this interview w/ @KimHCross! This one struck a chord 👇 “There are so many things that we prize in journalism....I feel like we don't talk enough about the value of empathy + of being kind to people.” https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Kathy Flaherty / @connconnection: 👍🏽@edyong209 “If you just try to find women or people of color to talk to, you'll tend to get people who've done fewer interviews; every piece I write, I try & ensure that at least 1/2 the people I'm talking to are people I've never interviewed before” https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Bhumi Tharoor / @bhumikatharoor: “We have a certain distance we maintain from the people we're talking to. But that doesn't need to stop you from being a decent human to someone who's suffering in the moment. You can still be kind and get what you need.” Always worth reading @edyong209 https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Katherine J. Wu, Ph.D. / @katherinejwu: well this is very very good and helpful and eye-opening, no matter what stage in your career you're at https://twitter.com/...
Pavithra S. Mohan / @pavsmo: Some great advice in here, especially this: “Every piece I write, I usually try and ensure that at least half the people I'm talking to are people I've never interviewed before.” https://twitter.com/...
Dr. Lucky Tran / @luckytran: This is a really valuable interview on the workings of science journalism with @edyong209, that I think is helpful not only to journalists, but also to scientists interested in doing media interviews, and public information officers trying to get the word out about stories. https://twitter.com/...
@risj_oxford: “Every piece I write, I try and ensure that at least half the people I'm talking to are people I've never interviewed before.” Science journalist @edyong209 speaks to @KimhCross on why he selects a wide range of sources and his interview techniques https://niemanstoryboard.org/ ...
Ed Yong / @edyong209: This is a long and meta interview with me about how I do interviews—techniques, but also some theory about what interviews should be for. Thanks to @KimhCross for giving me a chance to geek out about craft, and asking some great, thought-provoking questions. https://twitter.com/...
Brandon Katz / Observer:
A look at Apple's TV+ progress and strategy as it navigates a crowded streaming video market — Why Apple TV+ isn't necessarily competing with Netflix. — Nearly two years after launching Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has remained notoriously secretive about its fledgling streaming service.
Sebastian Murdock / HuffPost:
Judge issues default judgments against Alex Jones in two Sandy Hook cases for routinely failing to comply with requests, making him liable for all damages — A judge issued default judgments — a rarity in the legal world — against Jones and Infowars after the conspiracy theorist failed to produce discovery records.
Discussion:
Gretchen Carlson / @gretchencarlson: I love this so much. It's the least these grieving Sandy Hook families can receive. Justice for all the lies Alex Jones promulgated and almost as bad was how his lies were propped up by so-called journalists who gave him airtime to spew his nonsense. https://www.huffpost.com/...
Brianna Wu / @briannawu: When Alex Jones unsuccessfully sued me for accurately citing a credible newspaper in a Tweet, his lawsuit was riddled with spelling errors, like seeking relief by “jury trail.” He just lost another lawsuit for failing to provide documents for discovery. https://www.huffpost.com/...
@wowt6news: The cases now head to trial for juries to determine the amount of damages Jones and the other defendants will have to pay the families. https://www.wowt.com/...
Sebastian Murdock / @sebastianmurdoc: This isn't the end of Jones' legal woes either. Seven other Sandy Hook families are currently suing him for the lies he spread about their dead children. https://www.huffpost.com/...
Timothy Bella / Washington Post: Alex Jones must pay damages to Sandy Hook families after calling shooting a ‘giant hoax,’ judge rules
Lauren Frias / Insider: A judge ruled that Alex Jones must pay damages to Sandy Hook families over his claims that the school shooting was a ‘giant hoax’
Will Digravio / Media Matters for America: Alex Jones emboldened after The Blaze helps him spread misinformation
Katie S. Phang / @katiephang: “Jones has lost multiple legal battles in his many lawsuits and was ordered to pay nearly $150,000 in legal fees in 2020 for failing to provide discovery documents for the plaintiffs.” https://www.huffpost.com/...
Will Sommer / @willsommer: InfoWars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones just lost two lawsuits filed by Sandy Hook relatives by default — a rare punishment reserved for parties who consistently flout court orders. https://www.huffpost.com/...
Chas Danner / New York Magazine: Alex Jones Must Pay Damages in Sandy Hook Cases
Choe Sang-Hun / New York Times:
South Korea shelves a bill banning “fake news” after outcry that it would discourage journalists from investigating corruption scandals and powerful people — Right groups warned that a proposed new law would discourage the media from reporting critically on powerful people.
Discussion:
@etammykim: A South Korean bill to fight fake news put on hold: https://www.nytimes.com/... I wrote about the proliferation of disinformation in Korean cyberspace, and the risks of using the law to combat it, for @CJR, 2019. https://www.cjr.org/...
Josef Adalian / Vulture:
South Korean show Squid Game, topping Netflix charts in 90 countries, vindicates Netflix's strategy of creating franchises using content from around the world — At your service. — This story also ran in Buffering, Vulture's newsletter about the streaming industry. Head to vulture.com/buffering and subscribe today!
Discussion:
The Wrap, @jeffbezos, @jeffmacke, @tvmojoe, Forbes, @tvmojoe, @tvmojoe, @thrasherxy, @jetgirl78, @moltz, @mattakersten, @zemthings, @tylerdinucci, @nymag, @matthewfederman, @loudmouthjulia, @loudmouthjulia, @loudmouthjulia, @loudmouthjulia, @oliverdarcy, @e_alexjung, The Daily Beast and UPROXX, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Andi Ortiz / The Wrap: Jeff Bezos Praises Rival Netflix and the Internet Thinks He's Hinting at Something
Jeff Bezos / @jeffbezos: .@ReedHastings and Ted Sarandos and the team at @Netflix get it right so often. Their internationalization strategy isn't easy, and they're making it work. Impressive and inspiring. (And I can't wait to watch the show.) https://www.vulture.com/...
Jeff Macke / @jeffmacke: “The world's richest man uses his streaming service to broadcast a real life Squid Games.” Coming to $AMZN Prime https://twitter.com/...
@tvmojoe: In my mind, this tweet means Mr. Bezos subscribes to Buffering, the @vulture newsletter about the streaming business, and not that he just saw the story floating around or in his clip package. Anyway, click the link and read about #SquidGame! https://twitter.com/...
@tvmojoe: The hottest show on TV right now is a dystopian drama from Korea called #SquidGame. Its success is a massive validation of Netflix's local language strategy, and I talked to global TV chief Bela Bajaria about how it happened. Read it now, only on @vulture: https://www.vulture.com/...
@tvmojoe: @loudmouthjulia I asked that very question of Netflix. They did not! (But also, Netflix doesn't always market everything it has high hopes for internally. Some marketing spend is placating stakeholders' egos.) https://www.vulture.com/...
Dr. Steven W. Thrasher / @thrasherxy: I love that Squid Game is showing there is US hunger for new stories not based on existing IP. But I'm depressed that Parasite is being made into a US remake. When audiences flock to new stories from minoritized groups, it should lead to *more* stories—not remakes of one story! https://twitter.com/...
@jetgirl78: “The near-instant enthusiasm for Squid Game is all the more impressive because the series isn't based on any preexisting intellectual property.” I'd argue this may be seen a reason for its success. It is something new & we don't know where it's going. https://www.vulture.com/...
@moltz: Please save comments such as this until *after* I've gotten my gritty reboot of “Jason of Star Command”. https://twitter.com/...
Matt Akersten / @mattakersten: What a massive success. ‘Squid Game’ is the second time I have really loved one of @NetflixANZ's dubbed shows - I also enjoyed the Danish political drama ‘Borgen’, which is being revived for new episodes in 2022. https://twitter.com/...
@zemthings: I love how shocked studios are every time something that doesn't have a preexisting fan base does well. https://twitter.com/...
@tylerdinucci: Outside of Shadow & Bone, a lot of the buzziest shows that streamers have dropped this year are all original IPs — Hacks, Squid Game, Bridgerton. Even something like Girls5Eva got more buzz than others. https://twitter.com/...
@nymag: #SquidGame is a social-media phenomenon and tops Netflix's popularity charts in 90 countries. @TVMoJoe reports on how the streamer's international strategy produced what might be its biggest new show ever https://www.vulture.com/...
Matthew Federman / @matthewfederman: Is it possible that studios have so over mined IP that the audience is actually hungry for a feeling of discovery? That same feeling they got when that old IP was once new and not based on anything? https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Julia Alexander / @loudmouthjulia: Yep. If I'm a Netflix exec, I'm watching the viewership rate in South Korea (and other territories) skyrocket. I'm watching it travel. I connect with the homepage team to boost it worldwide in the carousel. But remember: this all happened very, very fast. https://twitter.com/...
Julia Alexander / @loudmouthjulia: Netflix, and others, place their marketing budget around shows execs think are massive ROI winners for them. These often are big budget series, or unscripted programming that has a viral hook, but if Netflix wants you to know about something they will pay to ensure that happens.
Julia Alexander / @loudmouthjulia: A question that comes up a lot when something like Squid Game pops up is: “Did Netflix expect this to be as big as it became worldwide?” For reference, there's a very quick way to answer this question. Do you remember seeing ads for it? On TV, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube?
Julia Alexander / @loudmouthjulia: “Does this mean Netflix didn't think it would be big?” Nope. They saw something, and used highly in-demand talent in South Korea to make it a regional hit. But if Netflix thinks it's a global hit, you'll know they think so before it's even out. Because you'll be very aware of it
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy: “It also helps that, in addition to shelling out billions to produce its programming, Netflix invests millions more to make sure shows like Squid Game are easily watchable even for folks who don't speak the language used in them...” https://www.vulture.com/...
E. Alex Jung / @e_alexjung: how long until US execs try to adapt squid game “for america” https://www.vulture.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Kevin Fallon / The Daily Beast: ‘Squid Game’ Is the Most Disturbing Show I've Ever Seen. How Is It So Popular?
Brian Welk / The Wrap:
Hollywood Foreign Press Association appoints Todd Boehly, co-founder and CEO of investment firm Eldridge Industries, as interim CEO — The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has named hedge fund billionaire Todd Boehly as its interim CEO. — Boehly, the founder and CEO …
Discussion:
Brent Lang / Variety: Todd Boehly Named Interim CEO of Hollywood Foreign Press Association (EXCLUSIVE)
Chris Gardner / Hollywood Reporter: Todd Boehly Named Interim CEO of Hollywood Foreign Press Association
Sharon Waxman / @sharonwaxman: I'm sorry, am I the only person who thinks naming a billionaire white guy with a financial interest in the Golden Globes to run a non-profit that has publicly committed to diversity and cleaning up corruption is THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN? U must b joking. https://www.thewrap.com/...
RELATED:
Clayton Davis / Variety:
HFPA adds 21 members, increasing its membership by 20%, of which 48% identify as women, 29% as Black, 24% as Asian, 29% as Latinx, and 19% as MENA
Discussion:
@mariocinema: An honor to be invited from #HFPA to be part of their 2021 class. Let's be a bridge for Latinx talent and the Cinema & TV world. Art builds healthy communities. @goldenglobes https://variety.com/...
Danyel Smith / @danamo: 🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆 yes @KelleyLCarter! congratulations 🗝 and they are lucky to have you 💕 https://twitter.com/...
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