Mediagazer: RSF report details the worsening treatment of journalists in China: “media culture worthy of the Maoist era”, Hong Kong journalism is “in freefall”, and more (Helen Davidson/The Guardian)

7:10 AM ET, December 9, 2021

Top News:

Sara Fischer / Axios:

Roku says it has agreed to a multi-year extension with Google for distributing YouTube and YouTube TV apps on its devices; Roku's stock is up 18%+ — Roku and Google have agreed to a multi-year extension for both YouTube and YouTube TV apps to be distributed on Roku.

Arlene Getz / Committee to Protect Journalists:

The global number of journalists jailed reached a record of 293 in 2021 so far, up from 280 in 2020; at least 24 journalists were killed over their coverage — The number of journalists jailed around the world set another record in 2021. Invoking new tech and security laws …

Discussion: Euractiv, @pressfreedom, New York Times, Al Jazeera, @zainaerhaim, Reuters, @pressfreedom, @pressfreedom, @cpjafrica and @pressfreedom

Helen Davidson / The Guardian:

RSF report details the worsening treatment of journalists in China: “media culture worthy of the Maoist era”, Hong Kong journalism is “in freefall”, and more — Reporters Without Borders calls increasing media oppression in China a ‘great leap backwards’ and says Hong Kong journalism is ‘in freefall’

Discussion: Reporters Without Borders, BBC, Newser, @amfchina and @nathanattrill

Kurt Wagner / Bloomberg:

A look at Twitter's Project Guardian, which lets moderators respond quickly when journalists and other highly visible users are targeted with harassment — ‘Project Guardian’ aims to protect prominent tweeters from abuse, harassment — Twitter Inc.'s highest-profile users …

Discussion: @kurtwagner8, @rralstonagile, Engadget, @bwdbwdbwd, @drbritwilliams, @kurtwagner8, The Verge and @actnormalorelse, more at Techmeme »

Steve Dent / Engadget:

Facebook launches a Professional Mode, letting eligible creators monetize their profiles, and a Reels Play bonus program that offers up to $35K/month — Facebook has launched a new professional mode for profiles that will let eligible creators earn money without the need to create a separate Page.

Discussion: TechCrunch, @alexvoica, PCMag UK, The Verge, Meta and Facebook, more at Techmeme »

International Press Institute:

Q&A with the CEO of Scrolla Africa on delivering news in English and isiZulu via a data-lite app due to high data rates, mobile-first journalism, and more — Scrolla Africa is building a publishing business with affordable data-lite, mobile-first journalism and ambitions …

Discussion: @ifex, @globalfreemedia and American Press Institute

Ken Meyer / Mediaite:

OANN owner and founder Robert Herring contradicts his son, OANN President Charles Herring, saying the company does not support Joe Biden's FCC nominee Gigi Sohn — One America News Network is pulling an about-face after the far-right news network seemed to endorse President Joe Biden's nominee …

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, Ars Technica and Techdirt

Sam Kille / Report for America:

Report for America adds nearly 70 new host newsroom partners, expanding into more rural communities and continuing its focus on education beats — Nonprofit service program looks to grow reporting corps to 325 in 2022 — (See the newly-selected newsrooms and beats here)

Discussion: @nicdawes, @alexanderrusso, @kevinloker and @report4america

Thomas Seal / Bloomberg:

Sources: GB News, whose debut was beset with problems, is mulling exporting its broadcasting model to Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland through joint ventures — - Conservative channel mulls joint ventures after rocky launch — GB News faces domestic rivalry with Rupert Murdoch's talkTV

Judd Legum / Popular Information:

A look at Trump Media & Technology Group, which lacks a product, users, publicly identified executives, and revenue, and its merger with DWAC, valued at $1.85B — In October, former President Trump announced the creation of a new company, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG).

Discussion: @timobrien, @juddlegum, @morgfair, @juddlegum, Bloomberg, @timobrien, @juddlegum, @juddlegum, @peterbakernyt, @josephzeballos and The Guardian

Patrick McGee / Financial Times:

Sources: despite iOS ATT changes, Apple still lets Meta, Snap, and other iOS developers collect data from iPhones so long as it is “anonymized and aggregated” — Group's unacknowledged shift lets companies follow a looser interpretation of its privacy rules

Discussion: @eric_seufert, @eric_seufert, @eric_seufert, @eric_seufert, @carnage4life, @karlbode, @saascalsiakam, @danjokaz00ie, @eric_seufert, @dcuthbert, @michellemanafy, 9to5Mac, MacRumors and AppleInsider

Ashley Carman / The Verge:

A researcher who listened to 350+ hours of The Joe Rogan Experience says COVID-19 misinformation has become its central core and Spotify should moderate it — An interview with a Media Matters researcher documenting Rogan's views — This story is part of a group of stories called — Here I am.

Discussion: @searls, @harrymccracken, @ashleyrcarman, @tnicholsmd, @jake_k, @alexpattyy, @bradesposito, @roisinwest, @b3ardedwond3r and Podcast Movement

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Senior Data Journalist, NY — WSJ

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Oil Reporter, Singapore — Bloomberg

Newsperson - State Govt. & Politics, CA — AP

Business Reporter, SC — Post & Courier

State Government Reporter, WA — Seattle Times

Climate Crisis Columnist — Prospect UK

Multimedia Journalist, CA — Paramount

Community Engagement Mgr., DC — Freedom Forum

Senior California Politics Reporter, CA — SFGATE

Staff Writer - Business, NY — WIRED

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City Correspondent, London — Financial News

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Benjamin Mullin / Wall Street Journal:
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Sara Fischer / Axios:
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Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
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Axios:
Seventeen groups representing ~150 newspapers quietly filed antitrust lawsuits in the past year against Google and Meta for monopolizing the digital ads market

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Russell Brandom / The Verge:
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Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast:
Newsmax hires reporter James Rosen, who left Fox News amid sexual misconduct claims, to replace Emerald Robinson, who pushed a satanic vaccine conspiracy theory

Discussion: Mediaite, @thedailybeast, @justinbaragona, The Wrap, Deadline, The Hill and TVNewser

Brian Steinberg / Variety:
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From Techmeme:

Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority:
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Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple is testing a more conversational version of Siri, dubbed “LLM Siri”, with plans to release it in spring 2026 as part of iOS 19 and macOS 16

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