Top News:
Washington Post:
The NYT's Project Veritas reporting has now been restrained for 28 days, 14 more than for the Pentagon Papers, although a judge on December 14 gave some leeway — Stephen J. Adler, who recently retired as editor in chief of Reuters, is chairman of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press …
Discussion:
New York Times, New York Times, @adamgoldmannyt, @freedomofpress, @rcfp, @nytimesbusiness, @bgrueskin, bookforum.com, @joannelipman, @frates and Raw Story
Andy Greene / Rolling Stone:
Billboard report: Bruce Springsteen sells his publishing catalog to Sony Music and Sony Music Publishing for $500M — Bruce Springsteen has sold his publishing catalog to Sony for a reported $500 million, as Billboard reports. — The musician has sold his masters to Sony Music …
Han Zhang / The Guardian:
Profile of Hu Xijin, editor of the Global Times, a nationalistic tabloid dubbed “China's Fox News”, as he becomes China's most famous propagandist on Twitter — Hu Xijin is China's most famous propagandist. At the Global Times, he helped establish a chest-thumping new tone …
Discussion:
@tknoll209k, Agence France-Presse, Fortune, @jgriffiths, @amonck and @williamyang120
RELATED:
David Stanway / Reuters:
Hu Xijin announces his retirement as editor-in-chief of Global Times, which is published by CCP outlet People's Daily, but will stay on as a commentator — Hu Xijin, a prolific commentator who is China's best-known propagandist on the global stage, has announced his retirement as editor …
Discussion:
New York Times and Techdirt
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Alden sues Lee Enterprises, arguing Lee's board infringed company bylaws by denying Alden's request to nominate three board members due to paperwork issues — Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund known for consolidating local news companies for profit, is suing local newspaper company Lee Enterprises …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Poynter, @sulliview, @hunterw, Pew Research Center, @ericzorn, @sarafischer and @sarafischer
Garett Sloane / Ad Age:
Ad exchange OpenX agrees to pay $2M to settle FTC claims it collected data from children and users who chose not to be tracked; OpenX says it was unintentional — Regulatory action puts spotlight on real-time internet ad markets, data sharing and children's privacy
Discussion:
MediaPost, TechCrunch, TheXchange, Federal Trade Commission, @garettsloane and @lmoses
Reddit:
Reddit confidentially files its S-1 with the SEC for an IPO; the number of shares to be offered and the price range have yet to be determined — Reddit, Inc. today announced that it has confidentially submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission …
Discussion:
MediaPost, Adweek, @reddit, Variety, Gizmodo, Fortune, Deadline, @mathowie, The Register, 9to5Mac, Fast Company, @mikeisaac, @hoctopi, @jebus911, @noondlyt, @carnage4life, Insider, iMore, Protocol, CoinDesk, The Verge and Futureprotech, more at Techmeme »
Suzanne Vranica / Wall Street Journal:
Talent agency UTA says it has acquired marketing and media consulting firm MediaLink, whose clients include NBCU, AT&T, and Unilever, for $125M — The Hollywood talent firm is buying the influential media consulting company as UTA seeks to grow its burgeoning marketing practice
Discussion:
Ad Age, The Wrap, MediaPost, Variety, @megancgraham, @joshsternberg, Deadline and Los Angeles Times
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Spotify rolls out a five-star ratings system for podcasts that will only let users rate a show after listening — Spotify is borrowing a page from rival Apple with the addition of a five-star user ratings system for podcasts — a new tool for sorting through the more than 3.2 million podcast titles …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, CNET, Spotify, Word of Mouth, The Verge, Engadget, @ashleyrcarman, @anchor, Futureprotech, Tubefilter and Spotify for Podcasters, more at Techmeme »
New York Times:
For over a year, female journalists in India were targets of an elaborate online scam offering work at Harvard, but who was targeting them and why is unknown — For over a year, prominent women in India, including journalists, were reeled into a labyrinthine online scam, offering work with Harvard University.
Discussion:
@maneeshchhibber, @nidhi, @nidhi, @nidhi, @zhaoyinfeng, @sandeepparekh, @rodrikdani, @nidhi, @jiten_jain, @counternotions, @amitoj and @dhm
Alistair Gray / Financial Times:
Lord Rothermere secures enough shareholder votes to take Daily Mail and General Trust private at an £885M valuation — Great grandson of newspaper's founder wins enough shareholder support for takeover bid — Lord Rothermere has succeeded in his attempt to put the publisher …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal
Alexander Sammon / American Prospect:
Lobbyists for major companies and trade groups covered by DC-based Punchbowl News attended a Washington Football Team game as guests in the outlet's skybox — Where hosting a confab for lobbyists meets journalistic ethics — On Sunday afternoon, the Washington Football Team lost to the Dallas Cowboys …
Discussion:
@coreyhutchins, @bendreyfuss, @drvolts, @theprospect, @alex_sammon, @davidsirota, @ddayen, @andrewperezdc, @theprospect, @ddayen and @froomkin