Top News:
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Internal memo: Spotify shuts down Spotify Studios, also known as Studio 4; former employees say the podcast studio operated as a “junk drawer” for projects — The Studio 4 team, aka Spotify Studios, is being laid off — This story is part of a group of stories called
Discussion:
Variety and @ashleyrcarman
Mitchell Clark / The Verge:
The Associated Press will launch a photojournalism NFT marketplace built by blockchain tech provider Xooa on Jan. 31, with proceeds used to fund its journalism — It's offering collectors ‘exclusive, historic, and stunning visual content’ — The Associated Press, or AP …
Discussion:
Associated Press, @ap_images, @owoathkeeper, Waivly, @thrasherxy, @s_m_i, @davekarpf, @judeinlondon2, @kensweet, @wublockchain, ZDNet, HYPEBEAST, @carnage4life, @radicalbytes, @multiplebears, The Block, @compy905, @davidfolkenflik, @webjournalist, PetaPixel, @wbm312, CoinDesk and Insider, more at Techmeme »
Andrew Marchand / New York Post:
Source: Apple has had substantial talks about carrying Major League Baseball games next season on Apple TV+ — MORE FROM: — Apple has had substantial talks about carrying Major League Baseball games next season, The Post has learned. — If a deal is finalized, it would represent …
David Cohen / Adweek:
The Markup partners with Mozilla's data sharing project Rally on Facebook Pixel Hunt, a study to investigate Meta's data collection and tracking practices — Firefox users who opt into ‘Facebook Pixel Hunt’ will use tools in the Rally browser extension
Discussion:
The Mozilla Blog, @baekdal, @juliaangwin, @jason_kint, Forbes, @jkosseff, @rsbutner, @mmasnick, @glynmoody, @mediaevan, Mozilla Rally and Digiday, more at Techmeme »
Gabriel Snyder / Off the Record:
Justin Smith's plan to chase an elite global audience is a great pitch for sponsors, but it could be a tough editorial product for Ben Smith to deliver — Justin Smith and Ben Smith's announcement brings back memories of the promise — and pitfalls — of an earlier global media startup.
Discussion:
@gabrielsnyder, @rafat, @sdp, @rafat, @daytenrose, @marissaaevans, @michellelegro, @dceiver, @weareyourfek, @mattiekahn and @alexljanin
Wired:
Wired joins The Verge, Quartz, and other publications in making “on the record” the default when its reporters talk to anyone in any official capacity — Statements made to WIRED are on the record by default. Here is our guide for communications professionals.
Discussion:
@scottmstedman, @sarah_sloat_, @reckless and @laurengoode
Tommy Christopher / Mediaite:
Following CDC complaints, ABC posts the full clip from an interview with the CDC chief, which it had edited to exclude crucial information about COVID-19 deaths — CDC Chief Dr. Rochelle Walensky took heat from the right and the left over an interview that turns out to have been edited …
Discussion:
Mediaite, Fox News, HotAir, @maggienyt, @g17esiason, Children of Liberty, @joshsternberg and @brianstelter
Nic Newman / Reuters Institute for the Study …:
Survey of 246 media leaders in 52 countries: 59% say revenue grew in 2021 and 47% worry subscription models may be excluding less affluent audiences — 1. The business of journalism is looking up for some | 2. Audience strategies and publisher innovation |
Discussion:
American Press Institute, @risj_oxford, Poynter, Journalism.co.uk, Press Gazette, @k8brannen, What's New in Publishing, @hotlinejosh, @emilybell, @danzonchambaud, @jamcnn, @ahmermkhan, @pressgazette, @marcsettle, @joshsternberg, @tinaleeinberlin, @sophiasgaler, @risj_oxford, @jeffjarvis, @charliebeckett, @eduardosuarez, @liz_cookman, @rohanv, @tara_mulholland, @pollycurtis, @leguape, @pollycurtis, @marklittlenews and @chrismoranuk
Alex Richards / mirror:
UK court awards Premier League a minimum £157M payout in case against PPTV, which bought Chinese broadcast rights for £564M and never paid — The Premier League terminated its deal with PPTV, owned by the Suning Holding Group, in September 2020, after failing to receive a penny of its record £564million deal
Discussion:
@tariqpanja
Lorenzo Tondo / The Guardian:
Profile of Italian outlet Fanpage, which started as a Facebook Page, attracts millions of readers with award-winning investigative scoops, and employs 67 — What started as a Facebook page is now an investigative news operation with millions of readers a day
Discussion:
@frasermatthew and @bhopalhouse
Todd Spangler / Variety:
With US streaming subscribers expected to plateau in 2022, aggregators like Roku will gain and services will look to build new revenue sources like gaming — Disney Plus racked up more than 118 million paying customers in its first two years. … Netflix now boasts more than 216 million worldwide.
Discussion:
@svideoalliance, @carlosferreri and @ctam
Antoinette Siu / The Wrap:
NABJ calls for “immediate change” within the culture of the Black News Channel, after 13 women sued the network claiming unfair pay and a sexist workplace — The National Association of Black Journalists is putting pressure on the Black News Channel after the network was sued …