Top News:
Maggie Haberman / New York Times:
The Republican National Committee says it will require candidates to pledge to not participate in debates run by the Commission on Presidential Debates — The Republican National Committee says it will require candidates to pledge to not participate in debates run by the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Insider, MediaPost, Politico, Deadline, Forbes, New York Post, @drkarlynb, @sewellchan, Fox News, NewsNation Now, @kbandersen, NPR and Boing Boing
Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:
NBCU names iSpot.tv as an official measurement partner, in addition to Nielsen, in a new multiyear agreement — NBCUniversal, the media company most critical of the audience measurement data it receives from Nielsen, is testing an alternative service next month to track viewing of the Olympics and the Super Bowl.
Discussion:
Variety, Wall Street Journal, Adweek, Ad Age, Radio & Television …, MediaPost, Awful Announcing, Marketing Dive, Media Play News, nexttv.com, @ourand_sbj, Deadline, Beet.TV and @bristei
Peter White / Deadline:
New York Magazine's Olivia Nuzzi is writing and producing a satirical drama for AMC set in Washington, DC, teaming up with executive producer Gina Mingacci — EXCLUSIVE: Olivia Nuzzi, the Washington correspondent for New York magazine who wrote some of the wildest stories …
Discussion:
@oliverdarcy, bookforum.com, @raesanni, @bartleby_kamoi, @eoinhiggins_, @kantrowitz, @karaswisher and @olivianuzzi
Justin Hendrix / Tech Policy Press:
260+ health professionals ask Spotify to create a misinformation policy, after a discredited scientist spread COVID-19 misinformation on Joe Rogan's podcast — More than 260 doctors, nurses, scientists, health professionals and others have signed an open letter calling on the streaming media platform Spotify …
Discussion:
An Open Letter to Spotify, Rolling Stone, The Wrap, Variety, TheStreet, Being Libertarian's Newsletter, Boing Boing, Insider, @bernstein, Supercreator, Beyond Search, @drjengunter, @samadlerbell, @emswami, @pharmacistmama, @tnicholsmd, CNET, @blackamazon, @justinhendrix, @benprunty, @slpng_giants, @craigsilverman, Deadline and UPROXX, more at Techmeme »
Lily Hay Newman / Wired:
NSO Group spyware was found on devices owned by 35 journalists and activists in El Salvador; 23 devices belong to journalists linked to the El Faro news site — The newly disclosed campaign shows how little the company has done to curb abuses of its powerful surveillance tools.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Committee to Protect …, LatAm Journalism Review, The Citizen Lab, Gizmodo, iMore, @leomschwartz, @leomschwartz, @leomschwartz, Washington Post, @evacide, @accessnow, @citizenlab, @mvzelenks, @accessnow, @cpjamericas, @accessnow, @cpjamericas, @jsrailton, @lilyhnewman, Wall Street Journal, @jsrailton, @jsrailton, @cpjamericas, @cpjamericas, 9to5Mac, Rest of World, @mcandrew, @cpjamericas, @cpjamericas, @cpjamericas, @munkschool, @accessnow, @jsrailton, @accessnow, @frontlinehrd, @hipsterelectron, @accessnow and New York Times
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
In a first, BET+ will be included for Xfinity TV customers in renewed multiyear carriage agreement between ViacomCBS and Comcast — ViacomCBS and Comcast have reached a distribution renewal that continues carriage of CBS and a roster of cable networks on the No. 1 cable system in the U.S …
Discussion:
Variety and Hollywood Reporter
Laura Hazard Owen / Nieman Lab:
Researchers use simulations to show that focusing on increasing trust in reliable information and news works better than focusing on debunking misinformation — Misinformation makes up a teeny-tiny share of what most people read, and we might want to worry a little less about debunking …
Discussion:
@sacha_altay, HKS Misinformation Review, @rasmus_kleis, @michellemanafy and @journoresource
Lillian Rizzo / Wall Street Journal:
Sinclair renews NBA deal for digital rights, shortly after a similar deal with the NHL, as it secures $600M in debt financing to develop its streaming service — Diamond Sports, the largest owner of regional sports networks, also renewed its digital-rights agreement with NBA, securing ability to stream games
Don Seiffert / Boston Business Journal:
136 of 253 Gannett newspapers are ceasing home delivery of Saturday print editions in coming months, offering an e-edition instead — The nation's largest newspaper chain is discontinuing Saturday print editions starting March 5 at more than half of its newspapers nationwide …
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Telemundo is launching content brand Tplus on Peacock's premium tier in the fall, with scripted, unscripted, and documentary bilingual content — NBCUniversal's Telemundo Enterprises is launching content brand Tplus on Peacock this fall in sync with the company's exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the World Cup in Qatar.
Discussion:
Axios, The Streamable, The Wrap, Forbes and Hollywood Reporter
Jay Cridlin / Tampa Bay Times:
Tampa Bay Times' longest-serving CEO and chairman, Paul Tash, is retiring and will be succeeded by company president Conan Gallaty — Conan Gallaty takes over as chief executive officer and will be the fourth chairman since Nelson Poynter when Tash departs this summer. — Published Just now
Discussion:
@billadairduke
Tony Maglio / The Wrap:
Jana Bennett, former president of BBC Worldwide and ex-president and general manager of The History Channel, dies at 66 — Jana Bennett, the former president and general manager of History channel, has died. She was 66. — Bennett, who had at one point been the top director at the BBC, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2019.
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