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:
Insider, Politico, GOP.com, MediaPost, @sykescharlie, The Federalist, Vanity Fair, The Guardian, Washington Post, The Week, Deadline, Forbes, Mediaite, New York Post, @drkarlynb, @sewellchan, @kbandersen, @pbump, Rolling Stone, Fox News, NewsNation Now, NPR and Boing Boing
Committee to Protect Journalists:
One year in, Biden's relationship with the press stands in stark contrast to Trump's, but press freedom advocates have concerns over FOIA, Assange, and more — President Joe Biden's approach to U.S. media is a stark contrast to Donald Trump's vicious rhetoric.
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
NBCUniversal and RTL partner to cross-sell TV ad inventory in the US, Europe, and Asia — The arrangement will create opportunities for marketers across the U.S., Europe and Asia, the companies say.
Discussion:
The Drum, Variety and Digital TV Europe
Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:
NBCUniversal plans to use audience data from iSpot.tv to track the Olympics and the Super Bowl next month, 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 …
Discussion:
Variety, Adweek, Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, Media Play News, Marketing Dive, @ourand_sbj, Awful Announcing, Radio & Television …, @bristei, Beet.TV and Deadline
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
In a first, BET+ will be included on Xfinity TV in a deal between ViacomCBS and Comcast, which also extends carriage of Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Showtime OTT — ViacomCBS and Comcast have reached a distribution renewal that continues carriage of CBS and a roster of cable networks …
Discussion:
Variety, @aagave, @aagave, @aagave, @fidmart85, Light Reading and Hollywood Reporter
Jay Cridlin / Tampa Bay Times:
Paul Tash, Tampa Bay Times' longest-serving CEO and chairman, 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:
Poynter, @markpuente, @billadairduke, @jaycridlin, @bobbuckhorn, @matt_cohen_, @amy_hollyfield and @carolynpfox
Lillian Rizzo / Wall Street Journal:
Sinclair renews its digital rights NBA deal, after signing a similar deal with the NHL in December, as it secures $600M in debt 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
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Telemundo is launching content brand Tplus on Peacock's premium tier in the fall, with scripted, unscripted, and documentary content in English and Spanish — NBCUniversal's Telemundo Enterprises is launching content brand Tplus on Peacock this fall in sync with the company's exclusive …
Discussion:
Axios, Los Angeles Times, Forbes, The Streamable, The Wrap and Hollywood Reporter
Don Seiffert / Boston Business Journal:
136 of 253 Gannett newspapers will cease home delivery of Saturday print editions in the coming months, offering expanded access to its online edition instead — The nation's largest newspaper chain is discontinuing Saturday print editions starting March 5 at more than half of its newspapers nationwide …
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, @paulbradleycarr, @raesanni, bookforum.com, @bartleby_kamoi, @eoinhiggins_, @kantrowitz, @karaswisher and @olivianuzzi
Issie Lapowsky / Protocol:
Interview with Check My Ads Institute's Nandini Jammi and Claire Atkin on how the watchdog got started and why it targets ad exchanges to defund extremist sites — Lately, Nandini Jammi has been forwarding all of the hate mail she receives to an executive at a company most people have never heard of: Magnite.
Discussion:
@profcarroll, @issielapowsky, @benbrodydc, Columbia Journalism Review and @catthekin
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, @michellemanafy, @journoresource, @rasmus_kleis and HKS Misinformation Review
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