Top News:
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Substack plans to launch a native video player in beta next week that will let creators upload or record a video and embed it directly in a Substack post — Substack plans to launch a native video player next week in an effort to lure new creators to the platform, a spokesperson confirmed to Axios.
Discussion:
On Substack, Sub Pub, @sarafischer, @ckrewson, @simonowens and @protocol
Frederic Lardinois / TechCrunch:
Google shutters FLoC, its controversial ad tech for replacing third-party cookies, and proposes Topics, which categorizes the sites users visit into 300+ topics — FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts), Google's controversial project for replacing cookies for interest-based advertising …
Discussion:
GitHub, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Journal, Axios, The Keyword, Mumbrella, @pbannist, @v21, MediaPost, @laurenweinstein, @jason_kint, ZDNet, @googlechrome, @pcmag, @brave, @chrismessina, 9to5Google, @seldo, @jeffjarvis, @adsliaison, @robleathern, The Verge, The Drum, @lockheimer, Protocol, MarTech, Ad Age, AdExchanger, Digiday, CNET and Engadget, more at Techmeme »
Viola Zhou / VICE:
Fight Club gets an alternate ending in its China release on Tencent Video wherein the police thwart Tyler Durden's anarchist plan — Someone tried very hard to please Chinese movie censors. — VZ — Fight Club is getting an entirely different ending in a new online release in China …
Discussion:
Variety, @tomgara, Agence France-Presse, The Playlist, Washington Free Beacon, @erichschwartzel, IndieWire, @vladsavov, @thedragonfeeder, @mrbrianfirenzi, Insider, New York Post, @praddenkeefe, @vice, The A.V. Club, @whitebison66, @hurtingbombz, South China Morning Post, @rhokilpatrick, @oliverjia1014, @viceworldnews, @gerryshih, @violazhouyi, @gladstein, Consequence, The Independent, Polygon, Bloomberg, Collider, SlashFilm and ScreenRant
Andy Greene / Rolling Stone:
Neil Young posts and then deletes a letter to his manager and a Warner exec demanding they remove his music from Spotify over Joe Rogan's vaccine misinformation — Neil Young posted a since-deleted letter to his management team and record label demanding that they remove his music from Spotify.
Discussion:
CNN, The Guardian, CNET, USA Today, Mediaite, Daily Herald, The Daily Beast, Vanity Fair, @benschwartz_, @anthonylfisher, Reclaim The Net, @thedailyshow, Forbes, Deadline, @page88, Financial Times, @scottwalker, @jimwaterson, @dangillmor, Wall Street Journal, NBC 6 South Florida, @bretthamil, TechCrunch, RADAR, @jasonisbell, Twelve Thirty Six, Engadget, UPI, The Verge, @rexchapman, Billboard, Boing Boing, Music Ally, The Wrap, Breitbart, Barrett Media, Insider, UPROXX, Consequence, WGN-TV and Digital Music News
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Two House Energy and Commerce Committee members send a letter to NBC Universal's execs asking whether China or the IOC have influenced NBC's Olympics coverage — Republican leaders on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have sent a letter to NBC Universal executives voicing concerns about …
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Cáit Caden / Irish Examiner:
Stripe partners with Spotify to help podcasters accept payments in dozens of currencies in more than 30 countries — — Stripe has partnered with Spotify to help podcasters use the platform to accept payments in dozens of currencies in more than 30 countries.
Daniel Frankel / Next TV:
Cable operators are quietly dropping Newsmax; Atlantic Broadband, Cincinnati Bell, Hargray Communications, and Blue Ridge Communications say it's just business — Conservative channel's carriage issues emerge as rival OAN faces pay TV oblivion — While the focus has been on its conservative …
Discussion:
The Streamable and @dannyfrankel
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
Fox News' Peter Doocy says Biden called him to “clear the air” about an hour after the president was caught on a hot mic calling Doocy “a stupid son of a bitch” — The president later called Peter Doocy and “cleared the air,” Mr. Doocy said.
Discussion:
@brianstelter, @kaitlancollins, Washington Post, Mediaite, The Wrap, Fox News, New York Post, The A.V. Club, Washington Free Beacon, TheGrio, @byyourlogic, Very Serious, SHERO, Breitbart, The Hill, TVNewser, @ashleestrong, @atrupar, @redsteeze, @akilahobviously, @repswalwell, @noahcrothman, @acampanajjar, @billscher, @vickerysec, @nytimes, SheKnows, @jason_kint, @grynbaum, The Federalist, The Source, New York Post, @xeni, CBS News, @elienyc, Insider, CNN, Barrett Media, Hollywood Life, Yahoo News, The Guardian, Newser, Vanity Fair, New York Magazine, Deadline, Rolling Stone, Insider and Variety
Alex Webb / Bloomberg:
PitchBook: VCs invested $1.4B in US and European publishing startups in 2021, more than twice the investment of any previous year — Spiffy online news outlets are hot again. Every month seems to welcome a new publication built on an established journalist's existing audience.
Discussion:
@acoyne
Jacob Adelman / The Philadelphia Inquirer:
The Philadelphia Inquirer is negotiating to rent office space that is 60% smaller and $1M/year cheaper, starting Q1 2023, as it expects much work to be remote — The Philadelphia Inquirer is negotiating a lease at the midcentury landmark at 100 S. Independence Mall West still often known …
Discussion:
@ingasaffron, @ylichterman, @elaheizadi, @ellierushing, @ckrewson, @emarvelous, @dlboardman, @robtornoe, @wbender99 and @farfarraway
Anna Nicolaou / Financial Times:
HarbourView Equity, the group backed by $1B from Apollo to invest in music rights and other media assets, buys Luis Fonsi's catalog, its first major acquisition — Deal with HarbourView comes as Wall Street chases returns from music copyrights — Private equity giant Apollo Global Management …
Discussion:
Music Business Worldwide and @annaknicolaou
Todd Spangler / Variety:
In a YouTube creator update, Susan Wojcicki defends hiding dislikes, discusses adding NFT support, says creators making over $10K/year jumped 40% YoY, and more — YouTube is touting the explosive popularity of its TikTok-style short-form Shorts video feature — and says it's going to test …
Discussion:
PC Gamer, Forbes, Tubefilter, @mattnavarra, 9to5Google, Bloomberg, Ad Age and Adweek, more at Techmeme »
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