Top News:
Elizabeth Dwoskin / Washington Post:
CCDH: Substack profits off creators making millions of dollars sharing vaccine misinformation; Substack defends hosting “writers with whom we strongly disagree” — Newsletter company Substack is making millions off anti-vaccine content, according to estimates
Discussion:
@alexhern, Mashable, @alexhern, @lulumeservey, American Press Institute, @ddayen, @get_innocuous, @jefftaylorhuman, @kayaoakes, @sarahposner, The Guardian, @gorskon, @fka_tabs, @ccdhate, @alexhern, @jamisonfoser, @evelyndouek, @jayvanbavel, @ike_saul, @sarahposner, @alexhern, The Tarl Times, @sarahposner, @meeranavlakha, @sarahposner, @rothschildmd, @l_e_whyte, @sarahposner, Depresh Mode, @chelseaclinton, @sarahposner, @ccdhate and eugyppius
Discussion:
@alexhern: Something that isn't addressed in this article, but is crucial to remember about substack: an unknown number of its writers are directly paid by the company, hand-picked and enticed over through its opaque substack pro deal https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Meera Navlakha / Mashable: On Substack, COVID misinformation is allowed to flourish
@alexhern: This matters too because it completely blows substack's defence out of the water. You cannot have a “hands off approach to content moderation” if you're actively hand-picking people to pay a special deal to. That is the definition of hands-on. https://twitter.com/...
Lulu Cheng Meservey / @lulumeservey: 6) When it comes to bad ideas, it's neither right nor smart to martyr them and drive them into dark corners where they're safe from examination and questioning. That doesn't work. What works is examination and mockery (like using the Riddikulus charm against a Boggart).
David Dayen / @ddayen: Wait you mean censoring people from large platforms means they can just move to other ones and produce things that can be shared just as rapidly? You mean you can't just eliminate someone's voice entirely? https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
@get_innocuous: Competing with existing social platforms incentivizes new platforms to welcome this type of content - and the audience that content attracts. If you're a new platform, and I tell you I can bring 100k monthly views with content not available elsewhere, are you going to say no? https://twitter.com/...
Jeff Taylor / @jefftaylorhuman: The difference being if you contact them they'll very likely correct the issue, probably even with an editor's note apologizing for the error. Meanwhile, your platform lets misinformation flourish unchecked. But go off, I guess. https://twitter.com/...
Kaya Oakes / @kayaoakes: As Sarah says in this thread, if you're paying for Substacks you should also be paying for journalism, you know, the kind that happens in newspapers and magazines with editors and fact checkers. https://twitter.com/...
Sarah Posner / @sarahposner: Substack earns at least $2.5 million a year from just five anti-vaccine leaders who have amassed tens of thousands of subscribers, each paying $50 a month." https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Rusty Foster / @fka_tabs: Like in HARRY POTTER y'know? 😉😉😉😉 😉 https://twitter.com/...
@ccdhate: One newsletter by prominent anti-vaxxer Joseph Mercola spread the misinformation that “More Children Have Died From Covid Shot Than From Covid.” His newsletters make an estimated $1M a year. Read more in @guardian https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
@alexhern: Substack's issue is the same as Spotify's: it has an open platform, and a closed editorial product, and it tries to pretend that criticism of the latter is the same as criticism of the former. But unlike Spotify, it's much more successful at that line, because of its obfuscation
Jamison Foser / @jamisonfoser: So the thing about this is that *Harry Potter is a work of fiction* and in the real world no amount of mockery makes covid misinformation spread by massive and influential platforms like Substack disappear. Instead, people die. https://twitter.com/...
Evelyn Douek / @evelyndouek: A lot of “content moderation” just gets lumped in together but we should talk a lot more about how who pays and who profits drives this space and should change different stakeholder responsibilities https://twitter.com/...
Jay Van Bavel / @jayvanbavel: Follow the money of the people spewing out misinformation... https://twitter.com/...
Isaac Saul / @ike_saul: It's almost as if banning people from platforms doesn't actually work! https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Sarah Posner / @sarahposner: This is some next-level venture capitalist pretzel brain shit https://twitter.com/...
@alexhern: I say “unknown number” but the more important thing isn't how many there are but who they are. Is substack deliberately using substack pro to build an anti-vax publishing empire? We literally do not know, and the company refuses to divulge any information
Tarl Warwick / The Tarl Times: Youtubes Laughable Misinfo Policy on COVID
Sarah Posner / @sarahposner: People paying for Substacks think they're getting something cool and new and close and intimate with the writer. The real reason why there are so many Substacks (of legit people, not the anti-vax scammers) is there are shrinking ways for writers to make money.
@meeranavlakha: Substack is home to a slew of prominent newsletters from anti-vaxxers. The company's philosophy? “It's not against the rules to be disagreeable or wrong.” I wrote about why these newsletters have been allowed to exist, and flourish, on the platform. https://mashable.com/...
Sarah Posner / @sarahposner: IOW, Substack, which pretends to promote a diversity of ideas, is subverting democracy. https://twitter.com/...
Mike Rothschild / @rothschildmd: Substack is also profiting off stolen election conspiracy theories. The “devolution” theory, which claims Trump is still the president and running a secret military government, generates thousands of dollars per month for both its creator, “Patel Patriot,” and Substack. https://twitter.com/...
Liz Essley Whyte / @l_e_whyte: Anti-vaccine activists flocking to Substack, including Joseph Mercola, who recently used his newsletter to claim that the unvaccinated might soon be imprisoned (which is, to be clear, a conspiracy theory) https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Sarah Posner / @sarahposner: So the only way for writers to make money is to give some of it to some idiots who platform conspiracy theorists and who are making millions off of it.
Chelsea Clinton / @chelseaclinton: Anti-vaxx grift going strong - why is Substack facilitating science denialists' ability to profit from destructive lies (and comfortable profiting themselves)? “Anti-vaxxers making ‘at least $2.5m’ a year from publishing on Substack” via @guardian https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Sarah Posner / @sarahposner: Listen up all you people who are paying for Substacks: Are you also paying for real journalism? Because if you're not, you are serious fucking part of the problem.
@ccdhate: The US tech platform which hosts popular newsletters, retains 10% of subscription revenue. This means @SubstackInc is earning at least $250,000 a year from allowing Mercola and Berenson to spread lies and misinformation https://counterhate.com/...
RELATED:
On Substack:
Substack says it will stick to its hands-off approach to content moderation amid increased pressure to censor what some see as dubious or objectionable content — Hamish McKenzie, Chris Best, and Jairaj — Last year, in an interview with the New York Times, anthropologist Heidi Larson …
Discussion:
@lulumeservey, TK News, Press Gazette, @ggreenwald, @kaivanshroff, @jeffjarvis, Today in Tabs, MB's Word on the Street, @lulumeservey, @nickgillespie, @lulumeservey, @soledadobrien, @espiers, @glennf, @lulumeservey, @dloesch, @emilymiller, @slpng_giants, @plinz, @ethanvansciver, @bartnijman, @lulumeservey, How To with Yuri Bezmenov, @lulumeservey, @infosec_taylor, @karlbode, @lulumeservey, @tomgara, @lulumeservey, @davidu, Sub Pub, Are We Having Fun Yet?, A public health …, @rrhoover, Words TK, @epro, @binarybits, @cjgbest, @yugacohler, @lmatsakis, @doombergt, @caseynewton, @substackinc, @dongwon, Shawn MC's Newsletter, Paint On My Shorts and Cracked Bowl
Discussion:
Lulu Cheng Meservey / @lulumeservey: At Substack, we don't make moderation decisions based on public pressure or PR considerations. An important principle for us is defending free expression, even for stuff we personally dislike or disagree with. We understand principles come at a cost. 🧵
Matt Taibbi / TK News: The Folly of Pandemic Censorship
Glenn Greenwald / @ggreenwald: The liberal fixation on silencing and censoring everyone who disagrees with them has never, at least in my lifetime, been higher. It's their religion. Happy to see this defiant statement from Substack. This is the only way to treat these little tyrants: https://twitter.com/...
Kaivan Shroff / @kaivanshroff: Having no principles is easy. https://twitter.com/...
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: “Public pressure” is just a way to devalue the public https://twitter.com/...
Rusty Foster / Today in Tabs: A Somewhat Chaotic Orbit
MB McCart / MB's Word on the Street: Substack Round-up, 1/27/22 — Greetings, Dear Readers, and I hope it's fine as wine out there.
Lulu Cheng Meservey / @lulumeservey: 4) Who should be the arbiter of what's true and good and right? People should be allowed to decide for themselves, not have a tech executive decide for them. I wouldn't want someone to pick out my clothes for me, much less my ideas.
Nick Gillespie / @nickgillespie: As we face growing pressure to censor content published on @SubstackInc...our answer remains the same: we make decisions based on principles not PR, we will defend free expression, and we will stick to our hands-off approach to content moderation.' Yes! https://on.substack.com/...
Lulu Cheng Meservey / @lulumeservey: 3) We made a promise to writers that this is a place they can pursue what they find meaningful, without coddling or controlling. We promised we wouldn't come between them and their audiences. And we intend to keep our side of the agreement for every writer that keeps theirs.
Soledad O'Brien / @soledadobrien: (Also: we do not mind platforming misinformation and disinformation) https://twitter.com/...
Elizabeth Spiers / @espiers: I think people misconstruing what “freedom of expression” means is kind of par for the course on this site, but suggesting that allowing misinformation to be published “builds trust” by being performatively hands-off, is an amazing level of cognitive dissonance. https://twitter.com/...
Glenn Fleishman / @glennf: No. Every platform starts out with free-speech maximalism as if it's some kind of universal principle handed down by the gods or the stars or whatever, and ultimately devotes 10-20% of its staff to dealing with safety. https://on.substack.com/...
Lulu Cheng Meservey / @lulumeservey: 5) The only area where we humans have a perfect track record is that we've consistently gotten things wrong. Every generation has beliefs and blind spots that make future generations aghast. It would be the height of arrogance to think we've suddenly become infallible now.
Dana Loesch / @dloesch: Good thread. Thank you. https://twitter.com/...
Emily Miller / @emilymiller: Read this from @SubstackInc — it makes me proud to be a part of this mission to ensure free speech so the government must listen to the people. “Society has a trust problem. More censorship will only make it worse.” https://on.substack.com/...
@slpng_giants: Another platform, another dishonest “free speech” argument that doesn't apply to businesses. Pathetic to see @SubstackInc, a new content platform, using the same well-worn playbook of Facebook (@meta) and @YouTube, who came before them. Just say you're in it for the dough. https://twitter.com/...
Joscha Bach / @plinz: “We don't have a misinformation problem, we have a trust problem. Censorship of bad ideas makes people less likely, not more likely, to trust good ideas. Censorship [doesn't] make the misinformation problem disappear but the mistrust problem worse."https://on.substack.com/ ...
@ethanvansciver: Completely appreciate this sentiment, and it's a shame that this needs to be explained to ANYONE in 2022. But it does. Social Justice bullies need to shut the fuck up and let people express themselves without having to pass their ironic morality tests. Stay tough, Substack! https://twitter.com/...
@bartnijman: “To put it plainly: censorship of bad ideas makes people less likely, not more likely, to trust good ideas.” Society has a trust problem. More censorship will only make it worse. https://on.substack.com/...
Lulu Cheng Meservey / @lulumeservey: I read things on Substack all the time that I personally disagree with. Open debate is not always comfortable. But neither, for that matter, is the sea.
Yuri Bezmenov / How To with Yuri Bezmenov: How To Make a Golden Age Mixtape
Lulu Cheng Meservey / @lulumeservey: I respect that writers on Substack are people who like to think for themselves. They tend not to be conformists, and they have the confidence and strength of conviction not to be threatened by views that disagree with them or even disgust them. This is becoming increasingly rare
Ashley / @infosec_taylor: We defend free speech including disinformation and hate speech.... except if you post anything sexual. That's icky. https://twitter.com/...
Karl Bode / @karlbode: substack does this thing where they throw big cash advances at professional bigots and contrarian trolls for engagement bucks, then stand back pretending they're just uninvolved, objective champions of expression and in love with trust building https://twitter.com/...
Lulu Cheng Meservey / @lulumeservey: I'm proud of our decision to defend free expression, even when it's hard, because: 1) We want a thriving ecosystem full of fresh and diverse ideas. That can't happen without the freedom to experiment, or even to be wrong.
Tom Gara / @tomgara: There's a revealed preference thing going on with Substack's approach to content moderation and it's huge success / popularity among media people https://on.substack.com/...
Lulu Cheng Meservey / @lulumeservey: 2) People already mistrust institutions, media, and each other. Knowing that dissenting views are being suppressed makes that mistrust worse. Withstanding scrutiny makes truths stronger, not weaker.
David Ulevitch / @davidu: It's the correct place to land. So obvious, and yet, refreshing. https://on.substack.com/...
Daniel A. Zendejas / Are We Having Fun Yet?: Society has a Trust Problem
Ryan Hoover / @rrhoover: “In the online Thunderdome, it is imperative that you are not seen to engage with ideas from the wrong group” https://on.substack.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Mark Coatney / Words TK: Let's Start Solving Society's Trust Problem By Solving Substack's Trust Problem
Emil Protalinski / @epro: If Substack's hands-off approach to content moderation was just about free speech, maybe the company could make a non-bullshit argument. But Substack makes money by taking a cut from “dubious or objectionable content.” Sorry Substack, this doesn't pass the sniff test. https://twitter.com/...
Timothy B. Lee / @binarybits: We are not on substack but I like this post about their content moderation philosophy. https://on.substack.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@yugacohler: Latest @SubstackInc missive by @hamishmckenzie @cjgbest and @jairajs89 is really excellent. “Society has a trust problem. More censorship will only make it worse.” https://twitter.com/...
Louise Matsakis / @lmatsakis: What Substack is and isn't willing to do on moderation remains super vague. This post seems to imply that they won't take down misleading posts about vaccines. But at the same time, its rules already ban promoting “harmful or illegal activities” https://on.substack.com/...
Doomberg / @doombergt: Outstanding piece by the @SubstackInc team. As long as this is their view, we want to be part of their ecosystem. @SubstackLinda https://on.substack.com/...
Casey Newton / @caseynewton: Interesting contrast: Substack just posted its own anti-vaxx policy, which is that generally it is NOT going to remove it, because it doesn't think censorship works. Gonna write about this for @platformer today if you want to get ahead on your reading: https://on.substack.com/...
Substack / @substackinc: As we face growing pressure to censor content published on Substack, our position remains unchanged: We will always view censorship as a last resort, because we believe open discourse is better for writers and better for society. Read more: https://on.substack.com/...
@dongwon: this sucks. @substack what world are you living in? this is such strawman, flimsy bullshit to justify profiting off of hate speech, misinformation, and a system that undermines the very principles you claim to be defending. https://on.substack.com/...
Shawn MC / Shawn MC's Newsletter: Why Here and Now? — One of the questions I've asked myself over this past year …
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
NBCUniversal says Peacock has 9M+ paid subscribers, with the vast majority on the $5/month ad-supported tier; CFO says content spend will double to $3B in 2022 — NBCUniversal revealed streamer Peacock ended 2021 with 9 million paid subscribers during parent company Comcast's fourth-quarter …
Discussion:
MediaPost, The Verge, Light Reading, @richardlnewby, CNET, Engadget, Deadline, Ad Age, The Wrap, @lucas_shaw, @loudmouthjulia, Next TV, @emilylongeretta, @theericgoldman and Awful Announcing
Discussion:
Wayne Friedman / MediaPost: NBCU Sees 2021 Peacock Revenue, Losses Climb, Even As 2022 Content Spend Grows
Jeff Baumgartner / Light Reading: Peacock to double content spend to $3B in 2022, absorb steeper losses
Andrew Blok / CNET: Peacock reaches 9 million paid subscribers
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget: Peacock has 9 million paid subscribers
Dade Hayes / Deadline: Peacock Reaches 9M Stand-Alone Premium Subscribers And 7M More Via Paid Bundles; Comcast Plans 2022 Spending Ramp-Up To $3B
Tony Maglio / The Wrap: Peacock Has Just 9 Million Paid Subscribers
Lucas Shaw / @lucas_shaw: Disney, Amazon and HBO Max all have arguments for being second to Netflix. But there is a clear last place in streaming right now, and it's name is Peacock. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Julia Alexander / @loudmouthjulia: Peacock has an incredible library. One of the best. What Peacock doesn't have is strong acquisition titles. Why should someone sign up for Peacock, especially if same library is on Hulu? Still no urgency (hit show) to bring people in. How many of these signups are sports related? https://twitter.com/...
Jon Lafayette / Next TV: Comcast To Double Programming Spending On Peacock to $3 Billion
Emily Longeretta / @emilylongeretta: Curious to know: are people surprised by how low this number is? Personally, I am since there are a few shows I'd EASILY pay to watch. (#DrDeath 4ever...) https://twitter.com/...
Eric Goldman / @theericgoldman: Way too few of you have seen the new Saved by the Bell and MacGruber https://twitter.com/...
Jay Rigdon / Awful Announcing: Peacock hits 9 million paid subscribers
RELATED:
Lauren Feiner / CNBC:
Comcast reports Q4 media revenue rose 8.4% YoY to $5.83B; Peacock had $335M in revenue and an adjusted $559M loss, up from $254M YoY, and 24.5M active accounts — - Comcast reported earnings for the fourth quarter of 2021 before the bell on Thursday. — The company beat estimates …
Discussion:
Jennifer Maas / Variety: Comcast Beats Q4 Earnings: NBCU Revenue Rises 9.5% as Peacock Tops 24 Million Monthly Active U.S. Accounts
Jennifer Maas / Variety: Comcast Beats Q4 Earnings: NBCU Revenue Rises 25.6% as Peacock Tops 24 Million Monthly Active U.S. Accounts
Owen Poindexter / Front Office Sports: Peacock Rises to 24.5M Users as Super Bowl, Olympics Loom
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
HBO and HBO Max ended 2021 with 46.8M US subscribers, up 5.3M over 2020; AT&T reported earlier in January that the services had 73.8M subscribers globally
Discussion:
Alex Weprin / @alexweprin: Streaming advertising economics: AT&T CEO John Stankey says that “in some cases” HBO Max makes more money per month from a subscriber to the ad-supported tier than it does from the ad-free tier.
Jennifer Maas / Variety: AT&T CEO Throws Shade at Netflix Price Hike, Predicts HBO Max Will Recoup Amazon Losses
Todd Spangler / @xpangler: HBO and HBO Max ended 2021 with 46.8 million U.S. subscribers, a net gain of 1.6 million in Q4 https://variety.com/...
Jon Lafayette / Next TV: Spending on HBO Max Hurts Profits at AT&T's WarnerMedia Unit
Anne Steele / Wall Street Journal:
Spotify is removing Neil Young's music after he gave the company an ultimatum between his music and Joe Rogan's podcast with COVID-19 vaccine misinformation — Folk-rock star had over six million monthly listeners on the service, which he blames for spreading fake info about vaccines
Discussion:
The Verge, Variety, Ad Age, Washington Post, Mediaite, The Guardian, RAIN News, RADAR, Reason, @reckless, @joshshepperd, Media Matters for America, Vox, @smotus, @shannonpareil, Breitbart, CNET, mathewingram.com/work, A Conservative Cultural …, Substack, The Individual Collective, Page Six, Bloomberg, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, @evacide, @bernardzuel, @bergmayer, Protocol, @patricknorton, @gavinsblog, @reckless, insideradio.com, Billboard, New York Post, Music Business Worldwide, @ashleyrcarman, UPROXX, @bergmayer, @reckless, @ashleyrcarman, SHERO, @saribethrose, @dermotcasey, @reckless, @korb_heather, @mcoatney, ScreenRant, @reckless, @michelletandler, TMZ.com, Campaign Update, @jimmy_dore, @tjmoe28, Deadline, @tatianacirisano, @xeni, @joshsternberg, @rverrier, @bizballmaury, @racheld, @davmicrot, @hashtaggriswold, @torriangray, @mcwm, @elopezgross, @green_footballs, @live1dnews, @rschooley, @dee_bosa, @esotericcd, @harrymccracken, @dennisperkins5, @ronwaxman, @jeffjarvis, @hkuppy, Mashable, WGN-TV, NPR, The Information, The A.V. Club, Rolling Stone, Insider, Forbes, Axios, Consequence, Engadget, TechCrunch, Variety, Barrett Media, Reclaim The Net, SPIN and The Daily Beast, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Ashley Carman / The Verge: Why Spotify can't afford to lose Joe Rogan
Chris Willman / Variety: In Removing Neil Young's Music, Spotify Didn't Have to Listen to the Artist, but Did Have to Heed His Label
Travis M. Andrews / Washington Post: Spotify pulls Neil Young's music after his ultimatum regarding Joe Rogan and ‘fake information about vaccines’
Kipp Jones / Mediaite: SiriusXM Resurrects Neil Young Channel After the Rocker Cancels Himself From Spotify
Harriet Sherwood / The Guardian: WHO chief backs Neil Young over Covid misinformation row with Spotify
Bernie Zilio / RADAR: Prince Harry Slammed As ‘Two-Faced’ For Refusing To Back Out Of $30 Million Spotify Deal Over Joe Rogan's Anti-Vaccine Views
Nilay Patel / @reckless: Spotify says it has taken down *20,000* podcast episodes for violating a Covid content policy... a policy that no one has ever seen, enforced by a mysterious moderation team of indeterminate size. @ashleyrcarman asked, Spotify ghosted. https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Josh Shepperd / @joshshepperd: On the Spotify scandal: I was interviewed a couple years ago at NPR about how Spotify mistreats artists by exploiting exceptions in cloud and copyright law. They've always employed rightwing politics. https://www.npr.org/...
Alex Paterson / Media Matters for America: Spotify's Joe Rogan and guest Jordan Peterson suggest trans people are a sign of “civilizations collapsing”
Peter Kafka / Vox: It's going to take a lot more than Neil Young to change Spotify's mind about Joe Rogan
Seth Masket / @smotus: A major music service picking Joe Rogan over Neil Young is everything Neil Young has been warning us about for fifty years.
Shannon Bond / @shannonpareil: Spotify spox confirms WSJ scoop that it's removing Neil Young's music, at his request, over his objections to Joe Rogan's podcast. https://www.wsj.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Paul Bois / Breitbart: Howard Stern: 'I Don't Like Censorship,' but Neil Young was Right to Push Blacklist Against Joe Rogan
Oscar Gonzalez / CNET: Neil Young pulls music from Spotify over Joe Rogan COVID misinformation
Joe Bruno / A Conservative Cultural Warrior: Neil Young's Music Has Been Removed from Spotify: Has Anyone Noticed the Difference?
Dave Pell / Substack: Does Anybody Remember Laughter?
Lionel Laurent / Bloomberg: Spotify's Joe Rogan Drama Feels Like a Facebook Moment
Eva / @evacide: Literally any efforts at transparency and accountability would be better than this. If you are going to take down content based on a policy, post the goddamn policy somewhere where people can read it. https://twitter.com/...
Bernard Zuel / @bernardzuel: As if Spotify, a morals-free zone at the best of times, for whom music is the widget-du-jour, would choose a musician with solid-but-not-spectacular-following over the continuing and expanding shitshow that is MRA/anti-vax/proto-fascist talking heads. https://twitter.com/...
John Bergmayer / @bergmayer: Spotify chose a path that gave it more control over the “podcasts” it hosts, which makes it responsible for their content. Maybe it will work out for them in the end but this was predictable
Patrick Norton / @patricknorton: @reckless Not saying what the rules are is kind of a tradition, at least for as long as a company can hold that line. Also, -real- curious how and if that moderation exits. Even if they listen at 1.5x speed, that's still more than three weeks of listening for a team of fifty.
Gavin Sheridan / @gavinsblog: Imagine choosing Rogan over Neil Young. https://twitter.com/...
Nilay Patel / @reckless: @ElliotPinto1984 Substack is going to have its own moderation problems in the end. Everyone does. What if one of the highest-revenue-driving Substackers decides to endorse the idea that your race determines your IQ?
insideradio.com: Spotify Sides With Its $100 Million Investment. Pulls Neil Young Music; Keeps Joe Rogan Podcasts.
Gil Kaufman / Billboard: Geraldo Rivera Supports Neil Young's Spotify Fight, But This Country Singer Disagrees
Hannah Sparks / New York Post: Jordan Peterson on Joe Rogan show: Being trans is like ‘satanic ritual abuse’
Tim Ingham / Music Business Worldwide: Spotify was hit by a strange outage today, with hits by Taylor Swift, Adele, Dua Lipa suddenly left unavailable to play
Ashley Carman / @ashleyrcarman: for today's hot pod newsletter, i get into why spotify was never going to side with neil young. podcast economics! streaming economics! rogan commands a $1 million minimum ad spend while young costs spotify money every time someone listens https://www.theverge.com/...
Derrick Rossignol / UPROXX: Some Of Neil Young's Biggest Music Is Still On Spotify After His Joe Rogan Spat And Album Removals
John Bergmayer / @bergmayer: Here's my take on the recent Spotify / Rogan / Neil Young stuff from 2018 https://publicknowledge.org/ ...
Nilay Patel / @reckless: @mcoatney We can guess all day. Spotify should tell us — and importantly, tell the podcasters it distributes on its platform.
Ashley Carman / @ashleyrcarman: this also, to me, represents a critical turning point for spotify. it's no longer a music streaming company and instead, has fully committed itself to podcasting, potentially to the detriment of its reputation. it's financially incentivized to promote rogan https://twitter.com/...
Amee Vanderpool / SHERO: Huckleberry Hype — Your paid subscriptions and one-time tributes to SHERO allow …
Sari Beth Rosenberg / @saribethrose: The fact that @Spotify chose Joe Rogan over Neil Young is absolutely disgusting.
Dermot Casey / @dermotcasey: So who's migrated from Spotify to Apple Music and can fill me in in the experience https://twitter.com/...
Nilay Patel / @reckless: You can criticize the big social media companies all you like, but Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snap, etc will put their executives on the record to talk about content moderation. Spotify won't even say what its rules are.
Heather Korbulic / @korb_heather: So, @Spotify prefers the person spreading misinformation over the polio survivor who advocates for vaccines that SAVE lives. Neil Young is a national treasure, what a disgusting decision. https://twitter.com/...
Mark Coatney / @mcoatney: @reckless I mean there are a lot of shortcuts here, no? Like they can look for keywords from transcripts; they can block multiple shows from same host, etc
Kishalaya Kundu / ScreenRant: Why You Can't Find Neil Young Songs On Spotify | Screen Rant
Nilay Patel / @reckless: Here are some questions Spotify should answer: - What are your Covid content policies for podcasters, and do podcasters know what they are? - How big is your moderation team, and are they contractors or employees? - How much time is each deleted episode reviewed for?
Michelle Tandler / @michelletandler: To all who say that there is no censorship happening in big tech: Spotify has removed over 20,000 Covid-19-related podcast episodes since the start of the pandemic. https://www.wsj.com/...
Jimmy Dore / @jimmy_dore: I bet Neil is super happy now that he will be “rocking in the censored world” he dreamed of! Spotify to Take Down Neil Young's Music After His Joe Rogan Ultimatum - WSJ https://www.wsj.com/...
T.J. Moe / @tjmoe28: This is the proper way to respond when crazy people try to control what other pay can and cannot say. Bravo, Spotify. https://www.wsj.com/...
Greg Evans / Deadline: SiriusXM Relaunches Neil Young Radio Limited Channel Following Spotify Removal
Tatiana Cirisano / @tatianacirisano: There's a lot going on here but I'm thinking about Hipgnosis, which spent $150M on 50% of Neil's catalog last year...what happens now? https://twitter.com/...
@xeni: Some of us deleted our Spotify accounts when they first signed the deal with Rogan. It's time for you to join us.
Josh Sternberg / @joshsternberg: Young posts to his website: “Spotify has become the home of life threatening covid misinformation. Lies being sold for money.” https://neilyoungarchives.com/ ...
Richard Verrier / @rverrier: Why Spotify picked Joe Rogan over Neil Young in its misinformation fight @mattdpearce @thewendylee https://www.latimes.com/...
Maury Brown / @bizballmaury: The lede is that it's chosen Joe Rogaine over Neil Young. Spotify 🤦🏻♂ ️ https://twitter.com/...
@racheld: Your move, @taylorswift13 (and other powerful artists who care about science and TRUTH). https://twitter.com/...
David Rothschild / @davmicrot: Buy the LP and get the digital copy for free https://neilyoung.warnerrecords.com/ exercising free speech through the free market. https://twitter.com/...
Alex Griswold / @hashtaggriswold: Neil Young seriously went “it's either me or him” and get him'ed https://twitter.com/...
Jort-Michel Connard / @torriangray: This just makes it sound like Spotify has a two-tiered system of enforcement. They'll remove COVID disinformation, but not if it's promoted by a podcast that's too popular. Pure window-dressing. https://twitter.com/...
Charles Johnson / @green_footballs: “Also, to be completely honest, we make a lot more money from Joe Rogan's disinformation and right wing fuckery,” they did not add. https://twitter.com/...
@live1dnews: I hope @taylorswift13 @MileyCyrus @edsheeran @billieeilish take a stand too! Use your power! https://twitter.com/...
@rschooley: If you are paying someone 100 million dollars you'd think you'd be able to say to them, “Hey, knock off the crap that's getting people killed.” https://twitter.com/...
Deirdre Bosa / @dee_bosa: well shoot. will take Neil Young over Joe Rogan any day. https://www.wsj.com/...
@esotericcd: Folks, this is fine. It's noisy buzz but it's fine. And I think Neil's a bit off on this one, but I daresay that there are exactly zero serious Neil Young fans out there who are ready to abandon him because of THIS. And not, say, LANDING ON WATER. https://www.wsj.com/...
Harry McCracken / @harrymccracken: Good for Neil. https://twitter.com/...
Dennis Perkins / @dennisperkins5: Now deleting @SpotifyUSA. More of a physical media guy anyway. #DeleteSpotify https://twitter.com/...
Ron Waxman / @ronwaxman: I have never more respected Neil Young than at this moment. https://twitter.com/...
Jeff Jarvis / @jeffjarvis: There are sides and @Spotify chose its side: macho, insane, dangerous ignorance. https://twitter.com/...
Kuppy / @hkuppy: He's gonna really miss that $1.63 monthly royalty check from Spotify... https://twitter.com/...
Anastasia Tsioulcas / NPR: Spotify removes Neil Young's music after he objects to Joe Rogan's podcast
Martin Peers / The Information: What Neil Young's Protest Means to Spotify
Matt Schimkowitz / The A.V. Club: Neil Young to keep on rockin' in the free world without Spotify after Joe Rogan ultimatum
Ethan Millman / Rolling Stone: Neil Young Pulls Music from Spotify, Blasts It as the ‘Home of Life-Threatening’ Covid Lies
Francis Agustin / Insider: Spotify plans to remove Neil Young's music from its streaming platform after the musician delivered an ultimatum over Joe Rogan's podcast
Zachary Snowdon Smith / Forbes: Spotify Will Reportedly Remove Neil Young's Music After Dispute Over Joe Rogan
Spencer Kaufman / Consequence: Disturbed's David Draiman Applauds Spotify for “Making the Right Call” in Neil Young vs. Joe Rogan Decision
Taylor Hatmaker / TechCrunch: Spotify is removing Neil Young's music after falling out over Joe Rogan
Ryan Hedrick / Barrett Media: Spotify Backs Joe Rogan, Will Remove Neil Young's Music
Tom Parker / Reclaim The Net: Spotify drops all Neil Young music after he demanded Joe Rogan removal
Blake Montgomery / The Daily Beast: Spotify Removes Neil Young's Music After Joe Rogan Showdown
Committee to Protect Journalists:
Journalist and Washington Post columnist Rana Ayyub has received 26K+ tweets, including rape and death threats, since criticizing Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen — Indian authorities must immediately conduct a swift and thorough investigation into threats made to Mumbai-based Washington Post columnist …
Discussion:
@ranaayyub, @pressfreedom, @iwmf, @penamerica, @tajmahalfoxtrot, @courtneyr, @prannoyroyndtv, @_sayema and @rupikaur_
Discussion:
Rana Ayyub / @ranaayyub: 26.4 thousand tweets, most are abusive, rape and death threats, calling me a terror sympathiser. Most tweets are by the Indian right wing & Saudi nationalists who are attacking me after i posted a tweet in solidarity with Yemen and calling out the Saudis. Hello @TwitterIndia https://twitter.com/...
@pressfreedom: Indian authorities must immediately conduct a swift and thorough investigation into threats made to Mumbai-based Washington Post columnist and freelance journalist @RanaAyyub. https://cpj.org/...
@iwmf: The IWMF stands in solidarity with @RanaAyyub and condemns the #OnlineViolence against her. Rana continues to be the target of misinformation campaigns and harassment, appearing on three @OneFreePress lists of journalists under attack for pursuing the truth. #WeStandWithRana https://twitter.com/...
@penamerica: PEN America stands in solidarity w/ @RanaAyyub & condemns the relentless #OnlineAbuse she's facing. Rana is being deliberately targeted by a coordinated harassment and disinformation campaign, but she refuses to be silenced. #WeStandWithRana #FightOnlineAbuseNOW https://twitter.com/...
Naresh Fernandes / @tajmahalfoxtrot: This is unacceptable. I hope @twitter and the police take action to end this harassment immediately. https://twitter.com/...
Dr. Courtney Radsch / @courtneyr: Yet again, @RanaAyyub faces attacks online, an all-too-common theme in her professional life along with too many women journalists around the world, esp. when their identities intersect with a minority religion, ethnicity. #HoldTheLine for Rana, @mariaressa et al #pressfreedom https://twitter.com/...
Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:
Analysis of journalism ads finds mentions of being “passionate” rose from 4% in 2002 to 16% in 2013 as reporting jobs have become economically irrational — News outlets seem to want “passion for the work” above all else in who they hire. But all that passion comes with an unhealthy price tag.
Discussion:
Joshua Benton / @jbenton: New by me —> Are you ~~passionate~~ about journalism? Hiring editors sure want you to be. In the past 2 weeks, 155 of the 293 new jobs posted on https://journalismjobs.com/ have included the word “passion” or “passionate” somewhere in the ad copy. https://www.niemanlab.org/...
Mathew Ingram / @mathewi: Passion will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no passion https://twitter.com/...
Joel D. Anderson / @byjoelanderson: “A reporting job has become an economically irrational choice for more potential journalists” - @jbenton on journalism & the commodification of “passion.” A lot needed to change in the profession but one thing I really do miss: when a job was just a job. https://www.niemanlab.org/...
Terri Rupar / @terri_rupar: I read this and now the word “passion” has lost all meaning is it a fruit is it an animal is it a scent https://www.niemanlab.org/...
Gareth Harding / @garethharding: “Is covering suburban sewer district meetings what you've always dreamed of doing? Did your childhood list of life goals include “lightly rewriting wire copy about more exciting things happening in more exciting places”? If yes, it's time to get PASSIONATE about journalism. https://twitter.com/...
Ken Armstrong / @bykenarmstrong: Such a great piece on what it is we ask for. My fave is the newsroom seeking someone “who has a passion for digital storytelling in a results-oriented environment,” a description sure to crush whatever passion an applicant might actually have. https://twitter.com/...
Chris Krewson / @ckrewson: Hey @jbenton this is my favorite passion in journalism story. https://twitter.com/...
Corey Hutchins / @coreyhutchins: “A reporting job has become an economically irrational choice for more potential journalists, disproportionately weeding out the less passionate among them.” https://twitter.com/...
@niemanfdn: News outlets seem to want “passion for the work” above all else in who they hire. But all that passion comes with an unhealthy price tag. https://www.niemanlab.org/...
Glenn Fleishman / @glennf: “Passion” is another word for unpaid overtime. https://twitter.com/...
Robert Hackett / @rhhackett: Passion literally comes from the latin ‘to suffer’ https://www.niemanlab.org/...
Sara Gregory / @saragregory: To quote @sarahljaffe, work won't love you back! https://twitter.com/...
Matt DeRienzo / @mattderienzo: This is a hilarious/amazing idea for a story. And we should be interrogating our buzz words and what they signal! https://twitter.com/...
Karen McGrane / @karenmcgrane: One of the things I explicitly advise students to avoid in their job applications is “feeling words” like passionate, excited, etc. Employers actually don't care how you feel about your job, they want to know what you can do (and how much they can exploit you) https://twitter.com/...
David Firn / @davidfirn: Yeah. Hate this. Do I get a kick out of journalism? Yes. Does it ‘engender strong and barely controllable emotion’? No. Could it be compared with ‘the suffering and death of Jesus’? Look, I do it well and they pay me and I think that's OK. https://twitter.com/...
Zainab Shah / @zainabshah: “The findings point to commodification of feelings and exploitation of emotional labour in journalism.” https://www.niemanlab.org/...
Andrew Losowsky / @losowsky: “Passion is, at some level, a willingness to suffer for your work. It might be noble, but giving it too much weight in hiring is a recipe for exhaustion, burnout, and newsrooms that don't look like their audiences” https://twitter.com/...
Jen Rice / @jen_rice_: presumably we can negotiate higher salaries based on passion https://twitter.com/...
Oscar Lopez / New York Times:
Journalists in Mexican cities held vigils on Tuesday after three media workers were murdered this month; some say the attacks have left an information blackout — The killing of three media workers in less than a month triggered protests in cities across the county this week demanding an end to the violence.
Discussion:
Washington Post: Mexico offers bodyguards and bulletproof vests to vulnerable journalists. It hasn't been enough.
Amy Isackson / NPR: Reporting on your colleagues' murders changes how you work
Patrick J. McDonnell / Los Angeles Times: Journalists throughout Mexico say enough to killings and crimes against press
Oscar Lopez / @oscarlopeznyt: In Mexico, the killings of journalists has become almost horrifyingly routine. But this month has felt especially brutal for many in the country. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Michael Deibert / @michaelcdeibert: “It's infuriating, it's enraging, because journalists always give our soul, our heart, our body. From one moment to the next, they take away that passion, that commitment, that love, that dedication that you have toward journalism.” https://www.nytimes.com/... #PeriodismoEnRiesgo
@pressfreedom: A spate of journalist killings has deeply shaken #Mexico's embattled press corps, leading to a wave of nationwide protests and underscoring the country's position as one of the world's deadliest for media workers. https://cpj.org/... https://twitter.com/...
@ap_corpcomm: Vigils, marches: @chrisshermanAP reviews response to killings of journalists in Mexico on @kcrw. https://www.kcrw.com/...
Duncan Tucker / @duncantucker: Yesterday was the first time I've seen such large and widespread protests over press freedom in Mexico. As the journalists quoted in this piece say, it's now a question of whether it will lead to real change. @lopezobrador_'s govt must take concrete action to protect the press. https://twitter.com/...
John L. Smith / @jlnevadasmith: Journalists throughout Mexico say enough to killings and crimes against press https://www.latimes.com/...
@reuters: 'You can't kill the truth by killing journalists': Protests are underway in Mexico after the murder of journalist Lourdes Maldonado, the third reporter to be killed in the country this month https://www.reuters.com/... https://twitter.com/...
bookforum.com: Hua Hsu to publish his memoir this fall; Vigils across Mexico mourn slain journalists
Jan-Albert Hootsen / Features & Analysis: ‘Watershed’ protests demand end to violence against journalists in Mexico
Brookings:
Three case studies quantify the spikes in harmful online speech mentioning women journalists after prominent men targeted them on social or broadcast media — On March 9, 2021, Fox News host Tucker Carlson took aim at a favorite target: a New York Times journalist.
Discussion:
Don Moynihan / @donmoyn: What happens when Tucker Carlson and Glenn Greenwald target female journalists? A dramatic increase in threatening, toxic and sexually explicit online attacks. They can pretend they are not responsible, but they can't say they don't know. https://brookings.edu/... https://twitter.com/...
@damemagazine: Please read this, and understand what women journalists endure https://twitter.com/...
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy: Brookings Institution publishes research finding that after Tucker Carlson targets a female journalist, “the prevalence of hateful speech targeting those journalists increases in the immediate aftermath, often taking days to decrease...” https://www.brookings.edu/...
Matt Lech / @mattlech: getting flashbacks to rss feeds, this is a pattern people have been marking since before Twitter killed blogs https://ohtarzie.wordpress.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
@jigsaw: Gender based online violence silences important voices and undermines democratic discourse. A new analysis from @BrookingsInst used Perspective API to highlight the impact of media attacks on toxic language directed at women journalists online. https://www.brookings.edu/...
Charles Johnson / @green_footballs: They do know what will happen, and it's very deliberate. And yes, they are responsible. https://twitter.com/...
Catherine Rampell / @crampell: Based on my own experience, particularly in the past few days, these trends are unsurprising. But still quite useful to have data to quantify this phenomenon. https://twitter.com/...
Karl Bode / @karlbode: people enabling all of this stuff know exactly what they're doing, building, and profiting off of https://twitter.com/...
Dr. Courtney Radsch / @courtneyr: After Tucker Carlson mentioned NYT journalist Taylor Lorenz on air, harmful speech in her Twitter mentions rose 115% - and she's not alone. The @IWMF and @CSMaP_NYU investigate “The Tucker Carlson Effect” #onlineharassment #gender #disinformation https://www.brookings.edu/....
Kristofer Goldsmith / @krisgoldsmith85: Tucker Carlson (and Glenn Greenwald, who obsessively monitors Twitter for mentions of his name) knowingly endanger women journalists as if for sport. Their rampant sexism, and that of their disgusting fans, is extremely profitable for these small, insecure men. https://twitter.com/...
Jeremy Barr / @jeremymbarr: I wrote a story about this last April: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
Kathleen Belew / @kathleen_belew: I'm confused about why a study was needed—is this just to verify the truth about what the targeted women have been telling us this whole time? https://twitter.com/...
Michele A. Berdy / @micheleberdy: What a reprehensible, disgusting man who incites other reprehensible, disgusting men. https://twitter.com/...
Jean Guerrero / @jeanguerre: Yep. Tucker's fans like to Google women he attacks, find their emails and spend time spewing hate full of misspellings & grammatical errors. https://twitter.com/...
Nicholas Quah / Vulture:
Radiolab creator and host Jad Abumrad is leaving after almost 20 years; Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser, named co-hosts in late 2020, will take over the show — Oh, you like podcasts? Sign up for Vulture's new recommendation newsletter 1.5x Speed here. — Radiolab is moving into a radically new era.
Discussion:
@jadabumrad, insideradio.com, @durvidimel, @jimog, @zuriberry, @aaronscottopb, @kenburns, @anilkseth, @annasale, @katiehasty, @macfound, @joelwerner, @jessethorn, @tylerkenthill, @electryandorsey, @iraglass, @heyfeifer, @nwquah, @jadabumrad, @grant_blank_, @shreyadasgupta, @duffinkaren, @emilyzfeng, @lmillernpr, Today in Tabs and Current
Discussion:
Jad Abumrad / @jadabumrad: Hey everybody. I have some big personal news. I am stepping aside as host of Radiolab. This show that I started in 2002 - in my basement - is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary, and this feels like the right time. https://www.wnycstudios.org/ ... (1/6)
insideradio.com: Jad Abumrad Is Leaving Radiolab; Cohosts Lulu Miller And Latif Nasser Take Over Series.
David ImeI / @durvidimel: .@JadAbumrad is the biggest reason I'm obsessed with good storytelling. @Radiolab was the catalyst for me getting deep into this industry back in 2011. What an incredible run. 👏👏👏 https://twitter.com/...
Zuri Berry / @zuriberry: A very nice write up by @nwquah on Radiolab's transition. I think his commentary on the consistency of the show's sense of wonder was on point, and also why I drifted from it. But it'll be worth tuning back in to see what they do next. https://www.vulture.com/...
Aaron Scott Opb / @aaronscottopb: I was recently asked which interviewers I most looked up to, and I replied that I learned more from sitting through two interviews with @JadAbumrad than from two years of graduate school. Thank you for being a true inspiration to so many of us, Jad! https://twitter.com/...
Ken Burns / @kenburns: Can't wait to see and hear what's next. Congrats on all you've done. You've changed how so many of us think about science and storytelling. https://twitter.com/...
Anil Seth / @anilkseth: Sad for the rest of us but good for you @JadAbumrad - @Radiolab has been part of my listening life since the early days & its impact across the world has been immeasurably valuable. Thank you & @rkrulwich for igniting so many minds 🙏🏽 & long may the journey continue https://twitter.com/...
Anna Sale / @annasale: Jad invented something totally new, and grew it into a juggernaut collective of storytellers who found opportunities and space that never would've existed without him. The best way to be an artist. Thank you. https://twitter.com/...
Katie Hasty / @katiehasty: A big hats-off to Jad Abumrad, a journalist and host that has heavily influenced the way I think about media today and for always. https://twitter.com/...
@macfound: Congratulations @JadAbumrad on 20 great years! In 2011 we recognized him as a MacArthur Fellow for “inspiring boundless curiosity within a new generation of listeners” on @Radiolab. 🎙️ #MacFellow https://twitter.com/...
Joel Werner / @joelwerner: Huge news. I can't even... Jad literally changed the way I think about the thing I do every day. An incredible legacy. https://twitter.com/...
Jesse Thorn / @jessethorn: This guy rules in case you were wondering. I hope he is proud of himself. (Literally.) https://twitter.com/...
@tylerkenthill: The first time I heard radiolab I was driving through the Mojave desert on my way to my sophomore year of college. I heard “After Life” and - like others have said today - I thought “I want to do THAT for a living.” I started making radio docs that fall. Thanks Jad. :') https://twitter.com/...
Ryan Dorsey / @electryandorsey: I've been a big @Radiolab fan since the first time I heard it. It's made me a more appreciative and interested person, and I really appreciate how much that is to do with Jad just being a truly remarkable person, but also with how great his partners are. Changing of the guard. https://twitter.com/...
Ira Glass / @iraglass: He waited till now, of course, because he wanted it to be Biden who appoints the new head of @Radiolab. https://twitter.com/...
Jason Feifer / @heyfeifer: Whoa, actual “end of an era” material here. Congratulations @JadAbumrad on absolutely everything https://twitter.com/...
Nick Quah / @nwquah: wrote about Jad Abumrad stepping away from Radiolab https://www.vulture.com/...
Jad Abumrad / @jadabumrad: Why now? I've been working towards this moment for years. And I look around now at this incredibly talented group of people, and it's clear to me that they're so “ready.” (2/6)
Grant Blankenship / @grant_blank_: No exaggeration here, but any understanding of audio storytelling I when I (thankfully) landed in public radio were 90% due to listening critically to those original Radiolabs in the car between newspaper photo assignments. Thanks, Jad, and good luck. https://twitter.com/...
Shreya Dasgupta / @shreyadasgupta: 20 years! Radiolab was the first sciency audio show I heard and fell in love with. https://twitter.com/...
Karen Duffin / @duffinkaren: Ughh. I'll miss Jad's story genius, but I'll also miss his generosity. I made my very first big story with Jad - I was brand new, he's ofc a legend... but he made so much space for me to be my own nerdweirdo self. Helped me find my voice and my confidence. Still so grateful. https://twitter.com/...
Emily Feng / @emilyzfeng: One of my favorite audio shows and the biggest single reason I decided to become an audio reporter https://twitter.com/...
Lulu Miller / @lmillernpr: Big news. Bigger gratitude. https://twitter.com/...
Rusty Foster / Today in Tabs: Stepping Down — (Creeeeak... clunk, clunk, clunk, thump, boiiiiing) Today (today? yeah …
Tyler Falk / Current: Jad Abumrad steps down from ‘Radiolab’
Tarpley Hitt / Gawker:
A look at The Root under G/O: 15 of 16 staffers have quit since April due to myriad issues like a new EIC and blurred lines between advertising and editorial — When The Root launched as an offshoot of The Washington Post in 2008, it aimed to fill the gap between print and online media …
Discussion:
@lordravenscraft, @gawker, @niemanlab, @imjasondiamond, @tylercoates, @sacrockettjr, @adamweinstein, @davelevitan, @ballaban, @leahfinnegan, @ryanlcooper, @xoxogossipgita, @nina_metz, @film_girl, @tarpleyhitt, @rifewithkatie, @wesleyfenlon, @msshanitarenee, @dariccott, @jonbernhardt, @andyorin, @pblest, @bubbaprog, @blmckean, @kerrymflynn, @steadynappin_ and @budrykzack
Discussion:
Eric Ravenscraft / @lordravenscraft: That's (at least!) three G/O media sites to lose virtually their entire staff because of garbage management. Everyone quitting slowly isn't better than everyone quitting the same week. https://twitter.com/...
@gawker: Michael Harriot, who resigned in November, told Gawker: “As a staff, we came to the conclusion that, basically, The Root is over.” https://www.gawker.com/...
@niemanlab: “Management seemed to want less of the provocative work its writers were known for in favor of ‘a softer, gentler, more upbeat site,’...and stories like, as one source put it: ‘This Girl Applied For 17 Scholarships And Got Into Three Ivy League Schools.’” https://www.gawker.com/...
Jason Diamond / @imjasondiamond: Incompetency and bad management is way too common in media, but the level of just tanking several well-respected and beloved websites the way this company has is really...something. I don't even know. https://www.gawker.com/...
Tyler Coates / @tylercoates: literally what is wrong with the people who run this company https://www.gawker.com/...
Stephen Crockett Jr / @sacrockettjr: It be your own people: https://www.gawker.com/...
Adam Weinstein / @adamweinstein: Starting to think this Spanfeller fellow may be an herb https://twitter.com/...
Dave Levitan / @davelevitan: Man, G/O Media is just a plague from @tarpleyhitt: https://www.gawker.com/...
Michael Ballaban / @ballaban: The majority of the staff of Deadspin, Gizmodo, Jalopnik, Kotaku, Jezebel, and now the Root have all quit under G/O Media. At what point does this just become a weird nonsensical mantra https://www.gawker.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Leah Finnegan / @leahfinnegan: Eight former and current Root staffers told Gawker that management seemed to want less of the overtly provocative work its writers were known for in favor of “a softer, gentler, more upbeat site.” @tarpleyhitt https://www.gawker.com/...
Ryan Cooper / @ryanlcooper: oh look, Jim Spanfeller flushed another flourishing website down the toilet https://www.gawker.com/...
Gita Jackson / @xoxogossipgita: sad. i loved the root. https://www.gawker.com/...
Nina Metz / @nina_metz: “But over the past year, 15 of the site's employees have left — a nearly 100 percent turnover since April, when it had 16 full-time staffers.” Wow I didn't realize it nearly a total turnover of the staff https://www.gawker.com/...
Christina Warren / @film_girl: This is really sad to see. Yet another G/O Media related death https://www.gawker.com/...
Wes Fenlon / @wesleyfenlon: You have to give G/O Media bosses credit for being the most innovative in the biz when it comes to destroying beloved publications. No one else is operating on their level. https://www.gawker.com/...
Shanita Hubbard / @msshanitarenee: we know things at The Root are bad but to go on record say Vanessa is no different from a slave protecting their slave master is one hell of a thing to say about someone and remain anonymous. you can't take a public shot like that and hide ya hand. https://twitter.com/...
@dariccott: 1. WTF 2. There's so many amazing journalists that got their start at The Root, so this is heartbreaking 3. WTF 4. This explains why my recent past applications never got a response 5. WTF 6. This is an incredibly structured piece 7. WTF 8. 30K pay gap?! 9. WTF 10. OMG, WTF https://twitter.com/...
Nathan Bernhardt / @jonbernhardt: entry number whatever in “spanfeller and his goons bought GMG as an explicit ideological project to thoroughly destroy it as a company and a brand, while making what money they could on the way out” https://www.gawker.com/...
Paul Blest / @pblest: They never, ever understood what they were buying https://www.gawker.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Timothy Burke / @bubbaprog: We regularly had liquor brands do big buys/day sponsorships/tag sponsorships whatever & at no point were we ever told “you can't write about kids” or in fact that we ever could NOT write about anything. Everything about G/O is bizarre. https://www.gawker.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Benjamin McKean / @blmckean: “At times, it verged on absurd. For Mother's and Father's Day, they sold pieces to a liquor company. But because it was liquor, the corresponding articles couldn't reference children. 'We had to write all these Mother's Day pieces without talking about kids,' one editor said.” https://twitter.com/...
Kerry Flynn / @kerrymflynn: “Sometimes it seemed staff were being subtweeted by their own boss. In fairness, some did it back.” Important read by @tarpleyhitt on the mass exodus at G/O Media's The Root: https://www.gawker.com/...
The Guardian:
President Erdoğan says the journalist arrested for allegedly insulting him “will not go unpunished” but that “it has nothing to do with freedom of expression” — Sedef Kabaş arrested for posting comment allegedly about Turkey's president to her 900,000 Twitter followers
Discussion:
Susan J. Demas / @sjdemas: Journalism tends not to do well under authoritarianism, part 5.6 million https://twitter.com/...
Mike Masnick / @mmasnick: “it has nothing to do with freedom of expression” says the microscopically thin-skinned dictator of a country as he arrests people for mild criticism. He's just “protecting the respect” of the presidency. Uh huh. https://twitter.com/...
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