Top News:
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Spotify's Joe Rogan controversy shows the cost for podcast platforms that adopt high-profile exclusive deals over open RSS distribution — Every platform should be worried — This story originally ran in Hot Pod, The Verge's preeminent audio industry newsletter.
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Zack Sharf / Variety:
Graham Nash and India Arie also pull their music from Spotify to protest content on Joe Rogan's podcast; Arie calls out Rogan's “language about race” — Nash said in a statement that he “completely agrees” with his Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young bandmate Neil Young after …
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, The Signal, CNN, Los Angeles Times, Mediaite, The Week, Deadline, The Guardian, Forbes, Breitbart, Billboard, SPIN, Stereogum, Hollywood Reporter and Boing Boing, more at Techmeme »
Sam Byford / The Verge:
Joe Rogan posts a video to Instagram defending booking contentious guests, apologizes to Spotify for the backlash, and says he may book more “experts” — 'I'm very sorry that this is happening to them.' — Joe Rogan has issued a response to the ongoing controversy …
Discussion:
Vanity Fair, @joerogan, @wendyzuk, New York Times, Instagram, Newsweek, @b_fung, CultureWag, New York Post, @caseybriggs, Doug's Newsletter, @bostonjoan, @kittypurrzog, @derjarjour, @_loveallthis, @vanityfair, @pkafka, @danilic, @mmasnick, @reckless, @justinhendrix, @lucas_shaw, @arthur_affect, @debunk_the_funk, @espiers, @noupside, @coldxman, @robinblackmma, @adambaldwin, @ischafer, @loudmouthjulia, @robslater10, @asranomani, @jordanbpeterson, @espiers, @garylegum, @fka_tabs, @justinhendrix, @b_fung, @kilmeade, @jessicashaw, @ericboehlert, @mtaibbi, @c_kavanagh, @c_kavanagh, @dfriend and @dada_drummer
Los Angeles Times:
Apptopia: Tidal app installs rose nearly 23% in the January 26-31 period over January 20-25; installs of tiny Qobuz, recommended by Neil Young, rose 64%
Apptopia: Tidal app installs rose nearly 23% in the January 26-31 period over January 20-25; installs of tiny Qobuz, recommended by Neil Young, rose 64%
Discussion:
@harry1t6, @mattdpearce, @thewendylee, Rolling Stone and The Guardian
Ryan Broderick / Garbage Day:
Spotify made an editorial choice by paying $100M to be Joe Rogan's publisher and can't shirk its responsibility by just adding a content warning to his episodes
Spotify made an editorial choice by paying $100M to be Joe Rogan's publisher and can't shirk its responsibility by just adding a content warning to his episodes
Discussion:
New York Times, @broderick, Washington Post, Strands of Genius, @louisanslow, @ericnewcomer, @dcexaminer, Reason, @ceciliakang, @tedcruz, Washington Examiner, American Press Institute, @karaswisher, @outkick, @evelyndouek, @thedailybeast, @mattwelch, A Public Witness, Poynter, @bostonjoan, @martinsfp, @kevinroose, @gwynnion, @rob_sheridan, @xor, @scottnover, @jaspar, @karlbode, @no_nazis_please, @codinghorror, @mathewi, @lackofrealism and @lucas_shaw
Charlotte Klein / Vanity Fair:
The NYT's internet culture reporter Taylor Lorenz moves to The Washington Post as a columnist covering technology, online life, influencers, business, and more — The star reporter with a massive online following thinks the Post gets the internet in ways other outlets don't.
Discussion:
@taylorlorenz, @carloslozadawp, @teddyamen, Washington Post, @charlottetklein, @dpaqreport, @noahshachtman, @jeremymbarr, @joshconstine, @hunterw, @thunderwooddd, @sophiasgaler, @adamdavidson, @angelmendoza___, @larakate, @stuartathompson, @smilotweets, @jakesherman, @vahn16, @willoremus, @wpjenna, @rzhongnotes, @miriamelder, @micsolana, @djlavoie, @esaagar, @thefineprintnyc, @ashleyrparker, @choire, @levinejonathan, @philiprucker, @genepark, @pbump, The Hill, Barrett Media and bookforum.com
Sara Fischer / Axios:
After a disappointing IPO, Jonah Peretti tells staff BuzzFeed is limiting hiring to critical positions and projects a high-teens increase in commerce sales YoY — BuzzFeed is limiting hiring to only critical positions, and will not be adding any new jobs unless there's a business-case justification …
Discussion:
@michellemanafy, @joshsternberg, @ashkan, @jeremymbarr, @stevekovach and @simonowens
Jim Waterson / The Guardian:
Sources: Vice Media secretly organized a music festival in Saudi Arabia; staff have raised concerns about its work in the country after Jamal Khashoggi's murder — Youth media company organised March 2020 event despite pledge to stop all work in Saudi Arabia
Discussion:
@maryamalkhawaja, @amywebb, @jimwaterson, @sueonthetown, @dralakbarov, UPROXX, @deankissick, @gumby4christ, @ayocaesar, @thoughtland, @ankaravoice, @joshspero, @anthony, @mediaevan, @jessehawken, @emilybell, @kenbensinger, @adamjohnsonnyc, @ericgarland, @errolnazareth, @evanhill, @dabeard, @rocco_castoro, @jwsal and The Wrap
Todd Spangler / Variety:
AT&T structures its WarnerMedia split as a spinoff, giving shareholders an estimated 0.24 shares of WarnerMedia-Discovery stock for each share of AT&T stock — The transaction will spin off 100% of AT&T's interest in WarnerMedia to AT&T's existing shareholders in a pro-rata distribution …
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Kaitlyn Tiffany / The Atlantic:
As Tumblr CEO Jeff D'Onofrio quietly departs and the company merges with Automattic, a look at its plans and enormous impact on the modern social web — The CEO of Tumblr—a social platform that was once worth more than $1 billion, and in its time was among the internet's most popular …
Discussion:
@_mesk, @meaghano, @hautepop, @rob_sheridan, @seyitaylor, @sarahjaeleiber, @doomquasar, @laurenshippen, @taylorlorenz, @dangillmor, @kait_tiffany, @kait_tiffany, @paulbisceglio, @kendallostrow, @isabelslone, @luxalptraum, @brosandprose, @nxthompson, @sarahzhang, @kait_tiffany and Jeff's Place, more at Techmeme »
Claudia Morell / WBEZ Chicago:
Chicago Public Media completes its Chicago Sun-Times acquisition, after raising $61M in support for the deal; the funding is mostly pledged over five years — URL Copied! — DONATE … Chicago Public Media and the Chicago Sun-Times have made their partnership official Monday …
Discussion:
Chicago Sun-Times, @w_katz1, insideradio.com, @mattmoog, @jimfriedlich, @danahoule, @davemckinney, Current, @whuntah, @mattmoog, Robert Feder and Barrett Media
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
Reuters botched a report on ivermectin's antiviral effect in test tubes, and the correction will likely be ineffective against a storm of misinformation — No, a Japanese company did not find that ivermectin was “effective” against the omicron variant in a clinical trial, as Reuters originally reported on Monday.
Committee to Protect Journalists:
The Taliban arrests a reporter and a political presenter working for independent broadcaster Ariana News TV in Kabul for undisclosed reasons — The Taliban must immediately release journalists Waris Hasrat and Aslam Hijab and stop detaining members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.
Discussion:
@pressfreedom, @pressfreedom and @robertmmahoney
Jennifer Elias / CNBC:
Google's Q4 ad revenue increased 33% YoY to $61.24B; YouTube's ad revenue rose 25.4% YoY to $8.63B — - Alphabet beat on the top and bottom lines for the fourth quarter. — The stock jumped in extended trading after the report. — The company also announced a 20-for-1 stock split.