Top News:
Washington Post:
TikTok confirms it has shut down access to Russian sites RT and Sputnik in Europe following requests from individual governments and the European Union — Facebook and TikTok said Monday that the companies would shut down access to Kremlin-controlled media sites RT and Sputnik in Europe, setting the stage for retaliation from Russia.
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@vonderleyen, AdExchanger, Axios, CNET, Associated Press, Reclaim The Net, @tomwarren, Wall Street Journal, Variety, NPR, Euractiv, Engadget and Politico, more at Techmeme »
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Mark Scott / Politico:
YouTube will block Kremlin-backed RT and Sputnik in Europe, following similar bans by Meta and TikTok, citing the Ukraine invasion — Google's YouTube said Tuesday that it would block Kremlin-backed media outlets RT and Sputnik from Europe following similar bans by Facebook and TikTok.
Discussion:
@googleeurope, Reuters, The Bulwark, @eliothiggins, Vanity Fair, Variety, Billboard, @broderick, Euractiv, @christopherjm, @elilake, Broadband TV News, @eliothiggins, Reuters, 9to5Mac, Engadget, TASS, euronews, @yiannisbab, TechCrunch, @eliothiggins, @jimwaterson, @hillelneuer, @jessikkaaro, @jeffjarvis, The Verge and Insider, more at Techmeme »
Alex Heath / The Verge:
Meta stops recommending content by Russian state media to all Facebook users and will soon do the same on Instagram — Links to Russian state media are being demoted in Facebook and Instagram — Meta has stopped recommending content by Russian state media to all users of Facebook …
Discussion:
@alexeheath, Protocol, Engadget, @rachelcoldicutt, @ideagov, @intelwire, @sivavaid, @_mounir_ibrahim and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »
Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:
Netflix won't add any Russian channels in the country “given the current situation” despite a regulation requiring it to add 20 federal channels from March 1 — Russian rule requires services with more than 100,000 subscribers to carry some 20 Russian channels
Taylor Hatmaker / TechCrunch:
Twitter starts labeling tweets that link to Russian state-backed media outlets and plans to label other countries' state media outlets “in the coming weeks”
Twitter starts labeling tweets that link to Russian state-backed media outlets and plans to label other countries' state media outlets “in the coming weeks”
Discussion:
Axios, @yoyoel, CNET, @caitoz, Protocol, @noupside, MediaNama, @silvermanjacob, @gregbensinger, @adam_k_levin, @nachristakis, @robaeprice, @markwarner, @helmus, @digiphile, Bloomberg, @vijaya, @mcfaul, @nickpickles, @twittersafety, Deadline, Reclaim The Net, Mashable, Insider, Deadline, Engadget, Politico and @nickclegg
Ivana Saric / Axios:
Meta says it “will be restricting access to RT and Sputnik across the EU at this time” following requests from several governments and the EU
Meta says it “will be restricting access to RT and Sputnik across the EU at this time” following requests from several governments and the EU
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The Wrap, Deadline, The Streamable, Washington Post, TechCrunch, Euractiv, @etbrooking, Al Jazeera, Engadget, The Verge and TASS, more at Techmeme »
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Sources: Justin Smith and Ben Smith seek to raise $20-$30M to launch their news outlet by fall 2022; they see 2024 election scoops as a way to build the brand — Justin Smith, the former head of Bloomberg Media, and Ben Smith, the former New York Times media columnist …
Discussion:
@irvwashington3, @shefalil, @claremalone and @axios
Dawn Chmielewski / Reuters:
Disney, Warner Bros., and Sony say they are pausing theatrical releases in Russia; Disney says it is working with NGOs to provide aid — Hollywood studios Disney, Warner Bros., and Sony Pictures Entertainment said they would pause theatrical releases of upcoming films in Russia in response …
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New York Times, The Wrap, CNN, TheBlaze, Quartz, UPROXX, @variety, Snopes.com, Insider, Techdirt, The Week, Deseret, Los Angeles Times, CBR, Gizmodo, IndieWire and Hollywood Reporter
Thom Geier / The Wrap:
Roughly 100 writers and content producers at G/O Media have gone on strike after Gizmodo Media Group Union's contract expired at midnight — Roughly 100 writers and content producers at Jezebel, Gizmodo and other G/O Media websites went on strike Tuesday after the Gizmodo Media Group Union's contract expired at midnight.
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Variety, Talking Biz News, @gmgunion, Poynter, @offbeatorbit, @thetomzone, @transgamerthink, @stephentotilo, @ryanlcooper and @ethangach
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Sony merges anime streaming services Funimation and Crunchyroll into a single subscription and will start phasing out the Funimation brand — Sony is effectively merging its two anime streaming services, announcing that Crunchyroll subscribers will have access to library …
Discussion:
Crunchyroll, The Streamable, Crunchyroll, Adweek, @iamzamber, Deadline and Bloomberg
Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Antenna, which tracks subscriptions in streaming and other sectors, raises a $10M Series A led by Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments — Antenna, a data firm tracking subscriptions in streaming and other sectors, has wrapped a $10 million Series A funding round, with backers including UTA Ventures …
Discussion:
Axios and Hollywood Reporter
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
FT says it has reached 1M paying digital subscribers and digital revenue now equals all other revenue streams combined; 20% of its subscribers are in the US — The Financial Times has reached one million paying digital subscribers in what it said is “proof that quality journalism can be a quality growth business”.
Max Goldbart / Deadline:
BBC Studios, ITV, and All3Media pause trade with Russia, with BBC Studios saying it will stop licensing all content to Russian customers — Major European distributors BBC Studios, All3Media and ITV Studios have put trade with Russia on pause in light of the escalating situation in Ukraine.
Discussion:
@jake_kanter, @jake_kanter and Hollywood Reporter
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Mobile marketing company AppLovin announces a $430M deal to acquire Wurl, a content distribution and advertising service for connected TVs — Mobile marketing software company AppLovin is jumping into the connected-TV streaming video space with a deal to acquire Wurl for $430 million.
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