Top News:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Spotify closes its office in Russia “indefinitely”, removes all content from RT and Sputnik, and adds a guide offering users localized “trusted news” sources — Spotify has taken several steps in response to Russia's military attack on Ukraine, including closing its offices in Russia “indefinitely.”
Discussion:
Billboard, The Wrap, Rolling Stone, Engadget, Protocol, Reuters, @yoyoel, TechCrunch and MediaPost, more at Techmeme »
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Paresh Dave / Reuters:
Google will remove RT News and Sputnik News from the Play Store, after removing Russian state outlets from its news features, following a similar move by Apple — Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google said on Tuesday that it has blocked mobile apps connected to RT and Sputnik from its Play store …
Discussion:
TechCrunch, Wired, Polygon, Protocol, Mediaite and Silicon Republic, more at Techmeme »
Politico:
The EU officially bans Sputnik, RT English, RT UK, RT DE, RT France, and RT en Español; it's up to national regulators to ensure that the sanctions are enforced
The EU officially bans Sputnik, RT English, RT UK, RT DE, RT France, and RT en Español; it's up to national regulators to ensure that the sanctions are enforced
Discussion:
@laukaya, consilium.europa.eu, Next TV, @fabiochiusi, Techdirt, Engadget, Euractiv, TechCrunch and Politico
Euan O'Byrne Mulligan / The Guardian:
The BBC stops all content licensing in Russia and requests that remaining episodes of two programs for which it sold rights are not aired on Russian state TV
The BBC stops all content licensing in Russia and requests that remaining episodes of two programs for which it sold rights are not aired on Russian state TV
Discussion:
(Ir)rational Politics, The Verge and Wall Street Journal
Oliver Darcy / CNN:
DirecTV drops RT “effective immediately”, accelerating this year's contract expiration timeline; DirecTV and Dish are the only major US TV providers carrying RT
DirecTV drops RT “effective immediately”, accelerating this year's contract expiration timeline; DirecTV and Dish are the only major US TV providers carrying RT
Discussion:
Axios, @broderick, Reason, Axios, @billprady, @kantrowitz, @scottienhughes, @paulrieckhoff, @olganyc1211, @karlbode, @michaelsocolow, @brianstelter, @sarafischer, @jkarsh, UPROXX, Fox News, The Week, CNET, Mediaite, Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone and The Wrap
Naman Ramachandran / Variety:
The BBC says Russia's invasion of Ukraine led to record audiences for its Russian and Ukrainian sites; BBC also launched two shortwave frequencies in the region — The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to record audiences for the BBC's Russian and Ukrainian language news service websites.
Discussion:
The Hill, bbc.co.uk and @insidecablenews
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Stephen Harrison / Slate:
How Russia's war with Ukraine is playing out on Wikipedia; Russian Wikipedia editors decided to call an invasion what it is, rejecting the Kremlin's narrative — On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin issued the order for Russian forces to invade Ukraine. Since then, Russians …
Ethan Diamond / Bandcamp Updates:
Epic Games acquires Bandcamp, which will continue operating as a standalone marketplace and music community; Bandcamp has paid nearly $1B to artists and labels — I'm excited to announce that Bandcamp is joining Epic Games, who you may know as the makers of Fortnite and Unreal Engine, and champions for a fair and open Internet.
Discussion:
The Verge, @bandcamp, Variety, Music Ally, @ctrlshifti, @jubileedj, ScreenRant, @ricmac, @toadsanime, @skatunenetwork, The A.V. Club, @ronmknox, Engadget, @mattetti, Protocol, @pathedger18, @katselesnya, @ronmknox, @marcissist, @theneedledrop, New York Times, @vahn16, Input, Billboard, CNET, @mowtendoo, @dcseifert, @chronowolfmusic, @mowtendoo, @emmablackery, @acertainabbie, TechCrunch, @ronmknox, @gibiz, @jujuadams, @dada_drummer, @zoecello, @tedgioia, @ohboyrecords, @future_of_music, @ronmknox, Tubefilter, @backxwash, @tha_rami, GOOD INTERNET, @loudmouthjulia, UPROXX, @rjcc, @punkrevnow, PC Gamer, @danozzi, Bloomberg, AppleInsider, Polygon and Boing Boing, more at Techmeme »
Erik Crouch / Committee to Protect Journalists:
Yevhenii Sakun, a camera operator for Ukrainian TV station LIVE, and four other people were killed on Tuesday when Russian forces shelled a TV tower in Kyiv — New York, March 2, 2022 - In response to reports that Ukrainian journalist Yevhenii Sakun was killed on Tuesday, March 1 …
Annie Palmer / CNBC:
Amazon plans to close 68 brick-and-mortar retail locations across the US and the UK, including all of its Amazon Books, 4-star, and Pop Up stores — - Amazon plans to close all locations of its Pop Up, Amazon Books and 4-star stores, the company confirmed to CNBC.
Discussion:
Reuters, New York Times, TechCrunch, The Wrap, CNET, The Information, @thebookloftgv, Associated Press, Protocol, GeekWire, @booksmith, @richontech, @jasonshen, @andrewlapin, Engadget, @paulconstant, @mariskreizman, @gregbensinger, New York Post, The Verge, @quinnypig, @elkmovie, @kyweise, @paperhaus, Insider and Cracked Bowl, more at Techmeme »
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
Sources: Apollo Global is in talks with Australia-based PointsBet Holdings and other sports betting companies about merging their assets with Yahoo Sports — - Apollo Global is considering merging Yahoo Sports with a sports betting company, sources say. — A deal could set …
Discussion:
@sherman4949, @richlightshed, @sherman4949, @thedomino, @jgsventures, @yoda, @jacobfeldman4, @adamlevitan, @butlerbets and @loudmouthjulia
CNN:
Journalists from TV Rain, also known as Dozhd, leave Russia after some employees received threats and the country set up a digital roadblock of the news network — New York (CNN Business)Journalists from the last remaining independent news network in Russia have left the country for their own safety …
Discussion:
@brianstelter, @cliffordlevy and Reuters
J. Clara Chan / Hollywood Reporter:
BuzzFeed Studios and podcast company Acast strike a multiyear deal to collaborate on six shows; Acast will lead production, distribution, and monetization — The studio and podcast company will work together on a slate of six shows, with the first expected to release later this year.
Vikas SN / Moneycontrol:
Netflix acquires Finnish mobile game developer Next Games for ~$72M; the studio specializes in games based on entertainment franchises, such as Stranger Things — Next Games had released ‘Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales’, a role-playing game based on the streaming giant's hit 80s horror drama series in October last year.
Discussion:
Variety, Next Games, UPROXX, Tubefilter, @zhugeex, @brandolightshed, CNET, Los Angeles Times, Next TV, Bloomberg, Tech.eu and TechCrunch, more at Techmeme »
Kristen Kornbluth / The Charlotte Observer:
McClatchy voluntarily recognizes the Charlotte Observer News Guild less than a week after newsroom employees announced they were unionizing — Newsroom employees of The Charlotte Observer have formed a union. — The McClatchy Co., which owns The Observer, voluntarily recognized the Charlotte Observer News Guild on Wednesday.
Discussion:
@observerguild, @rana_cash, @by_ethompson, @lelindstrom, @amondozhou, @rana_cash, @rana_cash, @observerguild, @paul_bowers, @mtdukes and @rana_cash