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Quartz CEO Zach Seward says the outlet is dropping its paywall after three years to focus on “the right kind of subscription”; Quartz has ~25K subscribers — Co-founder Zach Seward says site will focus on ‘right kind of subscription’ as it tries to build traffic and influence
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Adweek, Quartz, The Wrap, Press Gazette, New York Times, @kendallbaker, @adampasick, @rafat, @adamscochran, @qz, @kiruti, @firstadopter, @rafat, @matthewherper, @fromedome, @qz, @mcwm, @abnormalreturns, @markstenberg3, @bmorrissey, Nieman Lab and Talking Biz News


Chicago Reader editorial union says co-owner Len Goodman has blocked its sale to become a nonprofit and asked to appoint members to the board to retain control — Len Goodman, honor your word and free the Reader. — In February, the Tribune published an op-ed in which Invisible Institute …
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@sujay721, @nina_metz, @imleor, @imleor and @katie_prout
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Chicago Reader's Len Goodman says its nonprofit transition is stalled because management won't accept the board's demand it guarantee space for dissenting views — A case study in how allegedly neutral analysts hired by publications or social media can effectively cancel good-faith questions …


The Counter, a nonprofit newsroom that investigated the forces shaping how and what Americans eat, will cease publication on May 20 after nearly seven years — I'm writing with news I hoped I'd never have to report. After nearly seven years publishing some of the most provocative …
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@thecounter, @thetinavasquez, @freeblackgirl, @thetinavasquez, @jhett93, @kennytorrella, @mattiekahn, @laurahayesdc, @ckummer, @deenashanker, @rmac18, @katherinespiers, @thetinavasquez, @tamarhaspel, @marionnestle, @thetinavasquez, @bigboldreds, @aliciakennedy, @thetinavasquez, @namansour26, @hbottemiller, @karonliu, @eileenguo, @jesstiafu, @imgarysuarez, @john_thom_, @weinbergrrrrr, @thetinavasquez, @jesstiafu, Family Meal, @econhardship, @qualityrye, @eacrunden, @thetinavasquez, @taceyrychter, @damemagazine, @whoislexybrown and @emilybell


Fox News says it didn't authorize a verified account on Truth Social, which for months has had unverified bot accounts for Fox Sports, TMZ, the NFL, and others — Just days after a verified account for Fox News appeared on former President Trump's social media app, Truth Social …
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@jayrosen_nyu, @robertmaguire_, @pittgriffin, @devincow, @grahamdavida, @danprimack, New York Magazine, Forbes, Mediaite and Insider


A year after Facebook launched podcasts and other audio tools for creators, sources say Meta has shifted its focus to metaverse events and online shopping — Facebook's interest in podcasts is fading, barely a year after it began. — Last April, during a hot market for audio …
Discussion:
Protocol, @mattnavarra, @ashleyrcarman, @lucas_shaw, @emilyrpeck, @evoterra, @jimprosser and @mgsiegler, more at Techmeme »

Sources: a consortium led by radio industry veteran Jeff Warshaw offers to acquire Cumulus Media for close to $1.2B including debt; the stock closes up 39.86% — A consortium led by U.S. radio station industry veteran Jeff Warshaw has offered to acquire Cumulus Media Inc (CMLS.O) …
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insideradio.com, Radio & Television … and insideradio.com


A look at Fox News Books, an effort to “transcend” the news; the marketing department develops the book ideas and matches them with on-air talent for promotion — Shannon Bream, an anchor on Fox News, doesn't get into the kinds of noise-making controversies that propel the careers …
Discussion:
@shannonbream and @johnnydollar01


YouTube Shorts now lets creators splice in 1- to 5-second clips from eligible long-form videos and Shorts; previously, creators could only add short audio clips — Creators can use clips from YouTube's billions of videos in their own content — Creators making YouTube Shorts will now be able …
Discussion:
@lavrusik, Tubefilter, Mashable, TechCrunch and Engadget, more at Techmeme »


Russia blocks the Russian-language site of the Moscow Times for publishing a “false report” on riot police officers refusing to fight in Ukraine — Russia blocked The Moscow Times' Russian-language service on Friday after it published what authorities call a false report …
Discussion:
Radio Free Europe/Radio …, @cliffordlevy, @maryilyushina, @samberkhead and Мед …


MLB renews its YouTube deal to stream 15 baseball games this season; the league has streaming deals with Apple TV+ for Friday games and Peacock for Monday games — The site will be home to 15 games in the 2022 season as MLB continues to cast a wide net with streamers.
Discussion:
The Streamable, @lucas_shaw, @ericfishersbg, The Verge, Awful Announcing, Sports Business Journal and CNET


The Texas Tribune plans to hire reporters outside of big Texas cities, including its first Report for America position, to broaden perspectives on state policy — Texas, as you might have heard, is quite big. Even a semi-recent transplant, the Texas Tribune's editor-in-chief Sewell Chan …
Discussion:
@fahrenthold, @davidmcswane, @amzam, @rebekahallen, @lerdody, @sewellchan, @chriscookttu and American Press Institute