Top News:
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Sources: Substack dropped efforts to raise money, after talks to raise $75M-$100M at a $750M-$1B valuation, during which the company said 2021 revenue was ~$9M — Amid an industrywide downturn, venture investors are preaching austerity and halting new deals, particularly for companies that have spent aggressively on growth.
Discussion:
@riddle245, @film_girl, @mattzeitlin, @tanayj, @pt, @kateclarktweets, @longshorttrader, @gaberivera, @tysonbrody, @ungarino, @chaykak, TechCrunch, @caleweissman, @caseynewton, @fmanjoo, @carnage4life, @barbariancap, @mattzeitlin, @joy, @pkafka, @jackmarshall and Platformer, more at Techmeme »
Charlotte Klein / Vanity Fair:
Some US journalists question whether showing more graphic footage would force the public and political leaders to fully confront America's gun violence epidemic — As journalists descend on Uvalde—as they did on Columbine, Newtown, and Parkland—some are questioning whether a more graphic approach …
Discussion:
Poynter, @brianstelter, CNN, Slate, Philadelphia Magazine, Columbia Journalism Review, @clairehoworth, @arreglalo, @bgrueskin, @metaquest, @jlbarrow, @mlcalderone, @charlottetklein, @scottnover, @mlcalderone, @revkin, @mlcalderone, @filmfatale_nyc, @geoffpilkington, @filmfatale_nyc, @yoda, @mlcalderone, @karavoght and @aftie_j
BBC Media Centre:
The BBC details its budget cuts: laying off up to 1,000 people over the next few years, merging World into News, making CBBC and BBC 4 online-only, and more — The plan focuses on creating a modern, digital-led and streamlined organisation that drives the most value from the licence fee and delivers more for audiences
Discussion:
Press Gazette, @scottygb, @jimwaterson, The i Paper, BBC, Digital TV Europe, The Guardian, @peterrneumann, @totpfacts, @emmakennedy, @janequaife, @rickyboleto, @robburl, @rasmus_kleis, @helenkennedy, @psythor, @wbuxtonofficial, @cbbc, @icklenellierose, @sarahscire, @tldrnewsuk, @caffeinatedeyes, @jeffjarvis, @robinwigg, @willblackwriter, @lucympowell, @krishgm, @lucympowell, @sewell7, @bbcpress, @lucympowell, @ashkan, @thewritersguild, Variety, Advanced Television, HoldtheFrontPage and Deadline
Daniel Keane / London Evening Standard:
The UK launches a review of the BBC's impartiality and effort to build a diverse workforce, adding a goal of 25% staff to be from low socioeconomic backgrounds — C — ulture Secretary Nadine Dorries has launched a mid-term charter review of the BBC which will “consider if reforms …
Discussion:
Reuters
Teresa Carr / Undark Magazine:
The Online News Association's “3M Truth in Science Award” raises an ethical dilemma since 3M, the sponsor, has a history of lying about its scientific findings — Does the ONA's “3M Truth in Science Award” imply that journalists and chemical companies are interested in telling the same story?
Discussion:
@niemanfdn, @mmoyr, @monicaamarelo, @teresarcarr, @sesmith, @undarkmag, @undarkmag and American Press Institute
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Lionsgate reports Q4 revenue up 6% YoY to $929.9M, vs. $961M est., a net loss up 177% YoY to $104.6M, and Starz global streaming subscribers up 47% YoY to 24.5M — Lionsgate came in below Wall Street expectations for the first three months of the year, but its TV production division again …
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Streamable, Investors and @kellygilblom
Isobel Koshiw / The Guardian:
A look at Ukraine's wartime United News, in which the country's main TV channels broadcast the same content; some call the unified news coverage propagandistic — State-backed broadcast has strategic and practical justifications but some see it as dangerous monopoly
Angela Fu / Poynter:
Outside, publisher of Outside and other magazines about the outdoors, is laying off 66 of its roughly 580 full-time staff as it shuts down three publications — The news comes just months after Outside magazine editorial staff decided to pause their union drive.
Elahe Izadi / Washington Post:
How a 2019 joint investigation by the San Antonio Express-News and the Houston Chronicle led to the disclosure of sex abuse by Southern Baptist church leaders — A 2019 investigation by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News prompted this week's massive disclosure about church leaders implicated in sex abuse cases.
Discussion:
New York Times, @digiphile, al.com, @pierremercer, @dangillmor, @rlocker12, @jenny_deam, @vlbenning, @thigpentiffany, @robdownenchron, The Week and UPI
Anousha Sakoui / Los Angeles Times:
The Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial has created a new cottage industry of attorney social media stars, highlighting how media consumption of big cases has shifted — Emily D. Baker is exasperated. In the penultimate week of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's defamation trial …
Discussion:
@anoushasakoui, @anoushasakoui, @theemilydbaker, @ashleyspllife, @anoushasakoui, @taylorlorenz, @anoushasakoui and @latimes
Reuters:
Russia's foreign ministry says it told YouTube that every time the company blocks a weekly briefing, the country will expel an American journalist or outlet — Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday that reporters from Western countries will be expelled from Russia if YouTube (GOOGL.O) blocks access to its spokeswoman's briefings.
Jon Allsop / Columbia Journalism Review:
The New York Times presenting its Haiti package as a “first” shows that the media should expand the definition of a news peg from new facts to current problems — “Haiti's Lost Billions.” “The Root of Haiti's Misery: Reparations to Enslavers.” “How a French Bank Captured Haiti.”
Discussion:
@jon_allsop, @jon_allsop, @jon_allsop, @jane_gerster, @jayrosen_nyu, @spj_tweets, @cjr, Slate and New Republic