Mediagazer: Google launches News Showcase in France, partners with 65+ publishers representing 130+ outlets, and plans to give away “a limited amount” of paywalled content (Mariella Moon/Engadget)

3:00 PM ET, October 20, 2022

Top News:

Laura Wagner / Defector:

Semafor wants to tackle polarization with a “revolutionary” story template, but its “Semaform” is a basic copy of what already exists, with patronizing subheads — All around the world, and especially in the United States, widening economic inequality …

Wall Street Journal:

Internal email says the NYT is canceling plans to launch an app for children, as the app “caters to a smaller market” when the paper's focus is on subscriptions — Publisher has been promoting products beyond news, including in games, cooking and sports

Discussion: @merowing_, @anthony, @zeveisenberg and @alexthomp

Mariella Moon / Engadget:

Google launches News Showcase in France, partners with 65+ publishers representing 130+ outlets, and plans to give away “a limited amount” of paywalled content — Google has launched News Showcase in France, and it has teamed up with over 65 publishers representing over 130 publications …

Discussion: The Keyword

Aisha Majid / Press Gazette:

Study finds the number of push alerts sent by publishers was 2% higher in 2021 than in 2019 and 28% higher than in 2018; 3% were opened at time of sending — The instant traffic hit from push alerts means that most publishers are now using them every day, regardless of whether the content …

Discussion: Nieman Lab

Paul Waldman / @paulwaldman1:

[Thread] A case study in how journalists let politicians lie: Punchbowl News amplified Kevin McCarthy's claim that the DOJ tagged some parents as “terrorists” — 1. A case study in how journalists allow politicians to lie, ensuring that the more cynical a politician is, the greater the rewards for dishonesty will be, courtesy of Kevin McCarthy and @PunchbowlNews . Come with me...

Discussion: @paulwaldman1, @paulwaldman1, @rjamesfinn, @paulwaldman1, @paulwaldman1, @paulwaldman1, @paulwaldman1, @paulwaldman1, @paulwaldman1, @modestholdings, @craignewman, @paulszoldra, @sarahposner, @soledadobrien, @dangillmor and The Week

Thomas Germain / Gizmodo:

Google now lets users disable targeted ads without breaking useful features by having to turn off settings like Web & App Activity and YouTube History — In a major fix, Google's own privacy settings will no longer disable crucial features of its apps. — Alerts

Discussion: The Keyword, The Verge, Digiday, YouGov and The Hill, more at Techmeme »

Katelyn Newberg / Las Vegas Review-Journal:

The Las Vegas police department asks the Nevada Supreme Court to reverse a decision that blocked officials from searching slain reporter Jeff German's devices — The Metropolitan Police Department has appealed a judge's decision to bar officials from searching the personal devices …

Discussion: Associated Press

Julia Felton / Greensburg Tribune-Review:

Union officials and workers say ~30 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette staff crossed the picket line after a narrow strike vote; CWA provides strike benefits of $300/week — Dozens of journalists, photographers and editors have crossed the picket line to continue working at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Discussion: Associated Press, @lindseyforpa, Pittsburgh City Paper, nyguild.org, Portside, Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, WITF and The Philadelphia Inquirer

Charles Pulliam-Moore / The Verge:

WBD partners with Web3 startup Eluvio to release LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring in its entirety as a set of NFTs, in an effort to kick off its “WB Movieverse” — Today, Warner Bros. announced the impending arrival of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring …

Discussion: The Wrap, TechCrunch, Gizmodo, Deadline, Vanity Fair, Variety, @xpangler, @rjcc, Decrypt, Media Play News, SlashFilm and @tvgrimreaper

Agence France-Presse:

Iran sanctions BBC Persian and Iran International, among other organizations, for “supporting terrorism”; sanctions include a visa ban and seizure of assets — Tehran on Wednesday blacklisted several British institutions and individuals after London sanctioned Iran's morality police amid protests …

Discussion: Reuters and Iran International

Gabby Miller / Columbia Journalism Review:

Journalists and academics say unions can help protect some journalists from newsroom cuts at chains like Gannett, and can benefit, but not save, the industry — In a contract bargaining meeting on Wednesday, October 12, Gannett, which had just made what senior reporter Diane Smith characterized …

Discussion: @katechedraoui, @szkolar_lohud, @errolsalamon, @szkolar_lohud and APP-MCJ Guild

Leila Fadel / NPR:

An interview with Lina Abu Akleh, the niece of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, on her push for justice and a US probe into her aunt's killing — Lina Abu Akleh was thrust onto the global stage after her aunt was killed while reporting on an Israeli military raid in the Palestinian city of Jenin in May.

Discussion: Columbia Journalism Review, @npr and @leilafadel

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