Top News:
NPR:
Freelance ABC News producer Kristen Hentschel worked for a consulting firm hired by utility companies; sources: she traded on her false ABC work at least thrice — NPR's David Folkenflik reported this story with Mario Ariza and Miranda Green of Floodlight, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates …
Discussion:
@mirandacgreen, @mirandacgreen, New York Post, @dceiver, @lailaalarian, @edmundlee, @emilygorcenski, @floodlightnews, @joshmankiewicz, Floodlight, @sunnyright, @lindaholmes, @davidfolkenflik, @4lisaguerrero, @cliffschecter, @jrovner, @johnson_carrie, @marioarizabaez, @marioarizabaez, @tcblume, @jbarro, @grace_panetta, @draperrobert, @byrontau, @johnarchibald, @mirandacgreen, @mirandacgreen, @taitdl and @jeffweineros
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
Fox News host Sean Hannity and others say they doubted 2020 claims of a voting fraud plot, as Dominion Voting lawyers try to show Fox knew it aired false claims — On Wednesday, lawyers for Dominion Voting Systems shared some of the strongest evidence yet that some Fox employees knew what they broadcast about the claims was false.
Discussion:
Mediaite, @jkarsh, @kazweida, @kimmasters, @mattgertz, @mattyglesias, @jillgeisler, @davidbernardtv, @beckerdavidj, @badler, @peterhimler and @jwpetersnyt
Wall Street Journal:
Sources detail steps Netflix may take to reduce US password sharing, like charging account owners an extra sharing fee at just below the $6.99 ad-supported tier — Putting a stop to the practice without alienating customers will be a challenge — The end of password sharing is coming to Netflix soon …
Discussion:
AppleInsider, @wsj, MacRumors, @danrayburn, @asharma, The Streamable, @jtoonkel, The Sun and Boing Boing, more at Techmeme »
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Tom Gerken / BBC:
The UK's IPO says sharing passwords for online streaming services such as Netflix breaks the law if the intent is to access copyright works without payment — Sharing passwords for online streaming services such as Netflix is against the law, according to a government agency.
Discussion:
The Guardian and AppleInsider, more at Techmeme »
Anne Steele / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Justin Bieber is close to selling some of his music rights to Blackstone-backed Hipgnosis Songs Capital in a ~$200M transaction, Hipgnosis' largest yet — Expected deal for star's publishing and recorded music includes hit songs ‘Love Yourself’ and ‘Baby’
Discussion:
Billboard, Variety, New York Daily News, @danprimack, TMZ.com, @phil_lewis_, @hoodiegleyber, @threetwoeephus, Music Business Worldwide, @ashkan, @themimireign, Reuters and The Wrap
Jim Waterson / The Guardian:
The Guardian says a “serious incident”, believed to be a ransomware attack, hit the company's IT network and systems; online publishing is largely unaffected — Incident has hit parts of media company's technology infrastructure, with staff told to work from home
Discussion:
MediaPost, BBC, TechCrunch, Newser, @yonettejo, @janlemnitzer, @pressgazette, @tomphillipsin, Engadget, @profwoodward, Financial Times, @dangainor, @jackinpogform, The Register and Bloomberg
Jeremy Barr / Washington Post:
Vox Media plans to return nearly all of a $200K grant from Sam Bankman-Fried's foundation; Semafor, The Intercept, and others will wait for official guidance — ProPublica and Vox Media plan to give back journalism grants from the indicted crypto tycoon. Other newsrooms have been less clear.
Discussion:
@joeconchatv, New York Magazine, @jeremymbarr, @raylong, @mcelarier, @rwpusa, New York Post, Observer and Axios
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: the NFL is in advanced talks to give YouTube exclusive Sunday Ticket rights; a deal could be reached as early as December 21 after an NFL owner meeting — DirecTV currently pays for rights to subscription package that allows football fans to watch most Sunday afternoon games
Discussion:
New York Times, The Information, Variety, Sports Business Journal, ProFootballTalk, Awful Announcing, Light Reading, Bloomberg, Ars Technica, Tubefilter, The Desk, KRON4, Next in Marketing, @ourand_sbj, @sherman4949, @ourand_sbj, @matthewkeyslive, @haffnhaff_tpl, @realmamaeagle, @jelynchjr, @matthewkeyslive, AppleInsider, @darrenrovell, @mhbergen, @mediumbuying, MediaPost, The Comeback, Sportico, UPROXX, CNBC, CNET, The Desk, The Streamable and Deadline
ProPublica:
Google's Display Network, which places ads on 2M+ websites, lets site owners stay anonymous while putting ads beside pirated content, porn, and disinformation — In late 2021, the right-wing site Conservative Beaver published a story falsely claiming the FBI had arrested Pfizer's CEO for fraud.
Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:
Netflix plans to invest ~$850M in a production hub at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, with 12 sound stages and a backlot, pending due diligence and local approvals — The streaming giant plans to build one of the largest fully-integrated production facilities in the world on a former military base.
Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:
New Jersey names Lionsgate a “studio partner”, increasing its tax credits for wage and salary costs as the company anchors a $125M film studio complex in Newark — The major studio will earn new bonuses from the state's tax break program as an anchor tenant in a $125 million …
Discussion:
Variety and Media Play News
Laura Barton / The Guardian:
Q&A with two true-crime podcasters who have helped the genre become a vital new form of investigative journalism, taking inspiration from Serial, and more — Mandy Matney's Murdaugh Murders and Hedley Thomas's The Teacher's Pet have recently seen the subjects of their investigations jailed.
Discussion:
@janebsinger and Slate