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Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launch a waitlist for Artifact, an app with a personalized news feed that will let users discuss articles — EXCLUSIVE: Meet Artifact, a kind of TikTok for text — Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger are back.
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@caseynewton, TechCrunch, @rebexxxxa, @harrymccracken, @jessicalessin, @obrien, @rafat, @fiene, @platformer, @larakate and @lmatsakis, more at Techmeme »


In interviews with 75+ journalists and media experts, a Washington Post ex-executive editor finds that newsrooms that move beyond “objectivity” can build trust — Leonard Downie Jr., a former executive editor of The Washington Post, is a professor at the Walter Cronkite School …
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Nieman Lab, @ewerickson, @conncarroll, @dianacialino, @monikabauerlein, @sulliview, @allynwest, @nicolevap, @tiagodf, @garrenshipley, @brithume, @karlbode, @wesleylowery, @arifleischer, @jeffjarvis, @m_older, @jamesfallows, @lucasgrindley, @chrisgeidner, @_greatdelusion, @froomkin and @washingtonpost


Paramount Global plans to merge its Showtime streaming service with Paramount+'s ad-free tier later in 2023 and call the new offering Paramount+ with SHOWTIME — It's been a long time coming, but later this year, Paramount Global will finally fully integrate the streaming arm …
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Axios, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, New York Times, Fortune, CNBC, @oliverdarcy, IGN, WORLD SCREEN, @judysquirrels, TrekMovie.com, @mattbelloni, @harrymccracken, Broadband TV News, @raventbrunner, @vanthebrand, @loudmouthjulia, @pkafka, The Verge, The Desk, @samontv, @ferniecommaalex, @carnage4life, @loudmouthjulia, @alexweprin, @kirkwrites79, CNN, Variety, Collider, IndieWire, Media Play News, The A.V. Club, MediaPost, SlashFilm, The Information, The Playlist, Screen Rant, TVLine, The Wrap, Adweek, TechCrunch and Ad Age, more at Techmeme »
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Sources: Showtime has pulled short-lived shows from its streaming service, including American Gigolo, and is expected to let rights holders shop their series
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Next TV, Deadline, Variety, The Streamable, @majacobs, @snoodit, @thr, @willthelandman, @deggans, The A.V. Club, TVLine, Gizmodo, Collider and IndieWire


Sources detail Twitter's nascent moves to facilitate payments, a key to becoming a “super app”, as the company files for regulatory licenses across the US — Company has started applying for US state licences in bid for fresh revenues beyond advertising
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Insider, Fortune, @rakeshlobster, @financialtimes, The Indian Express, @digiphile, SiliconANGLE and Social Media Today


Penguin Random House CEO Madeline McIntosh is stepping down after four years, making her the third senior executive to leave PRH in the last two months — Madeline McIntosh is third top executive to leave company in past two months — Madeline McIntosh said she is stepping down as chief executive …
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Publishers Weekly, Observer, New York Times, The Bookseller and @sarahburnes


Sources detail the collapse of Insider's Washington DC bureau, launched in March 2020: steady staff exits and its head fired days before the 2022 US midterms — Back in 2020, Insider hyped a brand-new Beltway team aiming for impactful scoops. Three years later, that team has all but collapsed.
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Talking Biz News, The Rebooting, @thedailybeast, @jeremymbarr, @daisandconfused and @corbinbolies


Spotify reports Q4 revenue up 18% YoY to €3.2B and a €270M loss, up from €39M YoY, as operating costs rose 44% YoY; paying subscribers were up 10M to 205M — Music streaming group adds subscribers but is hit by rise in operating expenses — Spotify's losses ballooned …
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Spotify, The Hollywood Reporter, Observer, Billboard, CNET, Variety, @carnage4life, The Verge and Spotify, more at Techmeme »

Finnish, Norwegian, Danish, and Icelandic unions quit the IFJ, accusing the union of undemocratic practices, unethical finances, and other “corruptive activity” — Finnish, Norwegian, Danish and Icelandic unions will quit a global media federation on Tuesday in protest at …


If the US wins its antitrust Google case, a spinoff is more likely than a sale, valuing the ad businesses at tens of billions and giving advertisers more choice — If government prevails, an asset spinoff is thought to be more likely than a sale — Google spent the better part …
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@repjayapal, @davemorgannyc, @sosayslucia, @rr_edmonds, @matthewstoller and Gizmodo


Spotify has deployed Google's User Choice Billing in 140 markets globally, to reduce Play Store commissions; details on how much it is saving are confidential — In its fourth-quarter earnings, Spotify announced today its User Choice Billing program has now expanded to more than 140 markets worldwide …


NBCU source confirms Peacock has stopped offering its free tier to new subscribers, though it remains available to existing subscribers — Peacock will no longer offer their free tier for new subscribers, The Streamable has confirmed. Instead, new users who attempt to sign …


How Rick Astley's lawsuit against Yung Gravy may affect interpolation, a technique that avoids the costly and lengthy process of getting rights to music samples — Re-recording classic tracks has become more common for financial and creative reasons, but the “Betty (Get Money)” case may give producers pause.
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Boing Boing