Top News:
Hannah Murphy / Financial Times:
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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Matt Binder / Mashable:
Twitter shuts down CoTweets, an experimental feature that let two users author and publish a tweet in tandem; in a month, CoTweets will show a single author — If you're reading this, it's already too late to post a CoTweet. — Did you use Twitter's fairly new CoTweets feature?
Discussion:
Gizmodo and Social Media Today, more at Techmeme »
Jeff Gerth / Columbia Journalism Review:
Interviews with reporters, editors, and Donald Trump on how Russiagate coverage led to Pulitzer Prizes and retractions, shaped Trump's press relations, and more — Seven and a half years ago, journalism began a tortured dance with Donald Trump, the man who would be the country's forty-fifth president …
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, @notdumborasleep, @jamisonfoser, @mtaibbi, @kdrum, @jamisonfoser, @froomkin, @froomkin, @shellenbergermd, @mtaibbi, @cjr, @snowden, @ggreenwald, @ggreenwald, @snowden, @cjr, @armandondk and Fox News
Casey Newton / Platformer:
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.
Discussion:
CNET, @caseynewton, MediaPost, CNN, @sachinrekhi, Zero DD, Gizmodo, Social Media Today, The Information, @jacobfeldman4, @fiene, @rebexxxxa, @harrymccracken, @penamerica, @richontech, @scottnover, @platformer, @larakate, @zoeschiffer, @jessicalessin, @lmatsakis, @rafat, @obrien, @techgirl1908, TechCrunch and @erinkwoo, more at Techmeme »
Tom Scocca / Popula:
The New York Times' coverage of trans kids points to a newspaper crusade, focusing resources on a tiny segment of medical care compared to other teen procedures — A question to ask. At length. — EARIER THIS MONTH, the administration of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis wrote to 12 state universities …
Discussion:
Fox News, @tomscocca, @bendreyfuss, @ashleyfeinberg, @mattkbh, @annevclark, @tomlevenson, @niemanlab, @assignedmedia, @j_zimms, New York Post and The Guardian
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Spotify has deployed Google's User Choice Billing in 140+ markets globally, to reduce Play Store commissions; how much the company is saving is confidential — In its fourth-quarter earnings, Spotify announced today its User Choice Billing program has now expanded to more than 140 markets worldwide …
Discussion:
MediaNama
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Anna Nicolaou / Financial Times:
Spotify reports Q4 revenue up 18% YoY to €3.2B and a €270M loss, up from €39M YoY, as operating costs rose 44% YoY, and adds 10M paying subscribers to hit 205M
Spotify reports Q4 revenue up 18% YoY to €3.2B and a €270M loss, up from €39M YoY, as operating costs rose 44% YoY, and adds 10M paying subscribers to hit 205M
Discussion:
Spotify, The Hollywood Reporter, Yahoo Finance, Inside Radio, Variety, CNBC, Music Business Worldwide, @lucas_shaw, @carnage4life, The Verge, Spotify and Observer, more at Techmeme »
David Satin / The Streamable:
An NBCUniversal source confirms that Peacock has stopped offering its free tier to new subscribers, though the option is available to some existing subscribers — Peacock will no longer offer their free tier for new subscribers, The Streamable has confirmed.
Discussion:
Deadline, Variety, The Wrap, TechCrunch, CNET, IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter and Media Play News
Lesley Goldberg / The Hollywood Reporter:
Sources: Showtime pulled short-lived shows from its streaming service, like Kidding and American Gigolo, and is expected to let rights holders shop their series — ‘Kidding,’ ‘Super Pumped,’ ‘American Rust,’ ‘On Becoming a God in Central Florida,’ ‘Let the Right One In’ and 'American Gigolo …
Discussion:
LostRemote, Deadline, SlashFilm, Variety, @majacobs, @benttravers, @robowentv, The Streamable, @thr, @willthelandman, @deggans, @walthickey, Next TV, @snoodit, The A.V. Club, TVLine, The Information and IndieWire
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Matt Tamanini / The Streamable:
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
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
Discussion:
Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Times, Deadline, Gizmodo, @oliverdarcy, TrekMovie.com, Fortune, Inverse, CNBC, Broadband TV News, @mattbelloni, @judysquirrels, @loudmouthjulia, @raventbrunner, IGN, @vanthebrand, @harrymccracken, @pkafka, @samontv, @ferniecommaalex, @carnage4life, @loudmouthjulia, @alexweprin, @kirkwrites79, The Verge, The Desk, CNN, Media Play News, The A.V. Club, MediaPost, SlashFilm, The Playlist, Ad Age, Adweek and TechCrunch
Gerry Smith / Bloomberg:
Sources: as Apple launches MLS Season Pass, the company is shopping ad packages for up to ~$4M per season, without guaranteeing advertisers viewership numbers — Apple Inc. will launch its new streaming service for Major League Soccer this week with a lot of the traditional practices of TV advertising kicked to the sidelines.
Discussion:
@larakiara, @gerryfsmith, @tvgrimreaper and Cord Cutters News, more at Techmeme »
Jonathan Vanian / CNBC:
Snap Q4: revenue flat YoY at $1.3B, vs. $1.31B est., DAUs up 17% YoY to 375M, vs. 375.3M est., and a $288M net loss, vs. $23M in net income YoY; stock down 13%+ — - Snap missed on revenue for the fourth quarter but beat on earnings. — Snap had a rough 2022, as a slowing economy led numerous companies …
Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg / Wall Street Journal:
Penguin Random House CEO Madeline McIntosh steps down after four years, making her the third senior executive to leave the book publisher in the past two months — Madeline McIntosh is third top executive to leave company in past two months — Madeline McIntosh said she is stepping …
Discussion:
Publishers Weekly, New York Times, @sarahburnes, The Bookseller and Observer
Caitlin Huston / The Hollywood Reporter:
Peter Chernin's North Road Company studio takes a $150M investment from the Qatar Investment Authority, adding to the $800M announced at its July 2022 launch — The TV and film studio said it has more than 85 active productions in the works. … The company includes unscripted content …
Discussion:
Deadline
Anna Nicolaou / Financial Times:
Sources: UMG is in talks with Tidal and others to overhaul streaming economics to pay artists more; ideas include a “bonus pool” and “superfan” subscriptions — Group looks into options such as cracking down on bots and adding ‘superfan’ subscriptions