Top News:
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Memo: BDG Media suspends Gawker operations and CEO Bryan Goldberg says the company will cut 8% of its full-time staff after “a surprisingly difficult” Q1 2023 — BDG Media is suspending Gawker and will lay off 8% of full-time staff, according to an internal memo from CEO Bryan Goldberg that was obtained by Axios.
Discussion:
@leahfinnegan, Variety, Crikey, @brocklesnitch, @eeberquist, @lizzywol, @glinner, @brotigupta, @thatjenmonroe, @bdsixsmith, @jessesingal, @choire, @themaxburns, @espiers, @taylorlorenz, @kindahagi, @z_hu__, @benfowlkesmma, @oliviacraighead, @cjr, @martinsfp, @tomaxwell, @tarpleyhitt, @nkulw, @legsfrank, @anthony, @emmasarappo, @jennygzhang, @nichcarlson, @jennygzhang, @pjmaciak, @hazlitt, @samuel_rutter, @jayasax, @annetdonahue, @film_girl, @mckinneykelsey, @ericdharvey, @elenasb_, @chrislongview, @allierileyjones, @theashleyray, @ohitsstuart, @coreyatad, @uncanny_eli, @ikanteventoday, @maxwellstrachan, @emgusk, @georgeciveris, @noahlove, @martynwendell, @kyleorl, @kjfernelius, @tajjaisen, @nickripatrazone, @knibbs, @theballisorange, @christress, @therealbradbabs, @theashleyray, @clublefttennis, @luke_winkie, @uncanny_eli, @davidgross_man, @jeremypgordon, @leximcmenamin, @brandyljensen, @dwaldenwrites, @daisandconfused, @pblest, @gaberivera, @nkulw, @jeremypgordon, @kerpen, @hunterw, @ashihipar, @mediaevan, @333333333433333, @jamesrbuk, @markwby, @brianstelter, WWD, New York Times, Popula, New York Post, CNN, Nieman Lab, Newser, The Information, Press Gazette, The Wrap, The Daily Beast, @maxwelltani and Observer
Samantha Cole / VICE:
Netflix Japan used AI art in the anime short “The Dog & The Boy”, citing a “labor shortage” in the industry, which has long faced labor abuses and poor wages — A new short film called ‘The Dog & The Boy’ uses AI-generated art for its backgrounds. — Samantha Cole
Discussion:
Fortune, @joshanimator, Mashable, @janusrose, Ars Technica and Polygon, more at Techmeme »
Max Tani / Semafor:
The US DOJ charges former ABC News foreign correspondent James Gordon Meek over the alleged transportation of CSAM; the FBI raided Meek's home in April 2022 — The Department of Justice on Wednesday announced the arrest of an award-winning investigative reporter on charges related to child pornography.
Discussion:
Department of Justice, Variety, Washington Post, @awprokop, Rolling Stone, @tomaxwell, @awprokop, @mattwolking, @michaelehayden, @maxwelltani, TVNewser, @noahshachtman, @calebjhull, The Hollywood Reporter, @arlnowdotcom, @semaforben, Los Angeles Times, Mediaite, Fox News, New York Post, The Wrap, Deadline and The Daily Beast
Emma Roth / The Verge:
Netflix says US password sharing rules haven't been set yet and removes rules from its US help page saying users must connect to a “primary Wi-Fi” every 31 days — Based on info sourced from Netflix's support pages, The Streamable reported on Tuesday details about its upcoming anti-password sharing efforts.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, KRQE-TV, @jacefrederick, @jamiekaywilde, @bugsmaytrix, @ow, @pt, @jeremymauss, @scottmendelson, @tinu, @imani_barbarin, @verge, @emmavigeland, @mmasnick@mastodon.social, @hasanthehun, CNBC, @jewish_activist, @ericafails, @carnage4life, @mattxiv, @grantmcauley, @roywoodjr, @andiesophia23, The Streamable, Observer, Screen Rant, The Daily Beast, ZDNet, The Wrap, gHacks Technology News, 9to5Mac, Gizmodo, Forbes, Mashable and Sky News, more at Techmeme »
Lizzie Johnson / @lizziejohnsonnn:
[Thread] After the murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, The Washington Post picked up and finished his work on an alleged $500M Ponzi scheme — Not long after Jeff German — a reporter at the @reviewjournal — was slain outside of his home last fall, my editor called me with a question. The Post had reached out, asking if we could help in some way. Jeff's editor had an idea. Maybe we could take on the last of his work.
Reeves Wiedeman / Vulture:
As documentaries boom, filmmakers, their subjects, and the bill-paying streamers wrestle with questions of ethics, money, and control, amid shrinking budgets — The boom — or glut — in streaming documentaries has sparked a reckoning among filmmakers and their subjects.
Sarah Scire / Nieman Lab:
Q&A with Holden Foreman, The Washington Post's first accessibility engineer, on his role, improving access for people with disabilities, challenges, and more — “It is definitely stressful to be the first in this new role. I feel deep down like I need to justify its creation with every step that I take."
Discussion:
Ad Age
Bloomberg:
TikTok is limiting the number of songs that some users in Australia can post on its app, an experiment meant to assess how much they value music in their videos — TikTok is limiting the number of songs that users can post on its app, an experiment to assess how much they value music in their videos.
Discussion:
New York Times, Complete Music Update, Music Ally, @quicktake, Social Media Today, Fox News and Newsday
Bryan Curtis / The Ringer:
A profile of James McNicholas, who covers Arsenal for The Athletic and has an acting career that includes starring in the BBC's Horrible Histories and Ted Lasso — Even in an age when sportswriters are hyphenates (reporter-podcaster-whatever pays the bills), The Athletic's McNicholas leads an odd and fascinating double life
Discussion:
@david_rudnick, @ringer, @brettgoldstein, @bryancurtis, @bryancurtis, @jamesmcnicholas, @stephenjnesbitt and @gunnerblog
Patrick Coffee / Wall Street Journal:
A look at ad industry meme accounts, often run by anonymous industry veterans to share news, create a sense of community among junior staff and CMOs, and more — Ad industry meme creators have begun breaking news, earning revenue and attracting attention from industry leaders
Discussion:
@media_lad, @mjbarash, @patrickcoffee and @patrickcoffee
Emily Bary / MarketWatch:
SEC filing: Comcast sold 5,726,385 BuzzFeed shares from January 30 to February 1 as BuzzFeed's stock surged, leaving the company with 19.97% of BuzzFeed's stock — Buzzfeed stock has rocketed in recent days amid enthusiasm over its use of AI — Comcast Corp. has sold part of its stake in Buzzfeed Inc. …
Discussion:
@matthewkeyslive and Crain's New York Business
Nancy Tartaglione / Deadline:
Sony Pictures reports Q3 operating income down 86% YoY to ~$179M and leaves its FY profit forecast unchanged at ~$894M; Music revenue rose 23% YoY to $2.83B — Sony Pictures Entertainment recorded $179 million in operating income for the third quarter ended December 31, 2022.
Discussion:
Variety, Financial Times, The Verge, Bloomberg and The Hollywood Reporter, more at Techmeme »