Top News:
Sara Fischer / Axios:
YouTube lifts its restrictions on Donald Trump's channel, imposed after the January 6 insurrection, after evaluating the “continued risk of real-world violence” — YouTube will lift its restrictions on former President Trump's channel Friday, a spokesperson confirmed to Axios.
Discussion:
@youtubeinsider, Bloomberg, The Verge, Los Angeles Times, @rev_scarecrow, @cocoafox023, Breitbart, The Guardian, @kenbensinger, Mediaite, @freddiesayers, @jamisonfoser, Fortune, @mikerugnetta, Engadget, @harrymccracken, New York Post, @rubinreport, @lolgop, The Daily Beast, UPI, CNN, New Republic, @colorofchange, @melissaryan, The Wrap, @evelyndouek, @mollyjongfast, @mattbinder, Variety, Semafor, @sargon_of_akkad, @karlbode, NPR, @mattnavarra, @kurtbardella, @plmanseau, New York Daily News, The Hollywood Reporter, TechCrunch, The Hill, Fox News, Al Jazeera, CBS News, Deadline and Rolling Stone, more at Techmeme »
Jack Shafer / Politico:
Axios shouldn't have fired Ben Montgomery for calling out Governor DeSantis' propaganda given co-founder Jim VandeHei once told Roger Ailes, “Go fuck yourself” — Reporters have been brawling with public relations flacks since the late 1800s when railroads and other corporations …
Discussion:
Axios, @ianbassin, @sfdb, @jackshafer, @msamywallace, @simko_bednarski, @craigtimes, @rameshponnuru, Mediaite, Poynter, Fox News and The Hill
RELATED:
Charlotte Klein / @charlottetklein:
Axios fires Tampa Bay-based reporter Ben Montgomery after he replied to an email about a Governor DeSantis event, “This is propaganda, not a press release.”
Axios fires Tampa Bay-based reporter Ben Montgomery after he replied to an email about a Governor DeSantis event, “This is propaganda, not a press release.”
Discussion:
@alexlanfran, @jake_bernstein, @aidnmclaughlin, @digiphile, @adamwren, @jason_kint, @freddydeknatel, @jdawsey1, @politico, @jamessurowiecki, @jamessurowiecki, @stphnmaher, @davidphinney, @lollardfish, @zackkopplin, @getwired, @sjdemas, @pboothmedia, @unitedems2022, @brooklynmarie, @lemieuxlgm, @rickjnewman, Washington Post, @ruthbenghiat, @mattfriedmannj, @laurachapin, @ijbailey, @gangrey, @michaelcdeibert, @froomkin, @poynter, @katzonearth, @kattenbarge, @nytliz, @deanbaker13, @lizzieohreally, @rachelbitecofer, @rachelbitecofer, @ruthbenghiat, @tiffanydcross, @joshtpm, @colmorrisdavis, @greta, @tomscocca, @hunterw, @gregggonsalves, @hunterw, Talking Points Memo, @justingeorge, @tommytomlinson, @schwarz, @brianbeutler, @imillhiser, @bydavidgardner, @kvanvalkenburg, @oliverdarcy, @lindyli, @moorehn, @brettarends, @natemonroetu, @alexkoppelman, @what46hasdone, @lavern_spicer, @vabvox, @lighttweeting, @hunterw, @hunterw, @hunterw, @laurarbelin, @bfriedmandc, @dellcam, @jeffreyasachs, @johnmcquaid@journa.host, @ashtonpittman, @jeffjarvis, @cjciaramella, @dcwoodruff, @rcohen, @donmoyn, @thor_benson, @donmoyn, @tvietor08, @mpdillon, @ijbailey, @lansdallius, @thesarahkelly, @thesarahkelly, @thesarahkelly, @bfriedmandc, @_cingraham, @wajahatali, @mcbyrne, @bruce_arthur, @hemantmehta, @samthielman, @eric_jotkoff, @eric_jotkoff, @3fecta, @natalieweiner, @chuckrossdc, @samyoungman, @thesarahkelly, @lukeoneil47, @christinapushaw, @simonhernandez, @curtishouck, @kept_simple, @espiers, @theseantcollins, @russbengtson, @ggreenwald, @mobute, @helenkennedy, @theinsneider, @domdifurio, @karlbode, @anandwrites, @carigervin, @jeffpearlman, @sayssimonson, @christinapushaw, @bryandgriffin, @mattdpearce, @justin_hart, New York Post, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, Breitbart, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay and The Desk
Robbie Whelan / Wall Street Journal:
Antenna: ~94% of Disney+ subscribers stayed after the $3/month price hike; ad-supported Disney+ versions made up 27% of sign-ups in January and 36% in February — 94% of subscribers absorbed the $3 a month rise, new data show, suggesting room for further increases
Discussion:
The Desk, Antenna, MediaPost, @richlightshed and @joshsternberg@mstdn.social
Amanda Silberling / TechCrunch:
In a first for a music streaming service, Bandcamp employees in the US form a union, Bandcamp United, which will include 62 people, and ask for an NLRB election — U.S. employees at Bandcamp, an online audio distributor, have announced their formation of a union.
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
An interview with Mother Jones CEO Monika Bauerlein on reader donations, paywalls, and quality over quantity; readers donated 74% of its $16.8M FY 2021 revenue — “Smart, fearless journalism” is the tagline of American investigative news outlet Mother Jones - but would this mission …
Discussion:
@pressgazette, @pressgazette, @charliebeckett, @pressgazette and Mother Jones
Kris Holt / Engadget:
Meta debuts Verified in the US for $12/month on the web or $15/month on Android/iOS, with a blue badge, proactive impersonation protection, and customer support — Meta's paid verification program is available in the US starting today, CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote on his Instagram channel.
Discussion:
Reuters, The Hill, @pt, CNET, The Verge, UPI, TechCrunch and Evening Tech, more at Techmeme »
NPR:
Sylvia Poggioli, the longest-serving reporter on NPR's international desk, is retiring at the end of March 2023 after 41 years at NPR and 51 years in journalism — In a note to editorial staff, Didrik Schanche, International Editor, and Edith Chapin, Acting SVP of News, made the following announcement:
Discussion:
Current, @nprkelly, @kainazamaria, @pamelafessler, @scotthensley, @davidclinchnews, @davidgura and @johndankosky
Financial Times:
How tech from Synthesia, an AI startup backed by Kleiner Perkins and GV, is being used to make deepfake news videos promoted by Venezuela's government — UK tech company developed software used in fake news videos promoted by authoritarian government — As Venezuela prepared for carnival season …
Discussion:
@samgregory, @zachweinberg, @ultraterm, @madhumita29, @halilozturkci and @joeparkdan, more at Techmeme »
Mark Mulligan / MIDiA Research Blog:
Research: global recorded music revenue rose 6.7% YoY to $31.2B in 2022, with $20B from streaming and $10.8B from indie labels and artists direct; UMG hit $9.2B — Following a spectacular year of growth in 2021, global recorded music revenue growth slowed significantly in 2022 due …
Discussion:
Music Business Worldwide and Music Ally
Laura Hazard Owen / Nieman Lab:
Amazon stops selling newspaper and magazine subscriptions for Kindle and in print; some titles, including USA Today, are still available via Kindle Unlimited — It doesn't matter whether they're for your Kindle or in print — starting this week, Amazon will no longer sell print or digital newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
Sherrell Dorsey / The Plug:
The Plug founder and CEO Sherrell Dorsey announces that the news outlet focused on Black tech, venture capital, and future of work news and research is closing — Dear readers, subscribers, and long-time supporters— Today is the last day our team will serve you all through The Plug.
Discussion:
@ingridriley, @kristyt, @sheistyler, @lolitataub, @deongordon, @jewelmelanie, @culturebanx, @melissa_kimble and @rafat
New York Times:
Sources: Twitter explored licensing music rights from three major labels but negotiations stalled after Elon Musk's takeover and were abandoned due to costs — Twitter didn't move forward with the music licensing deals because of costs, people with knowledge of the matter said.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, @sisario, Insider, @kateconger, Ars Technica and MediaPost, more at Techmeme »