Top News:
Tim Alberta / The Atlantic:
An in-depth profile of CNN under Chris Licht and his vision for the network, as ratings keep falling and he seeks to create a forum for conversation and “truth” — CEO Chris Licht felt he was on a mission to restore the network's reputation for serious journalism. How did it all go wrong?
Discussion:
Puck, @timalberta, Mediaite, @jbouie, @morganstephensa, @mehdirhasan, @jzheel, @brianstelter, @_fleerultra, @tomgara, @markjacob16, @brianstelter, @sifill_, @markharrisnyc, @tarasetmayer, @jeradwalker, @kasimreed, @steveschmidtses, @jakenelsonmn, @brianstelter, @sonnybunch, @aodespair, @steveschmidtses, @claytravis, @millicentsomer, @brianstelter, @jilliansaysnow, @maxwelltani, @lauralesliewral, The Guardian, @brianstelter, @sharonwaxman, @jduffyrice, @karaswisher, @brianstelter, @jkranites, @edmundlee, @edmundlee, @jonrog1, @vanityfair, @ijbailey, @ijbailey, @ijbailey, @ijbailey, @ijbailey, @ijbailey, @ijbailey, @ijbailey, @ijbailey, @ijbailey, @keitholbermann, @jrubinblogger, @jayrosen_nyu, @brianstelter, @ewong, @jeffpropulsion, @gadyepstein, @sharonwaxman, @sharonwaxman, @ddiamond, Insider, @wesleylowery, @nicolledwallace, @fmanjoo, @david_darmofal, @jon_allsop, @jon_allsop, @michaeldweiss, @brianstelter, @pkafka, @rafat, @edmundheaphy, @brianstelter, @bananapeele, @pkafka, @loudmouthjulia, @willsommer, @sarahscire, @dianeravitch, @darth, @brianstelter, @crs_1ne, @raypride, @sarahscire, @stevel3000, @danieljbatt, @reedfrich, @ichbinilya, @mehdirhasan, @therickwilson, @richarddeitsch, @deggans, @joanespositochi, @froomkin, @loudmouthjulia, @brianstelter, @mediaevan, @jasoncolavito, @ichotiner, @pkafka, @davidgura, @froomkin, @sarahscire, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Post, Vanity Fair, Observer, The Hill, The Wrap, @annmlipton@esq.social, @schooley.bsky.social, CNBC and Los Angeles Times
Discussion:
Dylan Byers / Puck: Zaz Brings in the Pain Sponge
Tim Alberta / @timalberta: I spent stretches of the past year shadowing Chris Licht, the new boss at CNN, who harbored ambitions of rehabilitating the journalism industry. This is an account — based on interviews with nearly 100 of his own reporters — of what went wrong. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Michael Luciano / Mediaite: CNN's Licht Cedes Control of Business Operations as Execs Have ‘Diminishing Confidence,’ Report Says
@jbouie: licht seems like a caricature of a rich guy centrist whose deepest belief is that nothing he believes could be unreasonable https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Morgan Stephens / @morganstephensa: I love CNN, still. And I still believe it is one of the best in news. That is because of the dedicated journalists and staff working there. It will survive this. But my heart can't help but to break a little seeing the spiral.
Mehdi Hasan / @mehdirhasan: As a colleague just noted to me, a lot of Tom Wambsgans energy from this piece https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
John Zhu / @jzheel: Head of CNN saying “have the conversation” the way Creationists say “teach the controversy” https://twitter.com/... [image]
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: The consensus, among people who knew @TimAlberta's piece was coming, is that it's much “worse” than they expected. Licht confided in Alberta the way a client confides in a therapist. Some CNN staffers are shocked.
Michael / @_fleerultra: honestly fucked up that so many people died of covid but barely anybody powerful did. the world would be better off if we lost 10,000 chris lichts in the pandemic. https://twitter.com/...
Tom Gara / @tomgara: Chris Licht is 100% right here? Does anyone actually believe we know many deaths were caused by Covid? The idea that there's an objectively true number, comparable in true'ness to where Obama was born, is crazy https://twitter.com/...
Mark Jacob / @markjacob16: CNN's Chris Licht, criticizing media, says Trump “changed the rules of the game, and the media ... put a jersey on and got into the game as a way of dealing with it.” But if you're in the truth business, you have to go to war against lies. That's your job. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: Axios: “Chris Licht, chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, felt so confident in his plan to reinvent cable news that he allowed extraordinary, months-long access to a magazine writer. The result is devastating.” https://www.axios.com/...
Sherrilyn Ifill / @sifill_: Is is a master-class in profile research and writing. Alberta largely stays out of the way and lets the subject reveal himself. Whew! https://twitter.com/...
Mark Harris / @markharrisnyc: This profile of CNN's Chris Licht is brutal—a relentlessly observant eye-level portrait of the wrong man for the job struggling to come off as the right man for the job, convincing absolutely nobody except a boss who himself seems allergic to criticism. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Tara Setmayer / @tarasetmayer: Excellent reporting on CNN @TimAlberta Brutal. Worth the read. https://twitter.com/...
@jeradwalker: If someone tells you they're going to “save journalism” run as far away as possible. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Kasim Reed / @kasimreed: I see what you did there, @mehdirhasan. Nicely done! https://twitter.com/...
Steve Schmidt / @steveschmidtses: This story raises serious ethics qs about Zaslav's around-the-clock editorial interference, while at the same time, refusing interactions with journalists himself. Job 1 of a network news president or executive editor is telling overreaching corporate execs, “NO.” https://twitter.com/...
Jake Nelson / @jakenelsonmn: Really well-written piece. Kind of makes Licht out to be the kind of character in a tragedy who can't see what's coming when it's really obvious to the audience. and Zaslav is just an amazingly omnipresent blight on humanity, huh https://twitter.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: What now? Well, tonight Puck's @dylanbyers reported that “in the last 48 hours, it has become clear, based on conversations with well-placed sources, that Zaslav's once steadfast support” for Licht “has wavered considerably.” https://puck.news/...
Sonny Bunch / @sonnybunch: Everyone is saying that Chris Licht story in The Atlantic is devastating but I've literally never empathized more with a person than in this passage. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ... [image]
David Simon / @aodespair: Have read all and at this moment, I am confounded by a vague sense of sympathy for this man. Then I remember that astounding Trumpfest that was this mook's CNN town hall and, no, no, I am back to a fixed, generalized contempt for him and his work. https://twitter.com/...
Steve Schmidt / @steveschmidtses: The most “trusted” name in news has a “Titanic” Captain Queeg problem. Holy moly! https://twitter.com/...
Clay Travis / @claytravis: This profile of CNN head Chris Licht is an incredibly interesting read. It's super long, but I have a few thoughts. 1. I agree with a ton of Licht quotes. I didn't expect that. 2. The crafting of the story, the author perspective that is, is devastating. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Lili Loofbourow / @millicentsomer: This is really, really good. https://twitter.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: David Zaslav declined to speak with @TimAlberta on the record, but he did send a statement. @TheAtlantic didn't include it, so I asked WBD PR for it, and here it is: “CNN is a very important business for us, and, in fact, we believe that nothing we do is more important...” (1/3)
@jilliansaysnow: Narrator: “He should have stayed up at night thinking,” Inside the Meltdown at CNN - The Atlantic How are we gonna cover Trump? That's not something I stay up at night thinking about," Chris Licht told me. “It's very simple.” https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Martin Pengelly / The Guardian: ‘Extra Trumpy’: Atlantic profile of CNN chief Licht details town hall disaster
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: Zaslav: “We set a high bar for ourselves and while we know that it will take time to complete the important work that's underway, we have great confidence in the progress that Chris and the team are making and share their conviction in the strategy.” (3/3)
Sharon Waxman / @sharonwaxman: The tone-deaf response to the Trump town hall is a fatal mistake. Licht has to listen, not live in a bunker mentality. Zaslav is not helping, as he urges Licht on with the supposed vision of the “long-term.” But a lot of loss can & is happening b4 any long term can be delivered.
Josie Duffy Rice / @jduffyrice: this article is incredible https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Kara Swisher / @karaswisher: While some are calling this a hit piece, it's not. @TimAlberta has pulled off a real classic by simply observing with intelligent questions and appropriate pushback and incisive yet unfussy writing. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: “We have the best journalists in the world at CNN reporting the news wherever it happens,” Zaslav continued, “and we aspire to be the news organization most trusted by viewers globally.” And then, at the end of the statement, he expressed support for Licht and the team... (2/3)
Justin K. / @jkranites: This is one of the better articles I've ever read. And Chris Lichts hubris is insane. The man has no idea he is the emperor with no clothes. He dances to his bosses whims, and doesn't realize it. https://twitter.com/...
@edmundlee: The most surprising thing wasn't this: “Everyone at CNN had long ago come to realize that Licht was playing for an audience of one. It didn't matter what they thought, or what other journalists thought, or even what viewers thought. What mattered was what David Zaslav thought.”
John Rogers / @jonrog1: This is not just a really nice piece of writing, but its fascinating in revealing that Licht has this idea of “truth” that seems virtuous but is, in fact, childlike. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
@vanityfair: In case it wasn't clear, CNN purposely stocked the Trump town hall audience with MAGA diehards. https://vntyfr.com/UmBBFPZ
@ijbailey: How do you end up with a “townhall” filled with rabid Trump supporters who were told they could cheer but not boo Trump in a scene that was more like a Trump rally than a journalistic endeavor? Through an anti-woke journalism mindset, that's how. 6/
@ijbailey: My bottom line: Licht has taken the Bill Maher/Joe Rogan road while deluding himself into believing he and those who think like them are the true “objective” journalists, and those who think differently must be countered and resisted at all costs. END
@ijbailey: The goal should not be to attract more Republican viewers, but to ensure that you are doing top-notch journalism without fear or favor. In this era, sometimes that means you will have to do one or the other, a truth news execs don't want to grapple with. 9/
@ijbailey: One of many gems: “A few weeks into his tenure, Licht instructed his producers to downplay the first hearing of the January 6 committee...” Why would he tell a news outfit to downplay a committee looking into why there was a violent attempted insurrection in our capital? 2/
@ijbailey: Licht said this to Don Lemon after a morning segment on slavery: “I don't want to be preachy in the morning, but I do want to hold people accountable,” he said. I can't tell you how many times I've heard don't be “preachy” from white editors when I've written about race. 16/
@ijbailey: You best believe there were serious journalists inside @CNN telling them it was a horrific idea for obvious reasons. But those voices were likely ignored, if not belittled, as just being “woke” journalists who are “liberal” and don't want standards. 7/
@ijbailey: Maybe the most powerful evidence of his anti-woke journalism mindset is that he's a favorite of Frank Luntz, the man who taught Republicans how to lie to America better and more effectively. 28/
@ijbailey: This profile reveals something I wrote about recently, the growing tendency of top news execs and editors to take on an anti-woke mindset while deluding themselves that they are the ones being “objective”. It's clear that applies to Licht. 1/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
@ijbailey: The only logical reason to do so would be to appease extremist Republicans who wanted to downplay such an important event - including a rightwing billionaire major shareholder who said CNN should be more like Fox News. 3/
@ijbailey: The author said this: “The media had every obligation to scrutinize him, interview him, and, yes, platform him.” That's a dodge. The question wasn't to cover Trump or not, but how. I dealt with that for @niemanfdn 5/ https://niemanreports.org/...
Keith Olbermann / @keitholbermann: 3/♾️ From the start (BTW forgive me - link: https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...) Licht doesn't understand what the American journalism he professes to cherish, MUST do: It MUST advocate. It MUST advocate for democracy And ADVOCATING is not partisanship🤦🏼 ♂️ The shit HAS hit the fan, Dummy [image]
Jennifer Rubin / @jrubinblogger: YIKES: Lemon was a disaster on the morning show. (Licht finally fired him in April.) Collins wasn't better co-anchoring in New York ...Licht had been fixated on the negative press about him. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: Monster profile of CNN's CEO, Chris Licht, in @TheAtlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ... More than anything else, this right here seems to be the heart of it. By “it” I mean Chris Licht's belief system, and the conclusions that have led him to his current course in steering CNN. [image]
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: Yesterday, @TimAlberta notes, WBD “announced the installation of CNN's new chief operating officer, David Leavy, a Zaslav confidant whose hiring fueled talk of an imminent power struggle—and potentially, the beginning of the end for Licht.” https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Edward Wong / @ewong: For those who miss Succession, there are these details like this in the Atlantic story on Chris Licht and the power struggle at CNN. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ... [image]
Jeff Pearce / @jeffpropulsion: I realize many of you Americans think the world revolves around you (it doesn't), but while you're at last questioning how awful CNN's domestic coverage is, maybe it's time for you to reflect how they've been fucking lying to you about Africa FOR YEARS. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Gady Epstein / @gadyepstein: The part of this story where Licht's personal trainer becomes his last credible advocate lol https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Sharon Waxman / @sharonwaxman: But the whole pieces makes me wonder if this was why Zaslav top lieutenant David Leavy was just moved to run CNN global. This suggests that he's nervous about the heat Chris Licht is taking, and he needs a trusted hand in there day to day. ## @thewrap #CNN
Sharon Waxman / @sharonwaxman: Re CNN: So many interesting inside nuggets in this @TheAtlantic piece on Chris Licht, and it tracks fully with what I've know and observed up to now. Licht has a strong sense of journalistic mission, but his mistakes are being propped up by the need to please Zaslav and Malone
Dan Diamond / @ddiamond: Tim is such a master at setting scene, crafting a narrative and (clearly) getting people to open up to him. An incredible read, from the morning gym workouts and the Trump town hall to the exquisite kicker. https://twitter.com/...
Sarah Gray / Insider: CNN apparently removed the words ‘sexual abuse’ from a chyron ahead of Trump town hall, The Atlantic reports in bombshell profile of network head Chris Licht
Wesley / @wesleylowery: in which Don Lemon's white colleagues condescendingly explain to him that he should have been less angry and emotional about the president of the United States spending years trying to get him and his colleagues killed and overthrowing democracy https://www.theatlantic.com/ ... [image]
Nicolle Wallace / @nicolledwallace: Wow re Licht: “Every move he made, big programming decisions and small tactical maneuvers alike, seemed to backfire. By most metrics, the network under Licht's leadership had reached its historic nadir.” Inside the Meltdown at CNN - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Farhad Manjoo / @fmanjoo: Lol [image]
David Darmofal / @david_darmofal: Quite the article. Chris Licht comes across as an incredibly small person (calling Robert Reich bc he's upset at a critical Reich Substack post, threatening to “destroy” @kurtbardella) & his & Zaslav's epic failure seems borne from white male privilege. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Jon Allsop / @jon_allsop: After Licht took over, I wrote for @CJR that I liked his plan to tone down performative bombast but thought he risked throwing the baby out with the bathwater—also dialing down sharp coverage of the right because some *perceive* it as bombast... https://www.cjr.org/...
Jon Allsop / @jon_allsop: Boy oh boy, this did not disappoint. Kudos to @TimAlberta. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Michael Weiss / @michaeldweiss: The CEO of CNN comes across in this profile as a weird mix of Kendall and Tom and the corporate dividend is pretty much as you'd expect: https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: Where I'm coming from: I have known Chris Licht and David Zaslav for 15+ years. Jeff Zucker for 10+ years. I have reported on, interviewed, lunched with all three. I was at CNN for nearly nine years. Licht fired me last August - but so graciously that we've joked about it since.
Peter Kafka / @pkafka: Three in-bound texts from pr pals, all with the same question: Why did the CNN PR people agree to the disastrous Atlantic Chris Licht piece? Answer: The PR people are always a reflection of their boss.
@rafat: The *least* interesting story in media, according to...well, just me: whatever the fuck is happening at CNN. No desire to read anything about it, same as no desire ever watch CNN.
Edmund Heaphy / @edmundheaphy: The most obvious conclusion from this profile of the CNN boss is that he kind of has the right idea, but he is woefully inexperienced and totally unprepared to lead a major news organisation https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: Some insiders are cheering Don Lemon's comments bemoaning “people” (Licht) “Monday-morning-quarterbacking” CNN's coverage of the Trump presidency. “You have to remember the time that we were in.” [image]
Anna Peele / @bananapeele: This is an unbelievable portrait of a man who doesn't understand or at least can't acknowledge) the position he's in or his own role in being there https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Peter Kafka / @pkafka: Ps CNN/Licht did try an access profile before - with NYT last fall - that worked well for them: https://www.nytimes.com/...
Julia Alexander / @loudmouthjulia: It feels disingenuous at best to have a conversation about the state of news and not talk about what happens as the cable bundle erodes faster than analysts expected, Google Search growth completely stalls, text-based social media decreases, and news consumption habits change.
Will Sommer / @willsommer: There are some lol moments in the new @TimAlberta profile of CNN boss Chris Licht, including Licht reading about himself in Puck, Licht getting ripped at his personal trainer, and Licht unhappy with Don Lemon's menswear decisions. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ... [image]
Sarah Scire / @sarahscire: out loud? in front of a journalist?! [image]
Diane Ravitch / @dianeravitch: Terrific article about CNN's identity crisis https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
@darth: chris licht is looking to create a social forum for truth a “Truth Social” if u will https://twitter.com/...
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: One of the biggest surprises in the story is that Zaslav declined, repeatedly, for months, to sit for an on-the-record interview with @TimAlberta to talk about CNN. “This was Zaslav's last chance to make the case for Licht's leadership—and his own... Zaslav refused.”
Chris Parker / @crs_1ne: this is a terrific piece by @TimAlberta that essentially reinforces everything you probably deduced about @CNN what a garbage fire. Betting it's sold for parts shortly after the election, 18 months of so from now, it's ratings utter trash. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Ray Pride / @raypride: CNN's strategic brain: Licht on Licht https://www.theatlantic.com/ ... [image]
Sarah Scire / @sarahscire: anyway, highly recommend this profile by @TimAlberta — easily the best thing I've read on Licht and CNN https://www.theatlantic.com/ ... [image]
Steve Lichtman / @stevel3000: Epic. Paints picture of Chris Licht as Tom Wambsgans-like pain sponge for David Zaslav. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
@danieljbatt: “Everyone at CNN had long ago come to realize that Licht was playing for an audience of one. It didn't matter what they thought, or what other journalists thought, or even what viewers thought. What mattered was what David Zaslav thought.” https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Reed F. Richardson / @reedfrich: Hard to see how journalists at CNN can feel confident about their network's news principles when its CEO has so willingly violated his own espoused commitment to standing up for facts and the truth. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ... [image]
Ilya Lozovsky / @ichbinilya: this is pretty fascinating, and a frustrating read. the amount of work we do, how hard we try to do really great journalism in the public interest, and the resources we do it with ... and this is what the money gets thrown at. https://twitter.com/...
Mehdi Hasan / @mehdirhasan: Inside the Meltdown at CNN - The Atlantic Wow. Your #mustread of the day https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Rick Wilson / @therickwilson: Sitting in the Air France Lounge at DeGaulle reading this absolutely riveting piece by one of the greatest observers of the current moment. Read it. Then read it again. https://twitter.com/...
Richard Deitsch / @richarddeitsch: The definitive piece about today's CNN, how its U.S. programming gets shaped, and how the PR apparatus works for very wealthy people. https://twitter.com/...
@deggans: Wow. This profile in the Atlantic of CNN CEO Chris Licht is compelling, and not just for the details it has on how the cable newschannel's town hall with Trump turned out so one-sided. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Joan Esposito / @joanespositochi: Can't imagine that Licht can survive an evisceration like this. Wow. https://twitter.com/...
@froomkin: .@TimAlberta sees massive failures in execution. I think that's letting Licht off easy. https://twitter.com/...
Julia Alexander / @loudmouthjulia: This feels purposely obtuse. Far more concerning is lack of foresight or conversation about what news consumption is in a post-linear, post-cable, post-social media world, & how do you position CNN ~now~ for what that may be so you're not chasing whatever it's forced to become. [image]
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: The transition, if one can call it that, from Zucker to Licht was...bumpy. Unnecessarily so. Licht candidly admits he should have handled it differently: “I should have just sort of slowly come in, without making these grand pronouncements of how different I was going to be.” [image]
Evan DeSimone / @mediaevan: This feels like the exact type of thinking that Musk had around Twitter moderation. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ... [image]
Jason Colavito / @jasoncolavito: The Atlantic's massive feature on Chris Licht and CNN has a lot to unpack, but most striking is what it leaves out: In all the discussion of personality and politics, no one ever talks about news beyond commenting on politics. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Isaac Chotiner / @ichotiner: It's almost impossible to explain how crazy this story is, and how many absolutely bonkers scenes there are. Incredible stuff. https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Peter Kafka / @pkafka: CNN gave the Atlantic enormous access for this story. Not what they were expecting in return. https://twitter.com/...
David Gura / @davidgura: CNN's mission, according to the network's CEO, from @TimAlberta's profile in @TheAtlantic (https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...): [image]
@froomkin: Helluva lede, on Chris Licht being totally outplayed by Trump: https://www.theatlantic.com/ ... [image]
Sarah Scire / @sarahscire: 🚩 “Licht had accepted the position with ambitions to rehabilitate the entire news industry, telling his peers that Trump had broken the mainstream media and that his goal was to do nothing less than ‘save journalism.’” https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...
Gary Baum / The Hollywood Reporter: CNN CEO Chris Licht Exposed: Five Takeaways From Bombshell Profile
Ariel Zilber / New York Post: CNN boss Chris Licht's days could be numbered after Warner Bros. Discovery names COO
Bess Levin / Vanity Fair: CNN Boss Chris Licht Wanted the Donald Trump Town Hall Audience to Be “Extra Trumpy”: Report
Rachyl Jones / Observer: CNN Taps David Leavy as Chief Operating Officer
Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill: CNN CEO Chris Licht says boss David Zaslav ‘has my back’
Kayla Cobb / The Wrap: CNN Head Chris Licht Knew Trump Town Hall Crowd Was Filled With MAGA Supporters, Told Trump to ‘Have Fun’
Ann Lipton / @annmlipton@esq.social: I'm just a law professor, not a media critic or a business strategist, but if you ask me, the fundamental problem here is that billionaires - like John Malone - haven't the faintest clue what most of America wants or needs. Even if they act in good faith, their judgment is fatally skewed. …
Schooley / @schooley.bsky.social: Have to get way into the Licht profile to get to this gem from his trainer.
Alex Sherman / CNBC: CNN's new COO hire underscores bond between CEO Chris Licht and WBD boss David Zaslav
Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times: CNN gets new chief operating officer amid ratings decline
Sara Fischer / Axios:
YouTube stops removing content advancing “false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches occurred in the 2020 and other past US Presidential elections” — In a reversal of its election integrity policy, YouTube will leave up content that says fraud …
Discussion:
YouTube Official Blog, NPR, The Verge, @sarafischer, Sputnik News, @thelastrefuge2, @troonytoons, @sawyerhackett, @davidmackau, @jimstewartson, @contrariantribe, @noahbookbinder, @attorneynora, @markwarner, @1markmoss, Neowin, @deggans, @donie, MediaPost, Mediaite, Fast Company, Ars Technica, Reason, Variety, The Wrap, Media Matters for America, Rolling Stone, Deadline, The Hill, CNN, Fortune and The Messenger, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: Asked how YouTube was specifically able to make that determination (above), a spox pointed me to their statement. — YouTube didn't provide further examples of what factors or instances it considered when weighing its decision https://www.axios.com/...
@thelastrefuge2: This reads like a “mission accomplished” and we don't need this anymore kind of policy.... https://twitter.com/...
@troonytoons: YouTube has -uncensored- election fraud claims. Says the “ability to openly debate political ideas, even those that are controversial or based on disproven assumptions, is core to a functioning democratic society-especially in the midst of election season."https://www.theverge.com/ ...
Sawyer Hackett / @sawyerhackett: YouTube announces they'll stop removing content spreading 2020 election lies. Meanwhile they claim they're still disallowing “false claims that could materially discourage voting” or content that encourages interference with “democratic processes.” https://blog.youtube/... [image]
@jimstewartson: .@YouTube says it “carefully deliberated this change” but won't answer questions about it or about their “approach to the 2024 election.” For the people who were injured and died on J6, and for the rest of our traumatized nation, “deliberate” again. https://www.axios.com/... [image]
@contrariantribe: Translation: We are losing money to “free speech platforms” 😂 https://blog.youtube/...
Noah Bookbinder / @noahbookbinder: False claims of fraud in the 2020 election are among the most dangerous forms of misinformation out there, having literally led to a violent insurrection. That YouTube, owned by Google, is now allowing such misinformation is deeply troubling. https://www.axios.com/...
Nora Benavidez / @attorneynora: YouTube is dead wrong in asserting that removing false election content curtails political speech w/o meaningfully reducing real-world harms. Election lies & call for violence absolutely inspire real-world harms. This is the wrong direction:https://blog.youtube/ ...
Mark Warner / @markwarner: Allowing election misinformation to proliferate online undermines trust and has dangerous consequences. https://www.axios.com/...
Mark Moss / @1markmoss: Game Theory in Action... mainstream media is getting hammed because of gaslighting and censorship, alt news sources are growing fast Twitter opens up content filters, and starts to allow full videos eating @YouTubeCreators lunch and... This is the response... https://twitter.com/...
Paul Hill / Neowin: YouTube reverses course, will not take down controversial or disproven political content
@deggans: Scariest thing about today's truthiness in modern media, is that if enough people believe something that's false strongly enough, institutions which are supposed to protect us from misinformation often bend or break and allow that belief wide circulation. https://www.axios.com/...
Donie O'Sullivan / @donie: YouTube will now allow 2020 election denialism content, in policy reversal https://www.cnn.com/...
Laurie Sullivan / MediaPost: YouTube Reverses Misinformation Policy, Cites Political Balance
Candice Ortiz / Mediaite: YouTube To Allow Election Denial On The Platform Ahead of 2024 Presidential Race
Robby Soave / Reason: YouTube Abandons Election Misinformation Policy That Censored Political Speech
Todd Spangler / Variety: YouTube Will Stop Removing Videos Pushing Lies About the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election
Robert Carnevale / The Wrap: YouTube Will No Longer Remove US Election Fraud Content
Media Matters for America: YouTube's reversal of 2020 election integrity policy sets the stage for an encore insurrection
Nikki McCann Ramirez / Rolling Stone: YouTube Nukes Policy Banning Election Denialism
Bruce Haring / Deadline: YouTube Won't Remove Videos Claiming 2020 Election Was Stolen, But RFK Jr. Claims Instagram Ban For Campaign Site
Julia Love / Fortune: YouTube does an about-face on election denial videos by saying they're now permitted to enhance ‘political speech’
Zachary Leeman / The Messenger: YouTube Reverses Policy Banning 2020 Election Denial Content
Mike Krieger / Artifact News:
How Artifact will replace a clickbait title using GPT-4: first, only for users who request it, then a human reviewer may make the new title the default for all — At Artifact, we harness the power of AI and combine it with creative product design to improve the news & content experience for our users.
Discussion:
Alessandro Alviani / Generative AI in the Newsroom: Towards Accurate Quote-Aware Summarization of News using Generative AI
Nicholas Diakopoulos / @ndiakopoulos: In this post @alealviani walks us through the challenges of getting LLMs to rewrite or summarize news articles while keeping quotes accurate. It's non-trivial, but clever prompting gets us closer. Still, we need a human-in-the-loop for editing. https://generative-ai-newsroom.com/ ...
Shiva / @anconnoisseur: Systrom expresses confidence in the accuracy of the AI-rewritten headlines, stating they have been mostly accurate in their testing. Occasionally, the AI-generated titles may not be better, but they are not worse either.
Shiva / @anconnoisseur: @glenngabe @lilyraynyc A small feature but it can make waves throughout the new websites. Just wrote about this https://twitter.com/...
J Soma / @dangerscarf: Really appreciate the clear inclusion of the prompts! This sort of transparency is a quick route to community improvements. https://twitter.com/...
Shiva / @anconnoisseur: Systrom emphasizes that Artifact respects the editorial authority of publishers and writers. The AI rewriting feature is primarily targeted at the most severe cases of clickbait that cause problems for users.
Mike Krieger / @mikeyk: Had fun writing this with @kzh — what we learned around prompting GPT, and product design details for AI features, for our launch today of AI-powered headline rewriting https://medium.com/...
Ben Welsh / @palewire: 🎙️ “ChatGPT tends to rewrite quotations, even when explicitly instructed not to.” https://twitter.com/...
RELATED:
Ivan Mehta / TechCrunch:
Artifact, the news sharing app founded by Instagram's co-founders, plans to use a GPT-4 model to rewrite article headlines marked as clickbait by many users — Last month, the Artifact news app introduced an option for users to flag an article as clickbait.
Discussion:
The Verge, @glenngabe, Wired, The Wrap, @sippey.bsky.social and Gizmodo, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Glenn Gabe / @glenngabe: I wonder if Google will do this with Discover? :) -> Artifact news app now uses AI to rewrite headline of a clickbait article “They said that if a user marks a title as clickbait, the app calls on a GPT-4 model to rewrite the headline.” https://techcrunch.com/... @lilyraynyc [image]
Steven Levy / Wired: The Instagram Founders' New News App Is Actually an AI Play
Robert Carnevale / The Wrap: Artifact News App Fights Clickbait With AI: 'It's Basically Always Right'
Michael Sippey / @sippey.bsky.social: This must be a very busy team.
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: A.J. Brown, Twitter's head of brand safety and ad quality, is leaving the company, the second departure of a top safety executive this week — A.J. Brown's departure comes after Ella Irwin, company's head of trust and safety, left Thursday — Twitter lost its head of brand safety …
Discussion:
@zoeschiffer, Reuters, @alexacorse, @karaswisher, @edzitron, @larakate, @chetfaliszek, @rebel44cz, @charles_gaba, @niubi, @jason_kint, @golikehellmachi, The Information, @keithboykin, @loupas, @karlbode, @ubiquity75, @punished_cait, @oalexanderdk, Ars Technica, NBC 7 San Diego, Insider, The Register, Deadline and Fortune, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Zoë Schiffer / @zoeschiffer: I'm hearing that the Trust & Safety team has been told not to enforce Twitter's ad policy unless the ad is a scam or illegal. This has caused a headache for T&S as it rolls back stricter enforcement rules and has prompted questions about what to do w/ads containing hate speech.
Sheila Dang / Reuters: Twitter's head of brand safety and ad quality to leave
Alexa Corse / @alexacorse: NEW: Ella Irwin confirmed her departure was indeed related to Musk's tweet about the Daily Wire yesterday. https://www.wsj.com/... Comes after Musk also tweeted earlier today seeming to suggest it was related. [image]
Kara Swisher / @karaswisher: Such ACCOMPLISHMENTS over there: Twitter lost its head of brand safety and ad quality, people familiar with the matter said—the second departure of a safety executive this week https://www.wsj.com/...
Ed Zitron / @edzitron: I am beginning to wonder if Linda Yaccarino ever actually becomes Twitter's CEO https://twitter.com/...
Lara Cohen / @larakate: He's literally trying to fully destroy what remains of the ad business and tank a new CEO before she even starts? Business genius more like sociopath. https://twitter.com/...
Chet Faliszek / @chetfaliszek: Elon can gaslight all he wants posting how he respects diverse people but his actions will always reveal his true intentions. https://twitter.com/... [image]
Jakub Janovsky / @rebel44cz: Elon sabotaging Twitter episode 578629... https://twitter.com/...
@charles_gaba: Ahhh...Nazi memorabilia for sale coming soon to a Twitter ad near you! https://twitter.com/...
Jason Kint / @jason_kint: Nothing like a chief marketing officer of a brand valued in the billions discovering her creative is in a rotation with hate speech ads. Have fun, advertisers. https://twitter.com/...
@golikehellmachi: would bet they're also not enforcing ad policy if ads are scams or illegal, based on some of the promoted tweets that i have seen. https://twitter.com/...
Keith Boykin / @keithboykin: Twitter lost its head of brand safety and ad quality, the second departure of a top exec this week as the company struggles to persuade advertisers to return. Twitter has suffered an advertising exodus following Elon Musk's $44 billion takeover last year. https://www.wsj.com/...
Lou Paskalis / @loupas: The departure of @ajb_sf is an incredible loss for @Twitter from the perspectives of expertise, continuity and industry relations. Through all the turmoil, reduced resources and dismissal of 90% of the tech team that supported him, he held the line. 🫡 https://www.wsj.com/...
@ubiquity75: Advertisers might find this of concern. If they're still here at all. Twitter lost its head of brand safety and ad quality, people familiar with the matter said—the 2nd departure of a safety executive this week as the company tries to win back advertisers https://www.wsj.com/...
Cait / @punished_cait: “what to do about ads containing hate speech” uhhh. i have ideas https://twitter.com/...
Oliver Alexander / @oalexanderdk: This seems like a surefire way to make the large corporate ad spenders return to the platform. /s https://twitter.com/...
Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica: Twitter safety chief resigns after Musk criticizes decision to restrict film
Brandon Vigliarolo / The Register: Twitter loses second head of Trust and Safety under Musk
Bruce Haring / Deadline: Twitter Sees Two Key Ad-Related Executives Depart
Chris Roush / Talking Biz News:
Internal memo: Insider CEO Henry Blodget thanks all his staff, criticizes the Insider Union for its strike, and calls some of the contract demands “unworkable” — Insider chief executive officer Henry Blodget sent out the following after its editorial staff went on strike: — Team,
Discussion:
@insiderunion: Shout out to unit member @joeyraehadden for keeping us musically motivated and on beat! [video]
Brendan Griffith / @brndngrffth: @InsiderUnion is on strike! When workers form a union, labor law needs to protect them from employers' delay tactics and make sure that contracts are negotiated in good faith and that workers are shown respect! @CentralLaborNYC @nyguild @newsguild #1u #nycunionmade https://twitter.com/... [video]
Thanks:@talkingbiznews
RELATED:
@insiderunion:
Insider Union says Insider management failed to agree on a fair contract regarding health care and pay, resulting in 250 employees now on an indefinite strike
Insider Union says Insider management failed to agree on a fair contract regarding health care and pay, resulting in 250 employees now on an indefinite strike
Discussion:
@stokessamanthaj, The Daily Beast, nyguild.org, @noahhurowitz, @byklong, @daniellesmitle, @diamondnagasiu, @parismarx, @newsguild, @dubsrewatcher, @lydiakiesling, @arsheffey, @wenjwz, @gaufre, @lilykatzman, @jackdickey, @drrramina, @byklong, @brentgriffiths, @elainelow, @enerianna, The Wrap, @insiderunion and Talking Biz News
Discussion:
@stokessamanthaj: @InsiderUnion is still ON STRIKE! Yesterday, management refused to give us economic counter proposals during bargaining and said “see ya Monday.” We sure will — on the picket line!
Corbin Bolies / The Daily Beast: Insider Union Staffers Go on Strike After Steep Layoffs
Noah Hurowitz / @noahhurowitz: As a freelancer who is proud to work with the talented journalists of @InsiderUnion, I stand with these workers in their fight for a fair contract. Solidarity now, solidarity forever. Don't cross that picket line, folks https://twitter.com/... [image]
@byklong: Sources tell me Insider's editor in chief @NichCarlson is riding horses in Jackson Hole while @InsiderUnion employees are on strike. Nich, get off the horse and tell your representatives at the bargaining table that we need a fair contract and a settlement to our healthcare ULP.
@daniellesmitle: literally in awe at the energy @InsiderUnion still had at 4:30—some of them out on the line since 9 am!!!! striking nine to five what a way to make a living 🥹 [video]
Diamond Naga Siu / @diamondnagasiu: starting today, i'm on strike with my union. i didn't want to do this, but management gave us no choice support us by not crossing the digital picket line. don't: - click articles - watch videos - read newsletters 💔 - open the app - or engage with any of insider's content https://twitter.com/...
Paris Marx / @parismarx: Solidarity with Insider workers! I write for Insider pretty regularly, but won't be working on anything until this is over. https://twitter.com/...
@newsguild: Our family at @InsiderUnion is on strike. Do not click on any links for Insider. Do not cross the picket line. Stand with the workers fighting for a fair contract and for the company to follow the law.
@dubsrewatcher: My colleagues and I have spent two years fighting tooth and nail for a fair contract, only for @thisisinsider management to stall, stall, stall. Today I'm going on strike until we get the contract we deserve! Please don't click any Insider links or read any Insider articles! https://twitter.com/...
Lydia Kiesling / @lydiakiesling: I recently got a freelance assignment from @thisisinsider but obviously will not be working on that until @InsiderUnion gets a fair contract. Fellow freelancers, don't let management use you to fill the void left by the workers who make this publication! https://twitter.com/...
Ayelet Sheffey / @arsheffey: I'm on strike with my @InsiderUnion colleagues as we push for a fair contract. It's long overdue. https://twitter.com/...
Wen Zhuang / @wenjwz: 🪧 Insider on indefinite ULP strike! Don't click links! Pass it on! Solidarity! 🪧 https://twitter.com/...
@gaufre: I'm heading to NYC today for the start of the @InsiderUnion strike! ⚡️✊ It'd be real easy for management to agree to a fair contract and settle its unfair labor practices. Members are back at the bargaining table today. I'll see y'all soon! https://twitter.com/...
Lily Katzman / @lilykatzman: We're on strike! Beyond proud to stand by this incredible group and fight for what we deserve. ✊✊✊ Let's do this! https://twitter.com/...
Jack Dickey / @jackdickey: Management fucked around ... and now they'll find out! https://twitter.com/...
Amina Akhtar / @drrramina: More people at media outlets should strike. Absolutely here for this! https://twitter.com/...
@byklong: I'll be striking with my @InsiderUnion colleagues for as long as it takes for management to give us a fair deal that takes into account the illegal change to our healthcare last year. Settle our contract NOW @hblodget @nichcarlson @BLPeng @jessicaliebman @lyndsayhemphill. https://twitter.com/...
Brent D. Griffiths / @brentgriffiths: It's unfortunate we've come to this, but it was an entirely preventable outcome. I've watched as my colleagues have spent countless hours, days, and weeks trying to get us a fair deal. It's time for our leaders to do the same. https://twitter.com/...
Elaine Low / @elainelow: In other labor news, my last newsroom... is also on strike https://twitter.com/...
Ross A. Lincoln / The Wrap: Insider Editorial Staff Goes on Strike After Talks Over Health Care Plan Break Down
@insiderunion: To recap: Last year, management illegally changed our health insurance, resulting in increased costs for our members, and the NLRB has found merit to our charge against them.
Chris Roush / Talking Biz News: Insider editorial staffers are now striking
Gannett:
NPR News Vice President and Executive Editor Terence Samuel plans to join Gannett and lead USA Today as EIC, starting on July 10, 2023 — Veteran leaders promoted to advance local content and journalism across the USA TODAY Network — Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) today announced veteran journalist …
Discussion:
USA Today, New York Times, NPR, @saeed_ahmed, @sorayamcdonald, @davidfolkenflik and The Hill
Discussion:
Katie Robertson / New York Times: NPR's Terence Samuel Is Named Top Editor of USA Today
David Folkenflik / NPR: NPR's Terence Samuel to lead USA Today
Saeed Ahmed / @saeed_ahmed: Today in Boss People Making Boss Moves™️ Terry Samuel has done a lot for me and he'll no doubt do incredible things at @USATODAY https://www.businesswire.com/ ...
@sorayamcdonald: Kevin Merida running the LA Times. Terry Samuel running USA Today. I know what I'm playing! https://twitter.com/... [image]
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: FWIW, USAToday just released the announcement - intended for Monday - ahead of my reporting, based on multiple sources outside NPR. (As per NPR protocols for reporting on itself, Samuel had no input on our coverage.) Story to be posted imminently.
Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill: NPR boss Terence Samuel hired to run USA Today
Washington Post:
Timothy Burke's lawyer denies that his client “hacked Fox News” but does not say where Burke found the videos, instead offering a First Amendment rights defense — Federal investigators are probing the videos as a possible hack of Fox News. But a lawyer for a former Deadspin …
Discussion:
Michael Bishop / @miklb: Lawyer for @bubbaprog to WaPo “He never hacked Fox News,” Rasch said. “We are confident that when all the facts come out, it will be demonstrated that Timothy never hacked anyone and that all the information he provided was accessible to the public.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Jeremy Barr / @jeremymbarr: So, where did those Tucker Carlson videos come from? “If a video is posted, public, unencrypted, & unprotected, then there's simply no crime committed when a journalist like Tim finds it, reviews it, & accurately reports on it,” said @bubbaprog's lawyer. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
@washingtonpost: Days after Tucker Carlson's abrupt firing, unauthorized, behind-the-scenes videos leaked, showing the conservative pundit grousing about a variety of subjects and making uncouth remarks. Investigators are probing the videos as a possible hack of Fox News. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
The Guardian:
The BBC appoints Elan Closs Stephens as its acting chair starting on June 27, 2023, to lead the board for 12 months or until a permanent chair is appointed — BBC board member to assume role from 27 June after resignation of Richard Sharp — Prof Dame Elan Closs Stephens …
Discussion:
BBC, @annemcelvoy, @rasmus_kleis, @bpsmithuk, @rhodritd, @lswalescddcymru, Variety, @lucyfrazermp, @adrian_hilton, @gillibrandpeter, The i Paper, Reuters, GOV.UK, The Mirror, Bloomberg, BBC and The Hollywood Reporter
Discussion:
Dame Elan Closs Stephens / BBC: Acting Chair of the BBC appointed
Anne Mcelvoy / @annemcelvoy: The govt/BBC embraces emeritus academic as chair (for a year). Telling example of why the “politically neutral” spec leads to beta solutions, when the BBC needs robust leadership for broadcast challenges at home and beyond. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Rasmus Kleis Nielsen / @rasmus_kleis: Communications Professor (and much more) Elan Closs Stephens appointed Acting Chair of the BBC. Nerd in me sorta wish this had come out during #ICA23. Half hope all in the BBC who have made snide remarks about degrees in communications are reconsidering! https://www.bbc.co.uk/...
@bpsmithuk: I know very little about Professor Stephens. But I feel that it's *far better* for someone who has served as a BBC Governor for 13 years without getting their name in the headlines to be made Chairman of the BBC than some random political Tory mate https://www.theguardian.com/ ...
Rhodri Talfan Davies / @rhodritd: Llongyfarchiadau mawr Elan. We're in great hands. Super-smart, generous and deeply passionate about public broadcasting across the UK. And I reckon the very first Welsh chair of the BBC! https://twitter.com/...
@lswalescddcymru: Dame Elan Closs Stephens FLSW has been named as the Acting Chair at the BBC. Dame Elan has been on the BBC Board since 2017, is also Pro Chancellor of Aberystwyth University and Electoral Commissioner for Wales. https://twitter.com/... [image]
Lucy Frazer / @lucyfrazermp: Today I am pleased to appoint Dame Elan Closs Stephens as Acting Chair of @BBC board. Dame Elan will take over on 27 June & provide stability & leadership at the BBC in the months ahead. https://www.gov.uk/... [image]
Adrian Hilton / @adrian_hilton: Delighted to see a @SomervilleOx alumna appointed Acting Chair of the BBC Board. Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens will be excellent. https://twitter.com/...
Peter Gillibrand / @gillibrandpeter: The UK Government has announced that the former Chair of S4C, Dame Elan Closs Stephens, is the new Acting Chair of the BBC. https://twitter.com/...
Alannah Francis / The i Paper: Dame Elan Closs Stephens named BBC chair after Richard Sharp linked to Boris Johnson
Gabriela Mello / Bloomberg: Elan Closs Stephens Named as Acting Chair of BBC From June 27
Rachel Russell / BBC: Dame Elan Closs Stephens appointed acting BBC chairwoman
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter: BBC Names Elan Closs Stephens Acting Chair
Bloomberg:
Sources: Jemele Hill is leaving Spotify, which has exclusively distributed her Jemele Hill Is Unbothered podcast and her Unbothered Network of shows since 2019 — Another prominent podcaster is leaving Spotify Technology SA, as the company reverses many of its biggest investments in original audio and loses yet another Black voice.
Discussion:
The Wrap, @tonetalks, Awful Announcing, The Hollywood Reporter, @bw and @ashleyrcarman
Discussion:
Robert Carnevale / The Wrap: ‘Unbothered’ Podcast Host Jemele Hill Is in Discussions to Leave Spotify
Antonio Moore / @tonetalks: Celebrity Black Business Apocalypse. Jemele Hill to search for a new home leaving Spotify. “Another prominent podcaster is leaving Spotify Technology SA, as the company reverses many of its biggest investments in original audio..” https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Andrew Bucholtz / Awful Announcing: Jemele Hill reportedly in talks to leave Spotify
J. Clara Chan / The Hollywood Reporter: Jemele Hill Seeks New Home for ‘Unbothered’ Podcast As Spotify Exclusive Deal Set to End
J. Clara Chan / The Hollywood Reporter:
SEC filing: Nasdaq warns BuzzFeed that it risks delisting for not meeting the $1/share minimum, giving BuzzFeed until November 27, 2023 to raise its stock price — The media company, led by CEO Jonah Peretti, has until Nov. 27 to bring up its stock price, according to an SEC filing.
Discussion:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Vimeo plans to end support for its Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, and Roku apps on June 27, 2023, saying casting will give users a “better ongoing experience” — Vimeo is ending support for its existing TV apps — with the video management and hosting provider telling customers they'll have a …
Discussion:
Vimeo Help Center, Engadget, MakeUseOf, iClarified, @hamrahrama, Digital Trends, @tedgeoghegan, TechHive, Neowin, @xpangler, @variety, 9to5Google, The Streamable, Deadline and The Messenger
Discussion:
Jon Fingas / Engadget: Vimeo will stop supporting its TV apps on June 27th
Dan Price / MakeUseOf: The Best TV Remote Apps for Android and iPhone
@hamrahrama: .@Vimeo losing money, laying off employees, but getting rid of their TV app because users will have “a better ongoing experience” by using video-casting instead. https://variety.com/...
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends: Vimeo is killing off its TV apps in favor of casting
Ted Geoghegan / @tedgeoghegan: Dear @Vimeo. I use your app to do everything. Does this mean I cannot watch any of the hundreds of videos I have saved in my “Watch Later” list to my TV? Come on... [image]
Ben Patterson / TechHive: Vimeo is tuning out its streaming TV apps
Aditya Tiwari / Neowin: Vimeo to shut down all of its TV streaming apps later this month
Todd Spangler / @xpangler: ICYMI Vimeo Is Shutting Down Its TV Apps This Month https://variety.com/... via @variety
@variety: Vimeo is ending support for its existing TV apps — with the video management and hosting provider telling customers they'll have a “better ongoing experience” by using video-casting features instead. https://variety.com/...
Ben Schoon / 9to5Google: Vimeo is killing its Android TV, Apple TV, and other apps in favor of casting
Jeff Kotuby / The Streamable: Vimeo is Ending Support for All TV Apps in Lieu of Video Casting Features
Charlotte Phillipp / The Messenger: Vimeo Announces Shut Down of All TV Apps