Top News:
Wall Street Journal:
Some publishers estimate that Google's Search Generative Experience will cut referral traffic by 20% to 40% if the final version works like current iterations — Tech giant's AI-powered search product is being tested on roughly 10 million users; publishers rely on Google for traffic and see a gathering storm
James Bennet / The Economist:
Ex-NYT editor James Bennet chronicles how fewer jobs for young reporters, the NYT's business model, and new ideals have led to “illiberal bias” at the paper — America's media should do more to equip readers to think for themselves — Are we truly so precious?
Discussion:
David D. Tawil on LinkedIn, Ron Fournier on LinkedIn, Kimberly Lau on LinkedIn, @asveenstra.bsky.social, @nhannahjones, @froomkin.bsky.social, @poniewozik@threads.net, @peterhimler.bsky.social, @asymmetricinfo, @macloo.bsky.social, @mrianleslie, @lugaricano, @benklinepoet, @lionelbarber, @bigmeaninternet, @emilyctamkin, @macloo.bsky.social, @macloo.bsky.social, @macloo.bsky.social, @charlesornstein, @karenho.bsky.social, @schreckreports, @awgordon.bsky.social, @cingraham.bsky.social, @macloo.bsky.social, @dicktofel, @shashj, @karaswisher@threads.net, @michaelhobbes.bsky.social and @codendahl
Parker Molloy / The Present Age:
Two letters, both signed by dozens of Substack writers, criticize and defend the platform's approach to hosting and monetizing Nazis and white nationalists — Last month, The Atlantic published a piece by Jonathan Katz titled “Substack Has a Nazi Problem.”
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Mother Jones and the Center for Investigative Reporting plan to merge in early 2024 with Monika Bauerlein as CEO and Clara Jeffery leading the combined newsroom — The combined newsroom will have more than 70 people. — Mother Jones and the Center for Investigative Reporting will merge next year …
Discussion:
@davidcorn1@threads.net, @dicktofel@threads.net and @_lizweil@threads.net
Jaspreet Singh / Reuters:
Sensor Tower: 51 of the top 100 US advertisers on Twitter in October 2022, when Elon Musk bought the company, have ceased ad spending on X as of November 2023 — Big U.S. companies including Walt Disney and Comcast increased advertising spending on Instagram after pausing commercials on X last month …
Discussion:
New York Post, Los Angeles Times and National Review, more at Techmeme »
CNBC:
Nelson Peltz's Trian nominates him and former Disney CFO Jay Rasulo to Disney's board as the fund wages its proxy battle with the media giant — - Trian Fund Management said it was nominating Nelson Peltz and former Walt Disney CFO Jay Rasulo to the media company's board.
Emma Roth / The Verge:
YouTube updates its TV app to show longer but less frequent ad breaks, after testing since September 2023, and now shows a countdown in the bottom-right corner — The next time you sit down to watch YouTube on your TV, you might notice fewer ads breaking up the video you're watching.
Discussion:
The Messenger and 9to5Google, more at Techmeme »
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Film discussion and review app Letterboxd adds showtimes for paying members in the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, and more, using aggregator Assemble's data — The film discussion and discovery platform wants users to see movies after reading about them. — Since its founding in 2011 …
Discussion:
Letterboxd and Variety
Umar Shakir / The Verge:
Google plans to test Tracking Protection and blocking third-party cookies on January 4 for ~1% of Chrome users globally, ahead of a phased rollout in H2 2024 — Google is about to launch its grand plan to block third-party cookies in Chrome that many websites use to track your activity across the web for profit.
Discussion:
Gizmodo, The Keyword and 9to5Google, more at Techmeme »
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
Punchbowl News buys legislation data company Electo Analytics, sources say in a deal valuing Punchbowl at $100M+, and plans to raise its price by $50 in January — The congressional news start-up is doubling down on information for its audience of Capitol Hill obsessives.
Discussion:
Anna Palmer on LinkedIn
Dan Primack / Axios:
Vivendi says it is weighing splitting into three businesses: TV platform Canal+, ad agency Havas, and an investment firm that will include publisher Lagardère — French media and entertainment group Vivendi said that it's weighing a split into three separate businesses.
Discussion:
Broadband TV News, Reuters and Wall Street Journal
Drew Harwell / Washington Post:
A Pew survey of US adults finds that ~38% support a federal TikTok ban, down from 50% in March 2023; Republicans' rate of support for a ban fell from 60% to 50% — A new Pew survey suggests that the Republican-led push to ban the app will face a huge challenge in persuading voters, many of whom use the app themselves.
Discussion:
Vox, Fox Business, Pew Research Center, The Hill and New York Times
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