Top News:
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:
The Wrap, @nhannahjones, @karenho.bsky.social, Kimberly Lau on LinkedIn, @peterhimler.bsky.social, @asymmetricinfo, @poniewozik@threads.net, @macloo.bsky.social, @mrianleslie, @lugaricano, David D. Tawil on LinkedIn, @benklinepoet, @lionelbarber, @bigmeaninternet, @emilyctamkin, @macloo.bsky.social, @froomkin.bsky.social, Ron Fournier on LinkedIn, @macloo.bsky.social, @asveenstra.bsky.social, @macloo.bsky.social, @charlesornstein, @nhannahjones, @karenho.bsky.social, @schreckreports, @awgordon.bsky.social, @cingraham.bsky.social, @macloo.bsky.social, @dicktofel, @shashj, @karaswisher@threads.net, @michaelhobbes.bsky.social and @codendahl
Wall Street Journal:
Putin says he hopes to “find a solution” regarding the detention of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, who lost another court appeal on December 14 for his release — Russian president says he hopes to ‘find a solution’ regarding Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, who are both in Russian custody
Discussion:
The Moscow Times, Voice of America, Talking Biz News, HuffPost, CNN, The Detroit News, NPR, CBS News, New York Times, The Wrap, UPI, WKYC-TV, Bloomberg, The Sun, The Hill and New York Post
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
Cristina Criddle / Financial Times:
UK regulator Ofcom investigates TikTok over concerns the company supplied “inaccurate” information about its parental controls; TikTok blames a technical issue — Ofcom's investigation comes amid intensified efforts to protect children from harmful online material
Discussion:
The Guardian, Ofcom and BBC, more at Techmeme »
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 …
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:
Mother Jones, Nieman Lab, @davidcorn1@threads.net, @dicktofel@threads.net and @_lizweil@threads.net
Joseph Pimentel / Spectrum News 1:
Over half of nearly 125 members of the SCNG Guild planned a one-day strike Thursday amid protracted contract talks with Alden's Southern California News Group — LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The union representing Southern California newspaper reporters, photographers and others plans to hold …
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:
Social Media Today, MarTech, The Keyword, Gizmodo and 9to5Google, more at Techmeme »
Emma Roth / The Verge:
YouTube updates its TV app to show longer but less frequent ad breaks, after testing since September 2023, and adds a countdown timer 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:
Radio & Television …, The Messenger and 9to5Google, 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.
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.”
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:
Financial Times, Broadband TV News, Reuters and Wall Street Journal