Mediagazer: A look at instances of the US criminalizing routine journalism in 2023, from arrests or detainments to courts demanding that journalists identify their sources (Stephanie Sugars/U.S. Press Freedom Tracker)

10:05 PM ET, December 23, 2023

Top News:

Liam Reilly / CNN:

The Washington Post Guild reaches a tentative deal on a new contract, guaranteeing employee essential rights, securing raises, and nearly doubling salary floors — The Washington Post Guild, the union that represents roughly 1,000 of the newspaper's staffers, reached a tentative agreement Friday …

Discussion: @postguild, @postguild, @farhip, @gaufre, @benmullin, @maxwelltani, @postguild, The Messenger, New York Times, Washingtonian, The Hill, The Daily Beast, Fox News and Reuters

Andrew Beaujon / Washingtonian:

The Washington Post Guild says “the company seems to have exceeded its buyout goal” — Managers “are attempting to bribe some colleagues to stay,” the Washington Post Guild told members Tuesday. — More people than expected have volunteered to take buyouts from the Washington Post …

Discussion: The Daily Beast, CNN, New York Post, Talking Biz News and Poynter

New York Times:

Sources: Apple discussed multiyear deals worth $50M+ with publishers including NBC News, Condé Nast, and IAC to train its generative AI systems on news articles — The company has discussed multiyear deals worth at least $50 million to train its generative A.I. systems on publishers' news articles.

Ken White / The Popehat Report:

Substack brands itself as avoiding value judgments, but its justification for allowing certain offensive speech is full of value judgments, chosen to make money — Dealing With Nazis, Or Not, Can Be A Brand. Substack's Monetizing It. — Substack has Nazis, because of course it does.

Richard Lawler / The Verge:
Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie doubles down on not moderating Nazi content, after 200+ authors criticize the company for “platforming and monetizing Nazis”

Discussion: @Tupp_ed@mastodon.ie, Business Insider, Substack, @zitron.bsky.social, @ryanvis@a2mi.social, @gerryconway, @davezatz, @gartenberg, @paul@oldfriends.live, @renee.diresta@threads.net, @timothyjchambers@threads.net, @aaronrosspowell@threads.net, @daveleebbg@threads.net, @ricmac@threads.net, @tchambers@indieweb.social, @matt@matthewbogart.com, @darylbaxter@mastodon.social, @A_C_McGregor@topspicy.social, @idoubtit@mstdn.social, @overholt@glammr.us, Substack, Substack, @dougiec3@libretooth.gr, @ernie.tedium.co, @jessdkant.bsky.social, @drskyskull.bsky.social, @jessdkant.bsky.social, @kevinnewburn.bsky.social, @bextraordinary.bsky.social, @hankgreen@threads.net, @wfnycraig@threads.net, @grantmcconnaughey@threads.net, @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social, @reckless1280@threads.net, @jessdkant.bsky.social, @jkottke@threads.net, @sepinwall.bsky.social, @foglandia@threads.net, @quillmatiq@threads.net, @sethcotlar.bsky.social, @sethcotlar.bsky.social, @sethcotlar.bsky.social, @adamserwer.bsky.social, @cmfederico.bsky.social, @glecharles@zirk.us, Writing Exchange, @leavittalone.bsky.social, @runwithskizzers.bsky.social, @melissagiragrant.com and @marisakabas.bsky.social

Stephanie Sugars / U.S. Press Freedom Tracker:

A look at instances of the US criminalizing routine journalism in 2023, from arrests or detainments to courts demanding that journalists identify their sources — Stephanie Sugars from Freedom of the Press Foundation — Charges criminalized routine newsgathering, from seeking comment to protecting sources

Discussion: TucsonSentinel.com, Freedom of the Press … and Poynter

Current:

An excerpt from the book What Works in Community News on the digital nonprofit NJ Spotlight News, which launched in May 2010 and was acquired by NJ PBS in 2019 — Amid the crisis in local news, there are signs of hope as new media outlets arise to address community concerns and deliver vital information.

Discussion: Media Nation

Paul Sawers / TechCrunch:

Spotify pulls support for two music festivals in France, in protest against a new tax that would impose a levy of 1.5% to 1.75% on all music streaming services — Spotify is pulling support for two music festivals in protest against a controversial new tax directed at music-streaming platforms operating …

Discussion: The Hill, The Verge, NME and Digital Music News

Tory Shepherd / The Guardian:

Australian ABC radio journalist Antoinette Lattouf files an unlawful termination claim, saying she was fired over her social media posts on the Israel-Hamas war — Journalist's submission seeks a declaration the ABC breached the Fair Work Act, compensation and a penalty for the broadcaster

Discussion: Mumbrella, Sydney Morning Herald, @Qldaah@aus.social, Mumbrella, Crikey and ABC

Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:

Lionsgate unveils a deal to spin off its studios business, comprising its TV and movie divisions and a 20K-title library, via a SPAC merger at a $4.6B valuation — The Hollywood giant has tied up with a blank check company to create a separately traded public company and eventually separate its studio businesss from Starz.

Discussion: Reuters, Forbes, The Information, Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Advanced Television, Axios, The Wrap, ComingSoon.net, Bloomberg, Variety, Deadline and Cord Cutters News, more at Techmeme »

Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:

A look at the financial pressures on National Amusements and Paramount, as Shari Redstone weighs a sale of her family's controlling stake in National Amusements — She fought to keep control of her family's media empire. Now she's considering an exit as financial pressures mount.

Discussion: New York Post, @benmullin, Variety, Awful Announcing, Financial Times, TrekMovie.com and New York Post

Reuters:
Some analysts say a WBD and Paramount merger would likely leave the companies “worse off”: billions deeper in debt and saddled with dying traditional TV assets

Discussion: The Verge, iMore, Ars Technica, Cord Cutters News, Adweek, Daring Fireball, Deadline, Variety, Insider Intelligence, Vanity Fair, Fast Company, KEYT-TV, The Wrap, @bruienne@infosec.exchange, Broadband TV News and Barrett Media

Albany Times Union:

A hyperlocal site falsely reported a murder in Newburgh, New York, prompting a debate about its media ethics and the city's policy for handling media inquiries — A hyperlocal news site falsely reports a killing, and city officials pounce — NEWBURGH — On Dec. 4, a hyperlocal digital news site based …

Discussion: @revkin and @brianstelter@threads.net

Ashley Joannou / Canadian Press:

Local News Research Project: 36 local news outlets closed in Canada in 2023 through December 1; 29 were community papers and seven were private radio stations — Online News Act: Canada caps how much private broadcasters will get from Google deal — Jessica Wallace stood in Ottawa's Rideau Hall …

Lauren Leffer / Scientific American:

In five experiments, encouraging people to use search engines to evaluate the veracity of fake news posts increased the likelihood of them being rated as true — Data voids in search results can lead down rabbit holes that bolster belief in fake news — Politics

Discussion: The Indian Express and @michellemanafy@journa.host

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More News:

BBC:
Investigation: Russia-linked The DC Weekly, which features AI-written “news” stories and “reporters” with fake names and photos, fueled a false Zelenskyy claim

Winston Cho / The Hollywood Reporter:
A jury awards VFX company Rearden ~$600K after finding Disney knew the company may be infringing on copyright by using MOVA Contour to make Beauty and the Beast

Discussion: ComingSoon.net, Reuters and The Wrap

Robinhood Newsroom:
Robinhood's Sherwood Media acquires UK-based Chartr Limited, a “data-driven media company and newsletter publisher”, to complement Sherwood's Snacks newsletter

Discussion: James Denis on LinkedIn, Jack Pilcher on LinkedIn, Scott Marino on LinkedIn, @joshuatopolsky@threads.net and David Crowther on LinkedIn

Trei Brundrett / American Journalism Project:
A look at the American Journalism Project's Product & AI Studio, launched with OpenAI in summer 2023 to explore how to apply emerging tech in local journalism

Discussion: @pattypslutsky, @gdb, @journalismproj and @openai

Reuters:
Analysis: ABBA Voyage, the London show performed by 3D avatars of the band created using motion capture, made £322.6M in revenue in the 12 months since May 2022

Discussion: @carnage4life@mas.to

Earlier Picks:

Arlene Getz / Committee to Protect Journalists:
At least 68 journalists have been killed in the first 10 weeks of the Israel-Hamas war, more than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year

Discussion: ScheerPost, Committee to Protect …, Washington Post, Reporters Without Borders, Caitlin Johnstone, @brianstelter, @pressfreedom, Mohamed Mandour on LinkedIn, Associated Press, Voice of America, Sarika Bansal on LinkedIn, Peter Rinko on LinkedIn, Dr. Otilia Rocha Vieira on LinkedIn, Ayman Fahmy on LinkedIn, Reuters, The Guardian and Committee to Protect …

Christopher Dring / GamesIndustry.biz:
Sony reaches an “updated licensing agreement” with Warner Bros. Discovery to keep over 1,300 Discovery TV shows on PlayStation “for at least the next 30 months”

Discussion: @bradlinder@fosstodon.org, Thurrott, The Streamable, The Sun, Engadget, @cawlins_corner, @mjarbo, @nick_marseil, The Verge, Neowin and Cord Cutters News

Bron Maher / Press Gazette:
Slow news outlet Tortoise Media reports a £4.6M loss before taxes in 2022, up 45% YoY, revenue up 15% YoY to £6.24M, and 73 employees

Business Insider:
Ozy Media sues Ben Smith, Semafor, and BuzzFeed, alleging Smith used the failed BuzzFeed-Ozy merger to sabotage Ozy and steal its business model for Semafor

Discussion: @katienotopoulos@threads.net, @bgrueskin, @jayshams, @bmorrissey, @jeremymbarr, New York Post, Variety, The Wrap, Dr. Nehemiah J. Mabry on LinkedIn and Reuters

From Techmeme:

Financial Times:
The EC's president says the EU won't revisit its “untouchable” rules, like the DMA, and could tax digital ad revenue, hitting Meta and Google, if US talks fail

Tripp Mickle / New York Times:
Sources: Tim Cook approved doubling Apple's AI chips budget in 2023 after John Giannandrea sought more GPUs, but CFO Luca Maestri cut the increase to under half

Erin Woo / The Information:
Source: Google cuts hundreds of employees in its platforms and devices unit, which works on Android, Pixel, and Chrome, after offering buyouts in January 2025

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