Top News:
Meg James / Los Angeles Times:
In a memo to staff, Los Angeles Times Executive Editor Kevin Merida announces he is stepping down on January 12, two-and-a-half years after joining the newsroom — Los Angeles Times Executive Editor Kevin Merida announced Tuesday that he was stepping down 2½ years after joining …
Discussion:
@benmullin, Mediaite, The Wrap, Variety, New York Times, Talking Biz News, Deadline, @jonnypeltz, @simonesnews, @benmullin, @raineytime, The Hollywood Reporter, @maxwelltani and @megjameslat
Thomas Germain / Gizmodo:
X suspended several podcasters and journalists, including The Intercept's Ken Klippenstein and Texas Observer's Steven Monacelli, with little to no explanation — Elon Musk's “free speech” social media platform banned a number of accounts recently critical of Israel.
Discussion:
VICE, Mediaite, TechCrunch, @lucas_shaw, Futurism, @stevanzetti, @kenklippenstein, New Republic, The Daily Beast, @esqueer_@threads.net, @texasobserver.org, @skippyosint, @stevanzetti.bsky.social, @esqueer_, @marionumber4, @brendelbored.bsky.social, @32mbit.bsky.social, @erininthemorn, @thelincoln, @markamesexiled, @wolfiesmiffed.bsky.social, @tvscarlkinsella, @elizabethbrossa, @whstancil and @themaxburns, more at Techmeme »
Kashish Tandon / Reuters:
India's Zee Entertainment remains committed to its $10B Sony India merger, calling media reports of the deal falling through “baseless and factually incorrect” — India's Zee Entertainment (ZEE.NS) on Tuesday said it was committed to its merger with Sony's (6758.T) local arm …
Discussion:
Financial Times, Advanced Television, Anto Antony on LinkedIn and Bloomberg
RELATED:
Julie Jargon / Wall Street Journal:
Meta plans to start automatically restricting teen Instagram and Facebook accounts from harmful content, including posts about self-harm, in the coming weeks — Efforts to curb harmful material and reduce unwanted interactions with teen social-media accounts come as states sue parent company Meta
Discussion:
Meta, Reuters, CNN, TechCrunch, @andymstone, The Verge, The Hill, NPR, Ricardo Dalmaso Marques on LinkedIn and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »
Sara Fischer / Axios:
On Wednesday, CNBC plans to launch a $99 paid course on job interviewing, its first, part of a new educational venture developed by its “Make It” franchise — CNBC on Wednesday will debut its first paid course as part of a new educational venture developed by the editorial team behind CNBC's …
Discussion:
Talking Biz News
Gene Maddaus / Variety:
SAG-AFTRA signs a deal with AI voiceover company Replica Studios, requiring consent to create voice replicas for use in video games and safe storage of assets — The union announced the deal with Replica Studios on Tuesday at CES in Las Vegas. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union's executive director …
Discussion:
SAG-AFTRA, Bloomberg, @GreenFire@mstdn.social and The Hollywood Reporter
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Fox Corp. debuts Verify, a blockchain protocol developed with Polygon Labs for media companies to register content and grant usage rights to AI companies — Fox Corp., one of the largest media companies in the U.S., has publicly debuted a new blockchain platform called Verify …
Discussion:
Variety, The Wrap, The Information, TechCrunch, CoinDesk, TVNewsCheck and @bgrueskin
New York Times:
Elections and disinfo are colliding like never before in 2024, as social networks reduce protections and state influence campaigns and AI-fueled disinfo ramp up — A wave of elections coincides with state influence operations, a surge of extremism, A.I. advances and a pullback in social media protections.
Discussion:
@brennancenter, more at Techmeme »
Nic Newman / Reuters Institute:
Survey of 314 news leaders from 56 countries: just 47% say they are confident about journalism's 2024 prospects; 63% worry about declining social media traffic — The disruptive power of artificial intelligence (AI) will sweep through the information space this year at a time of intense political …
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
X announces exclusive original programming and content deals, including shows hosted by Don Lemon, former Fox Sports host Jim Rome, and Tulsi Gabbard — The tech company also announced a 10-show deal with Range Media Partners, and a deal with Tulsi Gabbard.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Bloomberg, TVLine, The Hill, The Wrap, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, The Daily Beast, The Verge, @mxvh.bsky.social, @ken-w.us, @justinbaragona, @shaunmmaguire, @lulumeservey, @kevincollier, @tuckercarlson, Reclaim The Net, @elonmusk, @donlemon, @fbihop.bsky.social, @keithedwards@threads.net, @popecrocodylus.bsky.social, The Daily Caller, @bubbaprog.ilovecitr.us, @misterjayem.bsky.social, Politico, @streetsajed.bsky.social, @jillian.bsky.social, @jzembik.bsky.social, @kevinmkruse.bsky.social, @theoneleila.bsky.social, @outerbororoyal.bsky.social, @dell.bsky.social, @aaronvandorn.bsky.social, @golikehellmachine.bsky.social, @insidejoke.bsky.social, @earnestpettie.com, @bartenderhemry.bsky.social, @daveanthony.bsky.social, Deadline, @tressiemcphd.bsky.social, @apocalypticanow.bsky.social, @russbengtson.bsky.social, @xbusiness, @jimrome, @xbusiness and @tulsigabbard
Radio & Television Business Report:
iHeartMedia partners with supply-side platform Magnite to offer advertisers a single entry point for audio ads on its radio, streaming, and podcast platforms — It's something championed and pioneered on the TV side of the linear media business by NBCUniversal.
Discussion:
Inside Radio, @magnite, RADIO ONLINE and Magnite
Mia Sato / The Verge:
How the internet reshaped itself around Google's search algorithms, including via SEO tricks, and the company's role in many websites now using similar designs — How the internet reshaped itself around Google's search algorithms — and into a world where websites look the same. — Animations by Richard Parry