Top News:
Kate Knibbs / Wired:
A look at women's blog The Hairpin, which has been resurrected by a Serbian DJ after its 2018 shutdown and is now filled with SEO-optimized, AI-generated trash — Beloved women's website The Hairpin shut down in 2018. This month it returned from the dead to churn out AI clickbait.
Mark Sweney / The Guardian:
A profile of Anna Jones, Telegraph Media Group's first female CEO, who took over at possibly the most tumultuous time in the rightwing title's 169-year history — The first woman to lead the Telegraph Media Group has been described as ‘extraordinarily energetic, motivated and driven’
Discussion:
@pressgazette and Press Gazette
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Reuters:
A Moscow сourt extends the custody of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich to March 30, 2024 as he awaits trial; Gershkovich can appeal within three days — A Moscow сourt extended the custody of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich by two months on Friday as he awaits trial on spying charges that he denies.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Committee to Protect …, Axios, Irish News, 6abc, Fox News and Voice of America
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Analysis: conservative calculations put media job losses at over 650 people so far in January, compared to around 983 journalism cuts in January 2023 — Big losses at likes of Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated and Mediahuis Ireland in the first weeks of 2024.
Discussion:
@pressgazette and National Union of Journalists …
Cameron Joseph / Columbia Journalism Review:
As newspapers cut DC reporters, they can no longer pressure legislators on local issues or inform readers about their legislators' performance — This week sucked. — On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times laid off 115 people, more than 20 percent of its total staff.
Jason Koebler / 404 Media:
404 Media outlines the reasons it wants to reach readers directly via email, including social media fragmentation and AI spam making discoverability tougher — Join the newsletter to get the latest updates. — Success — Great! Check your inbox and click the link. — Error
Discussion:
@cwarzel@threads.net, @thebrianpenny@threads.net, @shellsharks@infosec.exchange, @josephfcox, @chronotope, @tnewmstweet, @jason_koebler, @josephfcox, @neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk, @josephfcox, @jeffjarvis, Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai on LinkedIn, @jeffjarvis@threads.net, 404 Media, @josephfcox, @berkowitzbt and @josephfcox
Alex Weprin / Hollywood Reporter:
Axios launches Axios Entertainment, a new studio division that will develop and produce original nonfiction films and TV shows — The company has projects in development with Tom Brady's Shadow Lion, Chrissy Teigen's Huntley Productions, Media Res, Guy Ritchie, Mark Wahlberg's Unrealistic Ideas, among others.
Discussion:
The Wrap, @jimvandehei, @markhorowitz and @alex
Joseph Hudak / Rolling Stone:
A group of investors including country singer Morgan Wallen buy Field & Stream, with plans to relaunch it as a brand and biannual print magazine — The country stars will relaunch the hunting, fishing, and outdoors brand digitally, in print, and through a live music festival
Discussion:
@fieldandstream, @mediaevan, Variety and Billboard
Ben Thompson / Stratechery:
Q&A with Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters on not launching an app on the Apple Vision Pro, the WWE deal, content strategy, ads, competition, gaming, bundles, and more — I am pleased to welcome Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters for a Stratechery Interview. Peters was named the co-CEO of Netflix …
Winston Cho / Hollywood Reporter:
George Carlin's estate sues Dudesy over its comedy special featuring an AI George Carlin, alleging copyright infringement and right of publicity violations — “We have to draw a line in the sand,” says daughter Kelly Carlin, who sued creators of an hourlong special titled 'George Carlin: I'm Glad I'm Dead.'
Discussion:
The Verge, Variety, BGR, Fortune, TMZ.com, Engadget, @sarahspain, Consequence, @gianmarcosoresi, CBS News, MyStateline.com, @iwriteok, @aifray, @satiristas, @reallyndacarter, Emil Protalinski on LinkedIn, @wkamaubell, Mashable, The Hill, Gizmodo, The A.V. Club, @lorakolodny@threads.net, Comic Book, United States District Court Central District of California, Rolling Stone and The Wrap, more at Techmeme »
Hanaa' Tameez / Nieman Lab:
How disagreements between the Los Angeles Times and the LA Times Guild over seniority protections resulted in more than 60 journalists of color being laid off — Disagreements between the LA Times and its Guild over seniority protections ended in more than 60 journalists of color being laid off.
Discussion:
@marinashutup, @suhaunah, @stufalk, @tatecurtis, @raeoflion, @raminskibba, @suhaunah, @froomkin and @sarahscire
Deadline:
Marie Donoghue, former vice president of global sports video at Amazon's Prime Video, joins DraftKings as its chief business & growth officer — UPDATE: Marie Donoghue is the new Chief Business & Growth Officer at gaming company DraftKings. — In her new role, Donoghue will work closely …
Discussion:
@austinkarp, @draftkingsnews, Sports Media Watch, New York Post, Awful Announcing, DraftKings and Sportico
Sara Salinas / CNBC:
In a memo, Paramount CEO Bob Bakish announces layoffs, citing a need to “operate as a leaner company and spend less”; he did not disclose the size of the cuts — - Paramount CEO Bob Bakish announced layoffs at the media company. — He did not disclose how many jobs the company would cut.
Discussion:
Axios, Yahoo Finance, Observer, Variety, NBC Bay Area, NME, Broadband TV News, @weareyourfek, @madisonmills22, @tracytran, The Wrap, Benzinga, Adweek, Reuters, Deadline, Bloomberg, The Hill and The Messenger
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