Top News:
Bloomberg:
Reddit closes up 48%, at $50.44 per share, in its New York Stock Exchange debut, valuing the company at about $9.5B on a fully diluted basis — - Social media company, holders raised $748 Million in IPO … The San Francisco-based company's stock closed at $50.44 each on Thursday in New York …
Discussion:
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New York Times:
A survey finds US states have distributed over $25B to film incentive programs since 2002, but independent experts find the programs are break-even at best — Dozens of states have lured film and TV production with financial incentives. Years after gutting its program during a budget crisis, Michigan wants to rejoin the arms race.
Discussion:
Variety, @joegalarn, @mariadoulis, Axel W. Caballero on LinkedIn, @tonyromm, @chriskuo17, @fgiroldini and Simon Pulman on LinkedIn
David Ingram / NBC News:
Changing policy, X bans the posting of real names of people behind anonymous accounts, after it suspended accounts that unmasked a suspected neo-Nazi cartoonist — Some X users said the move was another example of Musk going out of his way to defend neo-Nazis, antisemites and white supremacists.
Aftermath:
Kotaku EIC Jen Glennon, who joined in October 2023, resigns, citing in a letter the management team's recent decision to deprioritize news in favor of guides — Jen Glennon, who took over as editor in chief of Kotaku in October, resigned Thursday. In a resignation letter seen by Aftermath …
Discussion:
@davidgross_man, @jeremypgordon, @leadergrev, @zwiezenz, The Daily Beast, @joeljohnson, @alyssa_merc, @momozuch, @robaeprice@threads.net, @iamasarch, @jasonkoebler@mastodon.social, @jeremysmiles, @mhoye@mastodon.social, @transgamerthink, @xoxogossipgita, @damagecontrolblog …, @benjamin_goggin_@threads.net, @tamoorh, @carolynmichelle, @shepardcdr, @hellojenglen and @lainnafader
Kanishka Singh / Reuters:
Tennessee passes the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act, aiming to protect musicians and other artists from unauthorized use involving AI — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill into law on Thursday that aimed to protect artists including musicians from unauthorized use by artificial intelligence.
Neel Dhanesha / Nieman Lab:
Julia Angwin says Proof News aims to use “the scientific method” for investigative journalism, and expand beyond tech to cover corporate accountability, more — The cofounder of The Markup wants to expand beyond tech with her new publication. — At the end of February …
Discussion:
@sarahscire and @juliaangwin
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
Spotify's TikTok-like redesign reveals the follower numbers for top podcasters: The Joe Rogan Experience has 14.5M, followed by TED Talks Daily with 5M — A new TikTok-like redesign from the streaming giant unveils actual audience data for top podcasters — Welcome back to Soundbite.
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
How companies like iSpot and VideoAmp are trying to challenge Nielsen's ratings dominance, as the industry grapples with changing audience measurement protocols — The day after the Super Bowl typically brings with it another kind of celebration: Nielsen's annual announcement of the size of the audience for the NFL extravaganza.
Discussion:
Ad Age
Jon Lafayette / Next TV:
The FCC fines Nexstar and Mission Broadcasting $1.8M+, alleging violation of US ownership rules in operating New York TV station WPIX; Nexstar plans to appeal — Regulator rules that Nexstar committed ‘willful and repeated’ violations of ownership rules, also fines Mission Broadcasting $612,395
Discussion:
The Wrap, The Desk, Radio & Television …, Nexstar Media Group, Inc., Deadline, FCC and Cord Cutters News
Karissa Bell / Engadget:
The Mozilla Foundation and 90+ research and advocacy groups urge Meta to support CrowdTangle through January 2025 to track election misinformation globally — The letter, also signed by CrowdTangle's former CEO, claims shutting it down is a “direct threat” to researchers' work
Discussion:
@brandonsilverm, Mozilla Foundation, @mozilla and @andymstone, more at Techmeme »
Molly Bohannon / Forbes:
A super PAC backing Ted Cruz got ~$215K from iHeartMedia, earned from selling ads for Cruz's podcast; Cruz had likened his show to cable news appearances — A super PAC affiliated with Sen. Ted Cruz reported receiving $215,000 in “digital revenue” from iHeartMedia on Wednesday …
Discussion:
Zach Everson on LinkedIn
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
How advertisers are trying to tie their ads to business outcomes, like a purchase, instead of ratings: in November, Fox guaranteed Netflix social media activity — Nearly every commercial that runs on TV is backed by a guarantee of how big an audience will watch it.
Discussion:
Brian Steinberg on LinkedIn
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