Top News:
New York Times:
A profile of NBCU News Group Chair Cesar Conde, as he tries to navigate the biggest crisis of his tenure after the rapid hiring and dismissal of Ronna McDaniel — Cesar Conde, a leader with an M.B.A. but a limited journalism background, is facing the toughest scrutiny of his career.
Discussion:
@gersonborrero, @gersonborrero, @bsdtectr.bsky.social, @grynbaum, @brianstelter, @jeffjarvis, @bonillajl, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social and CNN
RELATED:
David Bauder / Associated Press:
NBC News' controversy around Ronna McDaniel sparks debate over political contributors' role in TV news and the challenges in representing diverse viewpoints — One of the nation's most prominent news outlets has found itself in an embarrassing mess over the hiring — and quick firing …
Hanaa' Tameez / Nieman Lab:
Q&A with war correspondent Jane Ferguson on her biggest stories, the rise of local reporters, the pressure female reporters face concerning their looks, more — Jane Ferguson, a seasoned war and conflict reporter for PBS NewsHour and a visiting professor at Princeton University …
Discussion:
Diya Banerjee on LinkedIn
Rachyl Jones / Fortune:
A look at Netflix's baby steps into live sports as it produces one-off events and partners with WWE, avoiding overt interest in big leagues like the NBA — In golf lingo, Netflix is putting its way into sports. — After seizing dominance in streaming thanks to a huge library of movies and TV series …
Discussion:
@lexnfx and Rachyl Jones on LinkedIn
Josh Hersh / Columbia Journalism Review:
Sports podcasts hosted by athletes offer an insider analysis, but they don't do investigative reporting, which major sports outlets have also turned away from — Todd Frazier is trying to figure out how to mute himself. — It's January, and he's on the set of the digital show he cohosts …
Discussion:
@joshuahersh, @mansurshaheen, Joshua Hersh on LinkedIn, @joshuahersh and Madhu Soman on LinkedIn
Alex Sujong Laughlin / Defector:
Some journalists have experimented with paying sources for their time in documentary work, in particular for podcasts, raising questions about ethics and power — Someone told me years ago that as a journalist making documentary work—the kind of work I do—you should leave every interview having fallen …
Discussion:
@alexlaughs, @femme_thoughts, @stevemullis, @audreyyyrose, @alexlaughs, @kallipearl, @iamjessshane and @hanhopk
Taylor Lorenz / Washington Post:
MrBeast's “retention editing”, which uses quick cuts and loud sounds, took over social media, but may fade away as the YouTuber shifts to slower, focused videos — The popularity of so-called retention editing made a generation of creators go viral, but when every video looks the same it's harder than ever to stand out
Discussion:
@fgamesnemesis, @alexisohanian and @mrbeast, more at Techmeme »
New York Times:
Retail investors, who hold 40% of Disney stock, may decide the Disney-Peltz proxy fight, which is expected to be one of the most expensive in history — Individuals hold as much as 40 percent of the company's shares, and they may decide a proxy battle that is one of the most expensive in history.
Discussion:
@annmlipton, Quartz, Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, @annmlipton@esq.social and Yahoo Finance
Christopher Mims / Wall Street Journal:
Several legal experts say Section 230 will not protect firms from lawsuits over the outputs of generative AI, echoing SCOTUS Justice Gorsuch's 2023 statement — Legal scholars, lawmakers and at least one Supreme Court justice agree that companies will be liable for the things their AIs say and do …
New York Times:
A look at the impact of Georgia's filming incentives on tiny Thomasville; the state paid $5.2B+ in incentives between 2015 and 2022, compared to New York's ~$7B — When movies are made in Thomasville, Ga., it welcomes celebrities and an infusion of cash. But the financial incentives that attract studios have cost the state billions.
Discussion:
@rob_abiera and @tvaziri@mastodon.social
RELATED:
James Pomfret / Reuters:
US-funded Radio Free Asia closes its Hong Kong bureau, citing concerns over staff safety after a stricter national security law came into effect on March 23 — U.S.-funded Radio Free Asia said on Friday it had closed its Hong Kong bureau citing concerns over staff safety after the enactment …
Discussion:
JURIST, NPR, Al Jazeera, Radio Free Asia, Reporters Without Borders, The Guardian, Semafor, Fox News, Voice of America and New York Times
Frank Landymore / Futurism:
Many of Amazon's Kindles are displaying ads for blatantly AI-generated books on the lock screen, with some appearing to be flagrant copies of existing works — “I've never minded the ads on them... until they became flooded with AI-generated books.” — Amazon has been a huge staging ground …
Ellen Huet / Bloomberg:
Some tech CEOs are turning to friendly podcasters like Lex Fridman as a way to “go direct” and avoid traditional media, which they view as unfairly critical — Tech CEOs have a growing set of ways to sidestep traditional media. But first... Don't press