Top News:
Jack Brewster / Wall Street Journal:
A case study of the creation of an AI-powered local “news” website, directed to produce partisan stories on a US Senate race; a Fiverr developer made it for $80 — I paid a website developer to create a fully automated, AI-generated ‘pink-slime’ news site, programmed to create false political stories.
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
Roku says hackers accessed ~576K accounts using credential stuffing, and made purchases in ~400 cases, after a similar breach affecting ~15K accounts in March — The new security incident was discovered a month after the company learned that 15,000 accounts were impacted in a similar breach.
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Roku Blog, Variety, GB News, Tom's Guide, UPROXX, Digital Trends, CNN, CBS News, The Verge, BGR, Engadget, MobileSyrup, @ppatel@mstdn.social, The Streamable, Forbes, The Desk, Deadline, TechCrunch, Los Angeles Times, Next TV, The Wrap, Reuters and Cord Cutters News, more at Techmeme »
Jaffer Zaidi / The Keyword:
Google tests removing links to CA news sites to measure the impact of the California Journalism Preservation Act and pauses investments in the CA news ecosystem — A pending bill in the California state legislature, the California Journalism Preservation Act (CJPA), would create a “link tax” …
Discussion:
Politico, CNN, CNBC, Christian Hendricks on LinkedIn, @newsguild, Matt Pearce, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, @erika_d_smith, @adamkovac, @noah__goldberg, @no_such_zone, @megjameslat, @killedbygoogle, @raminskibba, @jeffjarvis, @shelbygrad, The Mercury News, The Guardian, Orange County Register, Bloomberg, NPR, The NewsGuild, Whittier Daily News, The Wrap, @carnage4life@mas.to, Gizmodo, Sam Hoisington on LinkedIn, @mattdpearce@threads.net, Engadget, Los Angeles Times, Press Gazette, The Verge, Chris Krewson on LinkedIn and Free Press
Matthew Keys / The Desk:
Federal prosecutors charge Marco Gaudino with one count of conspiracy for allegedly giving Tim Burke credentials to access systems used by Fox News and others — A Washington state man has been criminally charged for allegedly conspiring with a Florida journalist to compromise online-based servers …
Discussion:
Awful Announcing, @matthewkeyslive and @claytravis
Katherine Maher / NPR:
Memo: NPR's Katherine Maher says questioning whether NPR is living up to its mission is fair, but questioning staff integrity based on identity is disrespectful — The message below was sent by NPR's President and CEO to all staff: — Dear all, — This has been a long week.
Discussion:
@fritschner, @amandabecker, @emptywheel, @ericdchenoweth, @yasminamer, @farhip, @will_bunch, @serps, @fritschner, @fritschner, @rjhintz, @rottenindenmark, @jayrosen_nyu, @mad_democracy, @fritschner, @stphnfwlr, @stphnfwlr, @benmullin, @isalara, Fox News, Isabel Lara on LinkedIn, The Hill, The Daily Beast, @leilafadelnpr@threads.net, NPR, @scottdetrow_npr@threads.net, The Wrap, @jbouie.bsky.social and @edeggans.bsky.social
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New York Times:
Uri Berliner's essay about NPR reignited criticism of the outlet on social media, especially by conservatives, and spurred vehement pushback from some staffers
Discussion:
Fox News, @briankrebs@infosec.exchange, The Daily Caller, New York Post, @kalihays1@threads.net, The Verge, @brianmannadk, @brianmannadk, @brianmannadk, @titonka, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, @jpederzane, @shannonpareil@threads.net, @shannonpareil@threads.net, @emilybellnyc@threads.net, @anildash@threads.net, @micah_loewinger@threads.net, @lpolgreen@threads.net, New York Magazine, @jbouie@threads.net, @jbouie@threads.net, @matt.bachand@threads.net, @greenloopstore@threads.net, @digiphile@threads.net, @digiphile@threads.net, @digiphile@threads.net, @jenniferschulzechi …, @dankennedy_nu@threads.net, @maxkennerly.bsky.social, The Hill, Media Nation and CNN
Elizabeth Jensen / New York Times:
Robert MacNeil, who anchored evening newscasts for over two decades on PBS and delivered evenhanded, non-flashy news with Jim Lehrer, dies at 93 — With his longtime co-host Jim Lehrer, he delivered thoughtful reports that stood in stark contrast to the commercial networks' ever more sensational newscasts.
Discussion:
@judywoodruff, Washington Post, Variety, Adweek, @jbflint, @OwenK@fosstodon.org, Deadline, @hannahbloch1@threads.net, The Hollywood Reporter, Current, PBS NewsHour, The Wrap, @newshour@threads.net, @newshour@threads.net, @newshour@threads.net, @sherrilynifill@threads.net, Fox News, Los Angeles Times, CNN, The Daily Caller, Newser, TVNewsCheck, The Hill, Media Nation and CBS News
Sherwood News:
Twitch has become a major Spanish-language platform, with streamers like TheGrefg and Ibai Llanos hosting live sporting events that attract massive audiences — Spanish streamers are redefining Twitch's relationship to traditional media. — One of the most interesting stories our data …
Discussion:
@joshuatopolsky and New York Times
Bloomberg:
Adobe used images created by tools like Midjourney and uploaded to its stock marketplace by users to train Firefly; Adobe says ~5% of images were AI-generated — Company promotes its tool as safe from content scraped from the internet. — When Adobe Inc. released its Firefly image-generating software …
Media Matters for America:
A district court judge sides with Media Matters against Texas AG Ken Paxton, blocking Paxton's probe for now into the outlet's reporting on advertising on X — Media Matters President and CEO Angelo Carusone issued the following statement after Judge Amit Mehta of the United States District Court …
Michael Schneider / Variety:
Netflix acquires the rights to “Rather”, a documentary about journalist Dan Rather, which will premiere April 24 — Netflix has acquired “Rather,” the documentary about veteran journalist Dan Rather's landmark career in news. The film, which premieres April 24 on the streamer …
Reuters:
SAG-AFTRA reaches a tentative deal with major record labels, including WMG and Sony Music Entertainment, that includes protections over the use of AI — Hollywood performers and media professionals have reached a tentative deal with major record labels such as Warner Music Group (WMG.O) …
Discussion:
SAG-AFTRA, Mashable, @jalefkowit@octodon.social and The Drum, more at Techmeme »
Alexandra Bruell / Wall Street Journal:
A look at the NYT's upheaval over sensitive topics like the Israel-Gaza war and management's push to emphasize neutrality, including via a probe of staff leaks — After internal upheaval over coverage of sensitive topics like the Israel-Gaza war, management renews emphasis on independence and neutrality
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