Top News:
Louis Staples / Rolling Stone:
Ahead of the Eurovision finals on May 11, tensions over the Israel-Gaza war complicate the organizers' efforts to maintain an appearance of political neutrality — At the glittery, eccentric spectacle, controversy and protests about Israel's inclusion overshadow the music. Can the contest ever be apolitical?
John Ourand / Puck:
Sources: Netflix is nearing a deal to stream two NFL games on December 25 — It looks like Netflix will wind up carrying the two NFL games scheduled for December 25, per a bevy of sources. It's a first-of-its-kind deal, and almost certainly not the last.
Matthew Keys / The Desk:
C-SPAN's own business choices keep the network from being offered on streaming TV platforms like YouTube TV, as it stays reliant on cable and satellite funding — Forty years ago, you might be hard-pressed to find anyone in the country who regularly watched the political affairs network called C-SPAN …
Discussion:
@matthewkeyslive
RELATED:
John Burn-Murdoch / Financial Times:
Studies show a negativity bias in US coverage of the economy and gas prices, particularly cable news, as the tone of economic news moves away from reality — A new study adds to the evidence that competition for eyeballs may be warping our sense of the world
Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:
Memo: Spotify's head of podcast studios, Julie McNamara, is leaving the company after nearly three years, emphasizing Spotify's reduced ambitions in podcasts — - Executive internally announced her departure on Thursday — Exit follows layoffs, show cancellations and reorganizations
Discussion:
Variety, The Information, The Verge, @ashleyrcarman and Fortune, more at Techmeme »
Christi Carras / Los Angeles Times:
LAist initiates a voluntary buyout program for staff to avoid layoffs as it faces a “significant budget shortfall” ranging from $4M-$5M in the next two years — Journalists at LAist have been offered buyouts ahead of a potential round of layoffs at the local public radio station …
Discussion:
@caitlinherdez, Inside Radio, Radio Ink, @kystokes, @oscargarza893, @erstone7, @caitlinantonios and Current
Jonah McKeown / Catholic News Agency:
Three Catholic radio stations file a petition against the FCC over requirements mandating that radio and TV stations publish info about staff race and gender — A trio of Catholic radio networks has filed a petition against the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) …
Discussion:
@niemanlab
Andrew Deck / Nieman Lab:
How the NYT and nonprofits City Bureau and Invisible Institute trained custom machine learning tools to help with their Pulitzer Prize-winning investigations — Awarded investigative stories are increasingly relying on machine learning, whether covering Chicago police negligence or Israeli weapons in Gaza
Nicholas Fandos / New York Times:
Talk radio station WABC suspends Rudy Giuliani and cancels his daily show, saying he broke rules by trying to discuss discredited claims about 2020's election — The radio station disciplined Rudolph W. Giuliani after he violated company policy by trying to discuss the legitimacy of the 2020 election on the air.
Discussion:
The Desk, Inside Radio, New York Post, Holland Cooke on LinkedIn, @gtconway3@threads.net, @brianstelter, Radio Ink and Rolling Stone
A.J. Perez / Front Office Sports:
Lineup Publishing says it plans to relaunch Deadspin next week; it appears the new Deadspin will focus on sports betting — Deadspin's latest revival is slated to take place next week, although its new Malta-based owners have given no indication about the editorial direction for the sports site.
Discussion:
Awful Announcing and @byajperez
Josh Rottenberg / Los Angeles Times:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces a $500M campaign to extend its influence globally and diversify revenue as Oscars ratings drop — Looking to safeguard its future in a world in which the Oscars have lost some of their ratings luster, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Financial Times, IndieWire, Deadline and Variety
The Assembly NC:
The Assembly, a three-year-old digital magazine “on power and place in North Carolina”, announces it plans a Greensboro bureau, with local philanthropic funding — The Assembly, a three-year-old digital magazine on power and place in North Carolina, is announcing the launch …
Discussion:
P.R. Lockhart on LinkedIn, Free Press, @barry_yeoman, @joekilliannc, @johnrobinson, @ewstephe, @joekilliannc, @theassemblync and @renlarson_