Top News:
David Folkenflik / NPR:
Recent moves at the Los Angeles Times and NBC News, and the lack of a Washington Post presidential endorsement, raise concerns that owners are appeasing Trump — Recent episodes involving major U.S. news organizations have stoked fears that outlets are preemptively self-censoring coverage …
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@sbasspersonal, @azi, @bgrueskin, @davidfolkenflik, HotAir, Washington Times, Daily Mail, The Gateway Pundit, New York Times, The Wrap, Newser, Semafor and The Daily Beast
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Sewell Chan / Columbia Journalism Review:
Mariel Garza, editorials editor of the Los Angeles Times, resigns after the outlet's owner blocked the editorial board's plans to endorse Harris for president
Mariel Garza, editorials editor of the Los Angeles Times, resigns after the outlet's owner blocked the editorial board's plans to endorse Harris for president
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@drpatsoonshiong, Vanity Fair, Newsbusters, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, Raw Story, Semafor, BizPac Review, Media Nation, @elonmusk, Matt Pearce, Blaze Media, New York Times, @loisbeckett, Breitbart, Townhall, @kateaurthur, Poynter, HuffPost, Associated Press, Twitchy, @loisbeckett, @latguild, Fox News, Washington Examiner, @saralibby, @deggans, @cagirl80, @williambibbiani, @gerrickkennedy, @kylebuis, @ragregg, @nickpowellchron, @davidfolkenflik, @mattdpearce, @lanana421, @jamesrbuk, @silvermanjacob, @maxapotter, @maxapotter, @lara_korte, @byrobinepley, Newser, @laura_nelson, @michaelzlin, @mrneuropolitan, @johnrmoffitt, @mediamorphis, @robrtgreene, @jnicholsonindc, @sewellchan, @sewellchan, @sewellchan, @sewellchan, @sewellchan, @sewellchan, @sdkstl, @matildabress, @newsjennifer, @byelsieramos, @sewellchan, @mac_ryan_@threads.net, @mac_ryan_@threads.net, Axios, The Hill, @jswatz_tx@threads.net, Status, The Guardian, UPI, Ken Peterson on LinkedIn, @ryanboswell@sfba.social, @mattsheffield@mastodon.social, The Gateway Pundit, Bloomberg, New York Post, SFGATE, The Independent, @ianrosewrites@scicomm.xyz, @dangillmor@mastodon.social, The Editor's Desk, CNN, Washington Times, @ChrisHolladay@mastodon.social, @barney@mas.to, @Basmitharts@weird.autos, @coachfinstock.bsky.social, @marisakabas.bsky.social, @Bellison22@mastodon.social, @WarnerCrocker@mastodon.social, @jeffjarvis@mastodon.social, The San Francisco Standard, Deadline, Adweek and r/Journalism
Daniel Tilles / Notes From Poland:
A state-owned Polish radio station relaunches with AI “presenters” after firing its journalists; station head says layoffs were due to a lack of listeners — A Polish radio station has stirred controversy after relaunching one of its channels in a new version run almost completely …
Discussion:
Marcos Bravo C. on LinkedIn and Associated Press
Jody Godoy / Reuters:
IAB, cable trade group NCTA, and the Electronic Security Association sue to block the US FTC's “click to cancel” rule, alleging it oversteps the FTC's authority — An industry group representing cable and internet providers sued along with two others on Wednesday to block …
Discussion:
MediaPost, Variety, Politico, The Verge, USA Today, Engadget, Cord Cutters News, AV Club and Policyband
Bluesky:
Bluesky says it has 13M+ users, has raised a $15M Series A, and plans payment services to creators and a subscription for features like higher quality video — Bluesky now exceeds 13 million users, the AT Protocol developer ecosystem continues to grow, and we've shipped highly requested features like direct messages and video.
Discussion:
TechCrunch, The Verge, Engadget, Gizmodo, @timbray@cosocial.ca, @parismarx.bsky.social, @chrismessina@mastodon.xyz, @pixel@desu.social, @rose.bsky.team, @rose.bsky.team, @brendelbored.bsky.social, @danilo@hachyderm.io, @eramdam.me, @bsky.app, @bnewbold@social.coop, @rose.bsky.team, @coreypein.bsky.social, @triangulator.org, @coachfinstock.bsky.social, @tante@tldr.nettime.org and @hikarisoph.bsky.social, more at Techmeme »
Mandy Dalugdug / Music Business Worldwide:
TikTok strikes a licensing deal with indie music distributor UnitedMasters, a member of Merlin; the current TikTok/Merlin licensing deal ends October 31 — TikTok has announced that it has struck a multi-year direct deal with prominent indie artist services and distribution platform UnitedMasters.
Discussion:
Billboard, TikTok, Social Media Today, Digital Music News and Music Ally
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Goodreads co-founder Otis Chandler launches Smashing, an app that aims to create community around articles, podcasts, and more, and has an AI Questions feature — Smashing, a new app curating the best of the web from Goodreads co-founder Otis Chandler, is now available to the public.
Discussion:
Andrew Moseman on LinkedIn, more at Techmeme »
Reuters:
Israel publishes documents it says it found in Gaza, which it claims prove that six Al Jazeera reporters in Gaza were also members of Hamas or Islamic Jihad — The Israeli military named on Wednesday six Palestinian Al Jazeera reporters in Gaza it said were also members of the Hamas …
Discussion:
@speechboy71, @arash_tehran, The Times of Israel, UPI, New Jersey Online, Canary, Middle East Monitor, International Center …, Middle East Eye, Associated Press, The Times of Israel, New York Times, New York Post, Al Jazeera, Adweek, freebeacon.com, Algemeiner.com, National Union of Journalists …, Fox News, Jerusalem Post, Breitbart, RedState and The Wrap
Rolfe Winkler / Wall Street Journal:
At a conference, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas says he'd like the company to reach ad revenue sharing agreements with publishers, rather than licensing deals — Journal parent Dow Jones sued the AI startup this week, alleging copyright infringement — Perplexity wants to reach revenue …
Discussion:
MediaPost, Reuters, San Francisco Business Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Digiday, Adweek, Business Insider and MEDIANAMA
Reuters:
Cambodia frees reporter Mech Dara, detained on October 1 on charges of inciting social unrest, on bail, after the government released a video of him apologizing — An award-winning Cambodian journalist who was arrested on charges of inciting social unrest was freed on bail on Thursday …
Discussion:
The Guardian, Raw Story, New York Times and Reuters
David Bauder / Associated Press:
Medill's State of Local News report finds a net gain of 81 US digital news sites over the past year, 127 closed newspapers, ~2,000 lost newsroom jobs, and more — Newspapers in the United States closed at the rate of more than two per week during 2023, but a burst of activity among digital …
Todd Spangler / Variety:
PLBY Group, which owns Playboy and related brands, says its board unanimously rejected Cooper Hefner's $100M takeover offer — PLBY Group, the company that owns Playboy and related brands, announced that its board unanimously rejected an unsolicited $100 million-plus takeover offer from Cooper Hefner …
Discussion:
The Wrap, New York Post, The Daily Caller and The Hollywood Reporter
Punchbowl News:
A group of Republican lawmakers led by senators Tom Cotton and Mitch McConnell ask for a probe into “systematic” leaks from the FTC and DOJ to Bloomberg News — In a letter dated Wednesday, the senators point to twelve instances since 2023 when Bloomberg broke stories …