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Jeff Bezos / Washington Post:
Jeff Bezos says presidential endorsements “create a perception of bias” and WaPo ending them is a “principled decision”, but wishes the change was made earlier — The credibility gap can be bridged by independence. — Jeff Bezos is the owner of The Washington Post.
Discussion:
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Discussion:
Mark K. Miller / TVNewsCheck: Newspaper Non-Endorsements At Washington Post, LA Times Fit A Trend, But Their Readers Aren't Happy
Fox News: Former WaPo chief editor shreds Bezos for making ‘serious mistake’ with endorsement decision: ‘A betrayal’
Lauren Goode / @laurengoode@threads.net: If the Bezos editorial has done one thing, it's...driven 17k people to comment. “Mr. Bezos - As an American let me be perfectly clear: I trust the media far more than I trust billionaires whose concern about maintaining and increasing their own power and wealth far exceeds their concern for our democracy …
Ann Althouse / Althouse: Let's read WaPo's “note from our owner”: “The hard truth: Americans don't trust the news media.”
Kaiser / Cele|bitchy: Jeff Bezos tries & fails to explain why he killed WaPo's presidential endorsement
Jim Hᴏft / The Gateway Pundit: Leftist Jeff Bezos Defends Decision Against Endorsing Kamala — Slams Fake News and Demands Higher Media Standards
Dave Winer / Scripting News: Bezos blinked — My op-ed for the Washington Post, if there was such a thing..
Daniel Arkin / NBC News: Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post's decision to stop presidential endorsements days before election
Tom Tillison / BizPac Review: ‘Based’: Bezos delivers ‘hard truth’ about WaPo's lack of ‘credibility,’ refusal to back Kamala
Mary Chastain / Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion: Washington Post Owner Jeff Bezos: Endorsements ‘Create a Perception of Bias’
Dan Mangan / CNBC: Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos says in op-ed: 'Americans don't trust the news media'
Jon Passantino / CNN: Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post non-endorsement after subscribers flee and staffers resign
Tom Jones / Poynter: ‘Racist, sexist, crude’: Media outlets use strong language to describe Trump rally
Darryl Coote / UPI: Jeff Bezos defends decision for Washington Post to end presidential endorsements
Victor Pickard / @vwpickard: Small silver lining to WaPo episode: It shatters whatever illusion we might have that we could trust billionaires to rescue journalism. Such abuse of power underscores the dangerous political economy of media oligarchy, recenters class politics & highlights need for alternatives.
Richard M. Nixon / @dick_nixon: I agree with him on the first two points and even the third in a legal sense. But they've lost 8% of subscribers and counting. When you're explaining you're losing.
Neil Weinberg / @neilweinberg44: Ah yes, the principled stance of ending presidential endorsements (not other endorsements) in the third election after you purchase a newspaper. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Jim LaPorta / @jimlaporta: Setting aside the issue of WaPo editorial, it's hard to square this graf: “I wish we had made the change earlier than we did, in a moment further from the election and the emotions around it.” Reminder: Mr. Bezos has owned the @washingtonpost for 11 years https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Eric Newcomer / @ericnewcomer: This is a good piece at the wrong time from @JeffBezos re @washingtonpost editorials. It's way too close to a high-stakes, democracy-at-risk election to say you're not going to endorse for the first time in a long time, over the strenuous objections of your staff. but there
James Ball / @jamesrbuk: The piece would have been *much* better if it had acknowledged mistakes in the process more clearly and more sincerely. As an example, the Post's early statements did not say the decision came from Bezos: that was obviously a mistake for everyone.
Peter Baker / @peterbakernyt: Thinking of Don Graham and Kay Graham. So proud to have worked for them. Like the Sulzbergers, they exemplified the best in newspaper publishers. They understood what journalism is all about and supported it even at the sacrifice of their own interests. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Jay Yarow / @jyarow: A bit late to win back those 200,000 subs, but directionally a pretty good essay. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Clara Jeffery / @clarajeffery: Jeff Bezos spews a bunch of double talk to cover for his terrible decision. “It was made internally” is a classic non-denial denial. A phrase that Washington Post reporters (or at least the actor playing them) made famous re Watergate: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: In an op-ed for his @washingtonpost, Jeff Bezos says “declining to endorse presidential candidates is not enough to move us very far up the trust scale, but it's a meaningful step in the right direction.”
Benjamin Toff / @benjamintoff: As someone who has spent a lot of time studying the erosion of the public's trust in news, I'd like to suggest to the @WashPost's billionaire owner that he rethink his strategy of dressing up his editorial interference as a (sudden) matter of principle. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Jordan Weissmann / @jhweissmann: This is the sort of explanation that might have been compelling in January of 2024, but not Oct. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Sara Fischer / @sarafischer: NEW: Bezos in @washingtonpost defending his call to kill endorsements —"Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election" —"What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias" —"no quid pro quo of any kind is at work here"
Paul Farhi / @farhip: From the column: “...declining to endorse presidential candidates is not enough to move us very far up the trust scale, but it's a meaningful step in the right direction. I wish we had made the change earlier than we did...That was inadequate planning, and not some strategy.”
Joe Ragazzo / @jragazzo: This op-ed from Bezos just digs the hole deeper. 1. The fact it was published at all proves Bezos had no clue how this decision would be received. 2. Has this weird tone where he is telling the public (his own readers) a hard truth about....themselves? https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Ben Mullin / @benmullin: Bezos: “I wish we had made the change earlier than we did, in a moment further from the election and the emotions around it. That was inadequate planning, and not some intentional strategy.”
Matt Stoller / @matthewstoller: Most of the country probably agrees with Jeff Bezos that newspapers shouldn't endorse. Most of the country probably doesn't agree with Bezos that newspapers shouldn't endorse so Jeff Bezos can get government contracts.
Josh Rudolph / @joshrudes: No, @JeffBezos, the way to build trust in the news media is not for a billionaire owner to interfere in editorial decisions to curry favor with a would-be autocrat hours before he meets your aerospace company that seeks multi-billion-dollar govt. contracts.https://www.washingtonpost.co m/ ...
Brian Merchant / @bcmerchant: Does Jeff Bezos honestly think people will buy the line that he killed his editorial board's endorsement of Harris because he suddenly became gravely concerned about newspapers' credibility and decided that not publishing an op-ed will right the ship lol [image]
Sara Fischer / Axios: Chaos erupts as newspapers axe endorsements
Corbin Bolies / @corbinbolies: “When it comes to the appearance of conflict, I am not an ideal owner of The Post,” Jeff Bezos writes in WaPo. “I once wrote that The Post is a “complexifier” for me. It is, but it turns out I'm also a complexifier for The Post.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Hannah Gais / @hannahgais: Translation: I could've breached editorial independence those other times, but I only did it this once. But it's okay, because it was so principled. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Jason Kint / @jason_kint: Hey fwiw, I thought this was a solid answer from Bezos. I've been silent but my main issue was the timing of WaPo's announcement. It was the only real screw-up in my mind and a major one for sure. But that said.... 1/5 [image]
Aaron Mendelson / @a_mendelson: Bezos making a blanket, totally unsupported claim here — something any good reporter, editor or editorial board member would know to avoid https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Ruth Ben-Ghiat / @ruthbenghiat: I see: the “trust” he wants is that of the authoritarian right. Bezos naively thinks staying “neutral” will make him “whole” with MAGA. He is not understanding how authoritarians operate.
Sriram Krishnan / @sriramk: The Bezos op ed is fantastic writing and true “founder mode” ( sorry!) A lesser owner would have written a mealy mouthed piece on reevaluating internal policies. Bezos cuts to the chase - “the verification/belief of a process is as important as the process itself” - “people
Matt Stoller / @matthewstoller: The comments on Jeff Bezos's oped are BRUTAL. “So you clearly reasoned this decision out carefully, which means Will Lewis, your Publisher and CEO, was lying when he said it wasn't your decision and he made the decision himself without your input.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Siladitya Ray / Forbes: Jeff Bezos Defends Killing Washington Post's Harris Endorsement—Creates ‘Perception Of Bias’
Katherine Boyle / @ktmboyle: Kudos to @JeffBezos for telling the newsroom the hard, bitter truth: there's nothing wrong with the readers. [image]
Evann Gastaldo / Newser: Bezos Pens 909-Word Defense of WaPo Decision
James Ball / @jamesrbuk: Had the Post said from the get-go that the decision was from Bezos, and included an op-ed like this from him then, there would surely have still been a backlash - but I'd bet it wouldn't have cost them 200,000 subscribers. And they're harder to win back than to keep.
Sandy West / @_sandywest: Had he written this months ago, it might have mattered. This entire situation has been so incredibly mishandled - and his staff, especially the journalists, are paying the price. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Adrian Weckler / @adrianweckler: Feisty op-ed that's worth reading, whatever political side you come down on. There's more than a grain of truth in what he says about a trust crisis in media. (Although some of the language he uses in the column is borderline insulting to his own WP staff.) [image]
Carol Leonnig / @carolleonnig: NEW @JeffBezos writes that his decision to end @washingtonpost prez endorsements was based solely on principle — and no quid pro quo or financial stake . https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Randolph Duke / @randolphduke7: Agree with Bezos. WaPo getting out of the endorsement game is important for journalistic integrity and trust. They did this late probably due a ton of internal disagreement on this. Eugene Meyer, father of later owner Kay Graham, agreed with this stance https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Emily Hoeven / @emily_hoeven: did Jeff Bezos just refer to journalists as “we” and journalism as “our profession”? in other words, did he call himself a journalist? 😵💫🥴 https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
James Ball / @jamesrbuk: The “our” and “we” in this opening paragraph lands very strangely. Owning a newspaper doesn't make Jeff Bezos a journalist. It's not his profession. [image]
Gary Marcus / @garymarcus: Ha ha ha ha - Jeff Bezos think that by blocking his editorial board from publishing their chosen endorsement he is going to INCREASE the trust in the Post. Instead of making it seem like the capricious plaything of a billionaire. Hilarious! 😂 “By itself, declining to endorse
Jason Kint / @jason_kint: I also appreciate Bezos owning it (and answering on Blue Origin). And yes, WashPost is one of our 50+ members that equally pay us to research, think, advocate about trust in the future of media. It's not a ton of money but I'm certainly an interested and conflicted party. 2/5
Oren Etzioni / @etzioni: Much as I don't like the decision, this *is* worth reading in full. I don't get why the endorsement can't be viewed as part of the opinion section, which is separate from news. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Steve Mullis / @stevemullis: In Bezos's op-ed, I take immediate issue with him referring to “our” profession. Sir, you are not in the same profession. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]
Cheryle Jackson / @cherylejackson: If the Post's decision to not endorse for prez was impartial, why make that change a week before the election & after the endorsement was written. Of all the decades of years to not endorse - on the eve of the 1st Black woman nominee becoming Prez is foul. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Brad Bauman / @bradbaumn: I read @JeffBezos so you don't have to: “I'm a complicated billionaire so you can trust me when I tell you that not taking a principled stand in this election was actually a principled stand” https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
David Simon / @aodespair: Just read the insights of Jeff Bezos in his opinion piece in The Post. I wasn't going to join 200,000 others and cancel my subscription because doing so won't hurt Bezos — he paid more for his yachts than his newspaper — and, yes, the Post newsroom where good people, and some
@papapishu: I need to know which Podcast Jeff Bezos listened to that made him blow up The Washington Post. [image]
Matthew Boedy / @matthewboedy: Bezos speaks. There is a HUGE difference between no endorsement and saying Trump is unfit for office. The Post can say the latter and be believed, as Bezos wants. And his reasoning undermines any opinion from the Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Dylan Byers / @dylanbyers: BEZOS: “The Washington Post and the New York Times win prizes, but increasingly we talk only to a certain elite. More and more, we talk to ourselves.”
Corbin Bolies / The Daily Beast: Desperate Jeff Bezos Defends Censoring WaPo Endorsement
Matthew Gertz / @mattgertz: An important result of the public having little trust in the news media is when an owner make drastic, unexpected changes to the outlet, the people who previously trusted the outlet have a reason to doubt.
Brian Merchant / @bcmerchant: Another good part is where Jeff Bezos, the 2nd richest man in the world, bemoans ppl turning to podcasts and less credible media instead of the Post, which last I saw cost >$100 a year for full access—buddy, if you wanted folks to read more news, you could take down that paywall [image]
Isaac Saul / @ike_saul: Bezos responds to controversy over WaPo refusing to endorse. I still think there is a lot of personal interest at stake here, but it's undeniable this is a compelling argument. [image]
The Wrap: Washington Post's TikTok Team Head Roasts Jeff Bezos - on TikTok - Over Axed Kamala Harris Endorsement | Video
Daniel Hampton / Raw Story: ‘Wish we had made the change earlier’: Bezos doubles down on nixing endorsements
Dan Gillmor / @dangillmor@mastodon.social: Jeff Bezos can't hide his betrayal of trust behind pious words like these. However much he says that is true here — and much of it is — he's avoiding the real issues. — Not least is a total lack of transparency about what was promised in the conversation his space company henchmen had with Trump on the very day Bezos ordered his editorial page editor to kill the Harris endorsement. …
Daily Press: Owner Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post's decision not to endorse as the right, ‘principled’ one
Mariane Angela / Daily Caller News Foundation: 'Americans Don't Trust The News Media': Bezos Speaks Out After WaPo Chose Not To Endorse Harris
Ananya Gairola / Benzinga: Jeff Bezos Says This Is Mainstream Media's Biggest Problem After Washington Post Ends Endorsement For Presidential Candidates — How He Plans To Fix It
Kelsey Vlamis / Business Insider: Jeff Bezos speaks on WaPo drama: We have to ‘increase our credibility’
Bob Hoge / RedState: Jeff Bezos Weighs in on WaPo Endorsement Drama: ‘Our Profession Is Now the Least Trusted of All’
Michael Luciano / Mediaite: Jeff Bezos Writes Rare Op-Ed Defending Washington Post Non-Endorsement Amid Subscriber Exodus
Doug P. / Twitchy: WaPo Owner's 'People Don't Trust the Media' Reality Check Is GUARANTEED to Trigger Lib Journo-Land
Josh Billinson / @jbillinson@threads.net: I think this could have been a pretty convincing argument for why his newspaper shouldn't endorse a presidential candidate if it had been published a few months ago
Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill: Bezos breaks silence, defends move to drop Washington Post presidential endorsements
David Propper / New York Post: Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos defends paper's decision to not back 2024 candidate, claims presidential endorsements ‘create a perception of bias’
Zoe G. Phillips / The Hollywood Reporter: Jeff Bezos Says “Presidential Endorsements Do Nothing” Amid Washington Post Subscriber Exodus
Ernie Smith / @ernie@writing.exchange: No matter what he wrote, the fact that this exists at all shows that Bezos appears to have realized to some tiny degree he screwed up here. — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...
Tim Carmody / @tim@phire.place: The funny thing about this essay (well, one of them) is that the principle that made Bezos rich with Amazon was an unrelenting focus on the customer. Not independence or the appearance of independence: the customer, at all costs. He just lost 200,000+ customers, and doesn't seem to get why. …
Todd Spangler / Variety: Amid Backlash, Jeff Bezos Defends Ending Washington Post Presidential Endorsements: They ‘Create a Perception of Bias’
Ted Johnson / Deadline: Jeff Bezos Defends Washington Post Decision To Not Endorse In 2024 Presidential Race, Says “No Quid Pro Quo Of Any Kind Is At Work Here”
@michaelbishop.me: So principled that he didn't tell the editorial board about it until they'd already written one. [embedded post]
RELATED:
David Folkenflik / NPR:
Sources: more than 200,000 people had canceled their WaPo digital subscriptions by midday Monday, or ~8% of the paper's paid circulation of 2.5M subscribers — The Washington Post has been rocked by a tidal wave of cancellations from digital subscribers and a series of resignations from columnists …
Discussion:
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Discussion:
Adam Chitwood / The Wrap: Kamala Harris Says WaPo, LA Times Decisions Not to Endorse Are ‘Disappointing’: 'It's Billionaires in Donald Trump's Club'
Brad Pareso / Adweek: Bezos Defends WaPo's Non-Endorsement as Editorial Board Resignations Continue, 200K Digital Subs Canceled
Chris Blackhurst / Press Gazette: Spiked Washington Post election leader leaves CEO Will Lewis in a deep hole
Liz Wolfe / Reason: Tariff Gambit — 10 percent or 20 percent or nonexistent? Donald Trump's campaign pitch appears …
John Nolte / Breitbart: More Resignations and 200K Subscription Cancelations Hit Far-left Washington Post
Emily Barr / TVNewsCheck: Now Is The Time For Local TV To Get It Right
William Gavin / Quartz: Jeff Bezos says he didn't know Blue Origin met with Trump as he tries to calm Washington Post storm
Dan Froomkin / Press Watch: Betrayed Washington Post readers leave their parting thoughts in 140,000 comments
Fox News: WaPo staffer unsure paper can recover as Bezos-owned outlet sheds 200,000 subscribers over endorsement fiasco
Joseph Addington / The American Conservative: Bezos Declares New Era at Washington Post
Jon Allsop / Columbia Journalism Review: Why did a Canadian paper name the Washington Post's anonymous sources?
Ian Plunkett / Ian Plunkett on LinkedIn: Whether you agree or disagree with the call, a staggering 200,000 people have ended their subscription to the Washington Post in the past 48 hours — and counting. …
Allison Morrow / CNN: America's CEOs don't have the stomach for Trump's promised revenge tour
Kaiser / Cele|bitchy: The Washington Post lost 200K subscribers after dumping their Harris endorsement
Eric Starkman / Eric Starkman on LinkedIn: I'd hate to break this to the editorial staff of the Washington Post, but if 200,000 subscribers cancelled their subscriptions because Jeff Bezos …
Bill Press / The Hill: Jeff Bezos kills the once-great Washington Post
Tom Jones / Poynter: The Washington Post bleeds subscriptions as Bezos responds to endorsement criticism
Cassandra MacDonald / The Gateway Pundit: Over 200,000 Subscribers Ditch Washington Post After Newspaper Refuses to Endorse Kamala Harris
Madeleine Kearns / The Free Press: Trump or Harris? Ben Shapiro and Sam Harris Debate. Plus. . .
Greg Jericho / @grogsgamut: This was its front page today. The non-endorsement was not an outlier [image]
Chris Geidner / Law Dork: The hard truth: Americans don't trust — or need — billionaires
Alex Kantrowitz / @kantrowitz: If you're a billionaire owner you can afford it, but you can't ignore it
Clara Jeffery / @clarajeffery: 1/ I'm very torn about this. Otoh, it's a clear signal. otoh, WaPo journalists are pumping out great stuff, we need more of it, not less of it. Without subs paper becomes more, not less, dependent on Bezos' billions, and his whims.
Tim Onion / @oneunderscore__: Thankfully, all of them have done their democratic duty and signed up for The Onion instead. https://membership.theonion.com/
Barton Gellman / @bartongellman: This is a stunning blow to the @washingtonpost, which is the wrong target for people angry at Bezos deciding to placate Trump. The Post is one of the finest, most aggressive newsrooms for accountability journalism. It lives or dies on subscriptions. Don't cancel.
@calebheeringa: No skin off Bezo's back — WaPo was probably a rounding error in his balance sheet, and he got the quid pro quo he needed out of his investment. But what a huge blow to a vital American media institution, all for a billionaire's political favor.
Bill Grueskin / @bgrueskin: The retail price for a subscription (after the introductory period runs out) is $120/year. If all of those subscribers were paying the full rate (and they're not), that'd be a loss of $24 million a year. Or, roughly, .01 percent of Jeff Bezos's net worth.
Dan Froomkin / @froomkin: New! Betrayed Washington Post readers leave their parting thoughts in 140,000 comments https://presswatchers.org/...
Alex Konrad / @alexrkonrad: Of course, this will hurt the reporters at the Post who didn't make this call quite a lot, and the paper's billionaire owner not in the slightest
Joshua Benton / @jbenton: I honestly cannot remember the last time I was as shocked by a news-industry number as I was by this one: ***TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND*** @washingtonpost subscribers have canceled over Jeff Bezos' decision to block an endorsement of Kamala Harris. https://www.npr.org/... [image]
Tero Kuittinen / @teroterotero: @charlesarthur I think he just bought a gem of a house in Georgetown so he can't be fired
Charles Arthur / @charlesarthur: Normally you'd expect a publisher who lost 8% of subscribers through one obviously bad decision to, in turn, lose their job. Wonder how that'll work out for Will Lewis.
Bill Grueskin / @bgrueskin: Unfathomable: Washpost has lost 200,000 subscribers since Bezos pulled the Harris endorsement. That's 8% of its base in a few days. Keep in mind its net gain for most of 2024 was only 4,000 (not a typo) subscribers. Major scoop via @davidfolkenflik https://www.npr.org/...
Justin Baragona / @justinbaragona: Remember, Jeff Bezos brought in Will Lewis to reverse the revenue loss and subscription atrophy that the paper had experienced recently. So the big move here is to absolutely shoot themselves in the foot with this non-endorsement announcement days before the election.
Ben Ansell / @benwansell: Tbh I hadn't thought that the WaPo decision - cowardly as it might be - would end up having a massive impact. Well it turns it is having one on the bottom line.
Tom Watson / @tom_watson: American friends, google “Gerald Ratner.”
Nick Reynolds / @iamnickreynolds: I'm not weighing in on the decision to not endorse, but it's disappointing that it's always the journalists that get hurt and not their billionaire employers. They already had buyouts last year. Did any of these people cancel their Prime memberships? Doubt it.
Will Stancil / @whstancil: Good. I'm very sorry for the many good people at WaPo but newspapers need to know choices have consequences. Then they can make better choices and get those subscribers back.
Rat King / @mikeisaac: brutal. bezos himself now a liability to his own paper i imagine the acquisition came when it was en vogue for billionaires to buy legacy publications now i wonder if he decides it's not worth the hassle (as many moguls who dont understand newsrooms have done before him)
James O'Malley / @psythor: This is an *astonishing* level of engagement. Perhaps not surprising given the demographics of who reads the Washington Post but still, holy shit - much larger impact than I would ever have expected.
Manny / @mannyfidel: just did some quick napkin math and depending on what portion of these subscriptions reached their second year, this is tens of millions of dollars lol
Navjot Pal Kaur / @navjotpkaur: Please support the local newspapers struggling to stay afloat. They deserve your $$$
John Hagner / @jhagner: After Harris wins we are going to see such a heartfelt apology from Jeff Bezos, and it will be extremely genuine and not entirely cynical.
Nick Cohen / @nickcohen4: Watergate was a journalistic triumph people remembered for decades. Bezos' cowardly refusal to endorse Harris is a journalistic disaster people will remember for decades.
Tyler Coates / @tylercoates: there was no scenario in which jeff bezos's ownership of one of the most vital newspapers in the country wasn't going to shake out like this in some way
Christine Bohan / @christinebohan: Wow. This actual number of cancellations is far, far higher than the estimates over the weekend. Whatever about the (overblown) power of newspaper endorsements, it shows what a terrible business decision it was for a newspaper whose slogan is Democracy Dies in Darkness
Patrick Dillon / @mpdillon: I do not, strictly speaking, know all the ins and outs of the publisher job; but I feel confident that somewhere high on Will Lewis' performance plan is “not lose almost 10% of subscribers in a week”
Nathan McDermott / @natemcdermott: An insanely large number of cancelations. And I thought the 1,600 cancelations @davidfolkenflik reported the other day were a substantial amount [image]
Luke Epplin / @lukeepplin: I dislike the rage-cancellations that folks do when a newspaper publishes an article they disagree with. But this is different—an editorial board has to have autonomy to call it like they see it, fearlessly and without reservation. If they can't, then what's the point?
Ben Smith / @semaforben: I've never seen anything like this. Certainly confirms Democracy Dies in Darkness drove a lot of subs!
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: “It's a colossal number,” former WaPo Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli told NPR. “People don't know why the decision was made. We basically know the decision was made but we don't know what led to it.” MORE
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: Three of top 10 stories on the Post's website Sunday were articles written by outraged staffers. The top one was humor columnist Alexandra Petri's piece, headlined, “It has fallen to me, the humor columnist, to endorse Harris for president.” More than 174Kread it online./ MORE
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: NEWS: More than 200,000 subscribers have canceled their digital subscriptions to the Washington Post after the revelation that owner Jeff Bezos blocked an endorsement of VP Harris. That's about 8 percent of WaPo's subscriber base - a staggering sum MORE https://www.npr.org/...
Stephen Green / Instapundit: A HUNDRED THOUSAND HERE AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND THERE AND PRETTY SOON YOU'RE TALKING REAL LOSSES …
Josh Marcus / The Independent: Bezos insists no quid pro quo in decision to pull Washington Post's Harris endorsement as staff and subscribers quit
Daanyal Saeed / Crikey: Here's who American newspapers (minus The Washington Post) are backing this election
Charisma Madarang / Rolling Stone: Jeff Bezos Insists That ‘No Quid Pro Quo’ Behind Blocking Harris Endorsement
Eszter Hargittai / Crooked Timber: Washington Post cancellations
Kurt Schlosser / GeekWire: Jeff Bezos says ‘no quid pro quo of any kind’ in decision to end Washington Post endorsements
Dan Mangan / NBC Bay Area: Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post non-endorsement, says Americans 'don't trust' media
David Strom / HotAir: WaPo Loses 200,000 Subscribers Because Liberals Are Insane
John Gruber / Daring Fireball: The Washington Post Has Lost Over 200,000 Subscribers (and Counting) After Trump Bootlicker Jeff Bezos Blocked Endorsement of Kamala Harris
Jennifer Valentino-DeVries / @jenvalentino_nyt …: I keep hearing about people saying they're canceling The Washington Post because of decisions by Bezos, but that it's “too hard” to stop shopping at Amazon or cancel Amazon Prime. Pick a lane.
Dave Lee / @daveleebbg@threads.net: Bezos can undo much of the damage he's caused in an instant: - Announce he's dipping into his wealth to plug the immediate funding loss ($3.4m a month, based on premium sub cost) from those cancellations. - Apologize, admit he misjudged the moment. - Allow his staff to endorse. …
Warren Squire / Twitchy: Democrats Inflicting Six-Figure Cancellations on Washington Post for Kamala Non-Endorsement
Michael Learmonth / Michael Learmonth on LinkedIn: Two things about this: 200,000 is a huge number. If you were trying to get someone's attention at the Post, well done. …
Tyler Durden / ZeroHedge News: “Colossal” Exodus: +200,000 WaPo Subscriber Cancellations After Bezos Blocks Harris-Walz Endorsement
Molly Bohannon / Forbes: 200,000 People Unsubscribed From Washington Post Following Decision To Not Endorse, Report Says
Scott Dworkin / The Dworkin Report: 200,000 WaPo Subscription Cancellations Since Blocking Harris Endorsement
Ryan Grenoble / HuffPost: Washington Post Subscriptions In Free Fall After Bezos Blocks Presidential Endorsement
Charlie Nash / Mediaite: WaPo Loses Eye-Popping 200,000 Subscribers in Exodus That ‘Will Batter’ the Paper, Says NPR Reporter
Elizabeth Lopatto / The Verge: Jeff Bezos is no longer relentlessly focused on customer satisfaction
Hadas Gold / KDFX-TV: Three Washington Post editorial board members step down amid wave of canceled subscriptions over non-endorsement
Shakezula / Lawyers, Guns & Money: The wallet vote — I'm trying to write up something about this article with which I disagreed to the point of saying “Fuck.
Noor Al-Sibai / Futurism: Jeff Bezos Reportedly Has Secretive “Personal Reasons” for Wanting to Escape to Mars
Nicole Silverio / Daily Caller News Foundation: Hundreds Of Thousands Reportedly Cancel WaPo Subscriptions After Decision Not To Endorse Harris
Dan Mangan / CNBC: Washington Post loses reported 200K digital subscriptions, editorial board members over endorsement veto
Reuters: Washington Post hit with over 200K cancellations after move to block Harris endorsement: report
Henry Giardina / INTO: Trump's unsavory ties to this aspiring “health care czar” could spell disaster for everyone
Todd Spangler / Variety: Washington Post Hit With 200,000-Plus Subscriber Cancelations After Jeff Bezos Nixed Presidential Endorsement: Report
Dan Goodin / @dangoodin@infosec.exchange: I'm guessing that Jeff Bozos won't care that he's killing a significant source of revenue, because making money was never the point of him owning the WaPo. — https://www.npr.org/...
Heidi Li Feldman / @heidilifeldman@mastodon.social: Exactly what Washington Post deserves. https://www.npr.org/...
Chuck Darwin / @cdarwin@c.im: Second Washington Post writer quits over failure to back Kamala Harris — A second high-profile Washington Post columnist has stepped down after the newspaper's decision not to support Kamala Harris for president, as more readers announced the cancellation of their subscriptions. …
Semafor:
WaPo subscribers canceling shows how much its anti-Trump stance was marketing, as many seemed to be there for the mission, not necessarily the content — THE SCOOP — The wave of canceled subscriptions to the Washington Post marks the end of an era in which news organizations marketed themselves …
Discussion:
Peter Kafka / @pkafka: Smart analysis.
Matt Stoller / @matthewstoller: Defense contracts?
Dan McLaughlin / @baseballcrank: Maybe it should try news.
Mark Maxwell / @markmaxwelltv: “We learned Monday that, in fact, a share of the Post's subscribers seemed to be there for the mission, not necessarily the content. And it was, as much as anything else, a clarifying lesson in how you sell news.”
@bonchieredstate: Ah yes, because democracy is predicated on newspapers making partisan endorsements to influence elections.
Ben Thomas / @benthomasnz: Idk I feel like newspaper endorsements have always been (to a greater or lesser extent) an indulgence rather than a vital exercise for either democracy or, especially, the practice of journalism
@ethangach: Love when the money bags walk into the newsroom and start breaking everything because they know better
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: Semafor editor Ben Smith (@semaforben) raises Qs about WaPo's live by the sub, die by the sub strategy in wake of brutal cancellations
Ben Smith / @semaforben: The Washington Post sold Democracy. Now it needs a new line of business. https://www.semafor.com/...
Financial Times: Jeff Bezos defends ‘principled decision’ to block Washington Post endorsement of Kamala Harris
Daily Press: Report: Washington Post loses more than 200,000 subscriptions following non-endorsement
Max Tani / Semafor:
Two more Washington Post opinion writers, David Hoffman, who accepted a Pulitzer Prize last week, and Molly Roberts, resign from its editorial board — The Scoop — Two more Washington Post opinion writers resigned from its editorial board Monday as the paper reels into the US election amid an identity crisis.
Discussion:
@michele_norris, @mollylroberts, Washington Post, The Guardian, @benmullin, Axios, @VisualStuart@pdx.social, @jayrosen_nyu, @benmullin, @benmullin, @maxwelltani, @davidfolkenflik, @brianstelter, @hadas_gold, @davidfolkenflik, @maxwelltani, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik, @maxwelltani, @davidfolkenflik, HuffPost, CNN, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, The Hill, New York Post, @jeff@newsie.social and @knittingknots2@mstdn.social
Discussion:
Michele Norris / @michele_norris: As of yesterday, I have decided to resign from my role as a columnist for The Washington Post — a newspaper that I love. In a moment like this, everyone needs to make their own decisions. This is the reasonfor mine. 🧵
Molly Roberts / @mollylroberts: [image]
Manuel Roig-Franzia / Washington Post: Post editorial board members step down in wake of endorsement decision
Lorenzo Tondo / The Guardian: ‘Real threat of autocracy’: Washington Post editorial staffers resign in forceful letters
Ben Mullin / @benmullin: NEWS: Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post editorial board member David Hoffman will *remain* at The Post — though he is stepping down from the editorial board. From his letter to David Shipley: “While leaving the board, I refuse to give up on The Post, where I have spent 42
Sareen Habeshian / Axios: Nearly a third of WaPo's editorial board stepping down
Stuart Celarier / @VisualStuart@pdx.social: 20 columnists have left the Washington Post since Bezos killed the editorial board endorsement of Kamala Harris. — The excuse that the newspaper is returning to its roots by not endorsing presidential candidates rings hollow since they made that decision just days before the election. …
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen_nyu: “I find it untenable and unconscionable that we have lost our voice.” —Washington Post Pulitzer Prize winnner, David Hoffman, said that today.
Ben Mullin / @benmullin: Much of this afternoon's meeting was focused on how The Washington Post opinions department can rebuild trust with readers. One staffer said that the damage done was “incalculable.”
Ben Mullin / @benmullin: One bright spot discussed in the meeting was that The Washington Post was able to publish dissents from its columnists publicly, illustrating that the section remained a robust forum for argument. Shipley said he wants the staff to focus on continuing to do its work.
Max Tani / @maxwelltani: I actually think there are some people on the Post's business side who may have a calculation of the damage
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: Molly Roberts' statement resigning from WaPo editorial board 👇🏼
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: “Donald Trump is not yet a dictator. But the quieter we are, the closer he comes — because dictators don't have to order the press to publish cooperatively if it wishes to go on publishing at all. The press knows, and it censors itself.”
Hadas Gold / @hadas_gold: “Worse, our silence is exactly what Donald Trump wants: for the media, for us, to keep quiet.”
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: Here's a link to full letter from WaPo's David Hoffman stepping down from editorial board - letter is to editorial page editor David Shipley. [image]
Max Tani / @maxwelltani: NEW: Washington Post ed board member Molly Roberts confirms to me that she has resigned.
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: On Thursday, Hoffman received a Pulitzer for “a compelling and well-researched series on new technologies and the tactics authoritarian regimes use to repress dissent in the digital age, and how they can be fought.” David Shipley announced Bezos' decision the next day. MORE
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: Hoffman says he intends to remain at the paper, saying he “refuses to give up on The Post, where I have spent 42 years.” He writes of being launched on several projects, including “the expanded effort to support press freedom around the world.”
Max Tani / @maxwelltani: Editorial board member David Hoffman is also resigning, I'm told. Hoffman accepted the Pulitzer last week for his series on “new technologies and the tactics authoritarian regimes use to repress dissent in the digital age, and how they can be fought.”
David Folkenflik / @davidfolkenflik: WaPost's @DavidHoffman has stepped down from the paper's editorial board warning of appeasing tyranny. From his resignation: “For decades, the Washington Post's editorials have been a beacon of light, signaling hope to dissidents, political prisoners and the voiceless. MORE
Taiyler S. Mitchell / HuffPost: Jeff Bezos Responds To Backlash Over Washington Post Non-Endorsement
Hadas Gold / CNN: One-third of Washington Post's editorial board steps down amid wave of canceled subscriptions over non-endorsement
Cassandra MacDonald / The Gateway Pundit: Two More Washington Post Editorial Board Members Step Down in Protest of Newspaper Refusing to Endorse Harris
Jamie Frevele / Mediaite: Two More Washington Post Editorial Board Members Resign in Protest Over Refusal to Endorse In Presidential Race
Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill: Washington Post loses more than 200,000 subscribers over endorsement outrage: Report
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
CNN says commentator Ryan Girdusky will no longer be welcome on the network after his offensive remark to fellow guest Mehdi Hasan on the NewsNight show — “There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air,” the network said in a statement shared by host Abby Phillip tonight.
Discussion:
@ryangirdusky, CNN, Variety, The Hill, Mediaite, The Hollywood Reporter, The Guardian, @acyn, @abbydphillip, RedState, Forbes, Blaze Media, Cele|bitchy, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, The Independent, Middle East Monitor, Barrett Media, Twitchy, Breitbart, BizPac Review, The Sun, Metro.co.uk, The Mirror, @zakiscorner, @mikeisaac, @jordanuhl, @oliverdarcy@threads.net, @wajahatali, @megawatts55, @oneunderscore__, @aidnmclaughlin, The Wrap, @rashidatlaib, @justinbaragona, Townhall, @jerseylibop, @brianstelter, @jason_kint, @brianstelter, Time, The Daily Beast, ComingSoon.net, @fmanjoo, NBC News, HuffPost, Crooks and Liars, r/KamalaHarris, r/BreakingPoints and r/Global_News_Hub
Discussion:
Ryan James Girdusky / @ryangirdusky: You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and have taken money from Qatar-funded media. Apparently you can't go on CNN if you make a joke. I'm glad America gets to see what CNN stands for.
Jordan Valinsky / CNN: CNN bans conservative commentator who made a racist ‘joke’ on air
William Earl / Variety: CNN Bans Ryan Girdusky From Network After Racist On-Air Attack of Mehdi Hasan
Kipp Jones / Mediaite: ‘Did Your Guest Just Say I Should Be Killed On Live TV?!’ Mehdi Hasan Can't Believe What CNN Panelist Just Said to Him
Abid Rahman / The Hollywood Reporter: CNN Panel Guest Directs Shocking Racist Attack on Mehdi Hasan: “I Hope Your Beeper Doesn't Go Off”
Abby D. Phillip / @abbydphillip: Sharing @CNN's statement and a quick message from me about what happened on tonight's show. I take this very seriously and want to again apologize to @mehdirhasan and I hope he'll join us another time. [video]
Siladitya Ray / Forbes: CNN Bans Conservative Ryan Girdusky After Comment About Muslim Panelist's Beeper Going Off
Joseph MacKinnon / Blaze Media: ‘Legendary’: CNN bans conservative guest after he breaks leftist panelists' thin skin
Adam Nichols / Raw Story: ‘A joke’: GOP guest attacks CNN for booting him off show after furious on-air fight
Kristinn Taylor / The Gateway Pundit: Fireworks: CNN Throws Conservative Ryan Girdusky Off Show After Trading Insults With Israel Hater Mehdi Hasan ("If You Don't Want to Be Called Nazis"; “I Hope Your Beeper Doesn't Go Off")
Rhian Lubin / The Independent: MAGA commentator hits out at CNN after network kicked him off air for ‘racist’ beeper ‘joke’
Grateful Calvin / Twitchy: 'I Hope Your Beeper Doesn't Go Off': Ryan Girdusky DROPS Mehdi Hasan (Then CNN Bans Girdusky)
Ian Hanchett / Breitbart: CNN's Phillip on Bezos Op-Ed: Attacks from Politicians Are ‘Main Issue’ with Media Distrust
Chris Donaldson / BizPac Review: CNN bans guest after EPIC retort to ‘anti-Semite’ Mehdi Hasan: 'I hope your beeper doesn't go off'
Britta Zeltmann / The Sun: Moment CNN panelist Ryan Girdusky tells Muslim guest 'I hope your beeper doesn't go off' before being kicked off show
Sarah Hooper / Metro.co.uk: CNN guest thrown off air after telling Muslim journalist 'I hope your beeper doesn't go off'
Anders Anglesey / The Mirror: CNN guest thrown off air after making sickening pager joke at Muslim journalist
Zaki Hasan / @zakiscorner: Wow. Just wow.
@jordanuhl: The beeper attack was against Hezbollah, not Hamas. But he repeatedly demonstrates he doesn't know the difference when trying to wiggle his way out of this after @mehdirhasan unleashes on him. These people aren't just racist, they're also incredibly stupid.
Oliver Darcy / @oliverdarcy@threads.net: News: CNN has permanently banned pro-Trump commentator @ryan.james.girdusky after he leveled a racist attack on @mehdirhasan. — “There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air,” the network said in a statement provided to me. — Details for members in Status: https://www.status.news/...
Wajahat Ali / @wajahatali: So, I can tell you on Muslim WhatsApp the CNN clip of that MAGA freak calling Mehdi Hasan a terrorist and accusing him of his “beeper going off” simply for saying he supports Palestinians is MAKING THE ROUNDS. And people are pissed.
Sailor Michael / @megawatts55: This is fucking insane. Horrible. Do you guys want these hateful ass people in charge?!! What the fuck? @CNN
Aidan McLaughlin / @aidnmclaughlin: New: CNN says in a statement that Ryan Girdusky will no longer appear on the network after this remark [image]
Ross A. Lincoln / The Wrap: CNN Bans Pro-Trump Analyst After He Suggests Violence Against Mehdi Hasan
Rashida Tlaib / @rashidatlaib: CNN has played a central role in normalizing this kind of open anti-Arab, anti-Muslim, and anti-Palestinian hate, and it's sadly totally unsurprising to see such disgusting statements aired so casually on its network now.
Justin Baragona / @justinbaragona: Thankfully, CNN removed Ryan Girdusky from the panel. “First, I want to apologize to Mehdi Hasan for what was said at this table. It was completely unacceptable. When we get this discussion started, you'll see that Ryan is not at the table. There is a line that was crossed.” [video]
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: >> @CNNPR just released a statement about this: “There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air. We aim to foster thoughtful conversations and debate including between people who profoundly disagree with each other in order to explore important issues and promote
Jason Kint / @jason_kint: And he did it while he was defending the racism and hate that went on stage at the Trump rally at MSG. I think that's important context.
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: Tonight's statement from @CNNPR says “Ryan Girdusky will not be welcomed back at our network.”
Chad De Guzman / Time: Harris Campaign Highlights J.D. Vance's Ties to Commentator CNN Pulled for On-Air ‘Racism’
William Vaillancourt / The Daily Beast: MAGA Pundit Banned From CNN After Wild ‘Beeper’ Jab at Muslim Co-Panelist
Disheeta Maheshwari / ComingSoon.net: Why Did CNN Ban Ryan Girdusky After His Interview With Mehdi Hasan?
Farhad Manjoo / @fmanjoo: the funny thing is in the actual segment he instantly backtracked and groveled a fake explanation that he'd misheard or something but now that he's fired he's an edgelord comedian who never backs down
Patrick Smith / NBC News: CNN bans conservative guest for telling Muslim journalist 'I hope your beeper doesn't go off'
r/KamalaHarris: CNN host Abby Philip kicks GOP operative Ryan Girdusky off her show after he hurls a racist insult at Mehdi Hasan.
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
Vivendi's supervisory board approves a plan to separate Canal+, Havas, and Louis Hachette Group from Vivendi; shareholders are set to vote on December 9 — After final approval of the move designed to address “a very high conglomerate discount,” shares of pay-TV firm Canal+, ad giant Havas …
Discussion:
TVNewsCheck, Variety, Broadband TV News, Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, Deadline and Bloomberg
Discussion:
Georg Szalai / TVNewsCheck: Vivendi Board Approves Split Into Four Companies, Sets December Shareholder Vote
Alex Ritman / Variety: Vivendi Board Approves Split as Former Paramount CEO Bob Bakish Named on New Canal+ Board
Julian Clover / Broadband TV News: Vivendi board gives approval to Canal separation
Adrià Calatayud / Wall Street Journal: Vivendi Names Management, Board Lineups of Units Ahead of Planned Split
MarketWatch: Vivendi's Supervisory Board Approves the Resolutions Regarding the Group's Spin-Off to Be Submitted to Shareholders on December 9, 2024
Jesse Whittock / Deadline: Vivendi Board Gives Go-Ahead For Business Split & Sets December Shareholder Vote; Bob Bakish To Join Canal+ Board
Benoit Berthelot / Bloomberg: Vivendi Split Makes Yannick Bolloré Chairman of Biggest Spinoffs
James Rainey / Los Angeles Times:
Sources: the LA Times, with fewer than 400,000 subscribers, saw 7,000+ cancellations for “editorial reasons” after declining to endorse in the presidential race — - Both papers have faced reader anger after declining to endorse, with critics saying the institutions failed them.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, @lajourno, @boreskes, @sydneykamlager, @margotroosevelt, The Hill, @maxwelltani, @maxwelltani, The Gateway Pundit and HotAir
Discussion:
Josh Fiallo / The Daily Beast: USA Today the Latest to Offer Up Excuse for Lack of Presidential Endorsement
Robert J. Lopez / @lajourno: This is a devastating blow for a news org that is already bleeding digital circulation.
Ben Oreskes / @boreskes: “These subscriptions underwrite our journalism + they make it so that we can have more people covering City Hall, local courts the school district more people in Sac + DC. Canceling your subscription just hurts the journalism effort” @_hamilton_matt said https://www.latimes.com/...
Sydney Kamlager / @sydneykamlager: I feel for the many reporters at these papers who care about journalistic integrity and truth. Their publishers have turned into hypocritical hacks. L.A. Times, Washington Post see subscription cancellations over not endorsing in presidential race https://www.latimes.com/...
Margot Roosevelt / @margotroosevelt: How @DrPatSoonShiong went from rescuing the LA Times to undermining its credibility.
Jerry Moore / The Hill: Newspaper endorsements have outlived their purpose
Max Tani / @maxwelltani: Far less dramatic than the WaPo number, but I'm told in the week since we reported that the LA Times would not endorse, over 7,000 LAT subscribers canceled and specifically cited editorial content as the reason. The total number of cancelations is significantly higher, I'm told.
Max Tani / @maxwelltani: Total number of readers who have canceled in a week is over 14,000, multiple people familiar with LAT subscription info tell me.
Jim Hᴏft / The Gateway Pundit: BREAKING: Far-Left USA Today Announces It Will Not Endorse Kamala Harris - “We Believe America's Future Is Decided Locally”
John Sexton / HotAir: Leftist Outrage at the Washington Post Continues
Mariella Moon / Engadget:
Amazon plans to shut down its Kindle Vella serialized story platform in February 2025; users won't lose access to unlocked stories after the program closes — It's winding down the service over the next few months. — Amazon, in what it described as a “difficult decision,” …
Discussion:
Author Miranda K. Darq / @mkdarqchylde: My condolences to any authors who were deep in the Kindle Vella program. Zon did you all dirty, and I hope you've got your eggs in other baskets, or are ready to shift them. You'll recover from this. *big hugs
Author MT Hart / @mthart12: Kindle Vella has announced it is shuttingdown the program. I will be removing my 2 stories “JB” and “Shadow Girl” and they will reformatted, edited and made longer to become full length novels. I am actually kind of excited about it! #kindlevella #mthart #horror #vampire [image]
@daddywarpig: It was insanely overpriced, and there wasn't much quality content. And, like every gamer (or Epic Fantasy fan) learned a long time ago, serialized content production by amateurs most likely means you'll start a story and never see the ending.
Ryan Williamson / @rywilwrite: Maybe if Kindle Vella was available on, you know, Kindle devices, it wouldn't have bombed so bad. Of maybe if you'd promoted better content instead of the trash you promoted, or didn't have the stupid token system and just had a subscription, or oh so many, many other things.
Tom Bombadil / @sirtobiaswade: Kindle vella is closing. I was too late to the party, and now everyone is dead. I guess I'll be publishing these as books instead. [image]
Kristin McTiernan / @chrissylee490: Oh wow. Kindle Vella is no more The question is will anyone actually miss it? [image]
K J Gillenwater / @kjgillenwater: Well, Amazon decided to do away with the Kindle Vella program. I will miss it b/c it has been my motivator to write since 2021! I'm considering a Patreon or other similar account to keep my motivation going. Which one would you recommend as an author or reader? Thanks!
WC Quick / @wcquickauthor: It is a sad day for Kindle Vella authors. It was announced to all participants, writers and readers of the platform that Kindle Vella will end February 2025. The platform did not reach the goals Amazon intended #KindleVella #writerscommunity
James Maxey / @jamesallenmaxey: Just got the email that Kindle Vella is being discontinued. Not a huge shock. The platform felt half-baked when it launched, and never added what I thought would be really obvious features.
Nancy Foster / @drafoxter: Whenever someone wanted me to read a #kindlevella story, this is what I saw on the link. Yeah, there is probably a good reason why Kindle Vella is closing. 🤔🤔🤔 [image]
Otis Frampton / @otisframpton: Earlier this year I removed my first original novel from the Kindle Vella platform because they changed the payout guidelines for authors. Today Amazon announced that they are ending the Kindle Vella platform. Sometimes ya gotta read the yea leaves. 🤷♂️ [image]
Erica Jackson / @ericajackson113: I'm so upset. I just got notified Amazon's shutting down Kindle Vella in Feb. That's one of my, as well as other authors', main sources of income. Not to mention authors like myself still have parts of our book yet to be released. I WILL be finishing the book elsewhere😤 #author
John A. Douglas / @j0hnadouglas: Well, it's official: Kindle Vella was not a viable success. It was an interesting experiment, but ultimately I never saw it as much more than a Royal road copy
David V. Stewart / @davidvstewart: To whom it may concern: Kindle Vella is shutting down 2/2025 (This will concern virtually nobody)
@christiestratos: Kindle Vella is coming to a close. Yes, my Vellas will be published as ebooks/paperbacks! Thank you to everyone who supported my Vella journey, whether via reading episodes, sharing my posts, or encouraging me! Your support is the most meaningful part of this experience. ❤️ [image]
Bojan Pancevski / Wall Street Journal:
A profile of The Rest Is History, the most popular history podcast with 11M monthly downloads; sources: TRIH has 45K+ paying subscribers and earns $200K+/month — ‘The Rest Is History’ dives into the past with raucous good cheer and has captured a growing audience of young listeners.
Discussion:
@davidluhnow, @bopanc, @holland_tom, @bopanc, @alecmacgillis, @backtweetboi, @wsj, @holland_tom, @bopanc, @joshglancy and @thehistoryofth2
Discussion:
David Luhnow / @davidluhnow: So happy the @WSJ did this story. I love this podcast. Two middle-aged British academics started a history podcast on the premise that “nobody will ever listen to it.” Now their irreverent “The Rest Is History” is a global hit. https://www.wsj.com/... via @WSJ
Bojan Pancevski / @bopanc: History professors struggle to get students excited about the past. Yet these two draw raucous Gen Z audiences with a rock-concert vibe. @TheRestHistory podcast gets 11m monthly downloads, 1.2m @YouTube views, and over 45,000 paying subscribers https://www.wsj.com/...
Tom Holland / @holland_tom: It's been a journey... [image]
Bojan Pancevski / @bopanc: In one of the many perks of my job, I got to interview my favorite podcasters @holland_tom and @dcsandbrook of @TheRestHistory to better understand How Two Irreverent Historians Made Their Podcast a Global Sensation https://www.wsj.com/... via @WSJ
Alec MacGillis / @alecmacgillis: “The bantering humor of ‘The Rest Is History’ contrasts with the way that many American historians and podcasters approach their work, which Sandbrook describes as ‘anguished and very earnest.’” https://www.wsj.com/...
David Lindhagen / @backtweetboi: I adore these guys. This is the sickest thing ever [image]
@wsj: When “The Rest Is History” hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook started the podcast as a Covid lockdown project, they never expected it to be a success, much less a sensation https://www.wsj.com/...
Tom Holland / @holland_tom: I am reminded by @ClarkHistoryPol that today is the 4th birthday of @TheRestHistory!
Bojan Pancevski / @bopanc: The @TheRestHistory podcast has never been anti-woke, @dcsandbrook says. But “lots of people are bored of being lectured. They don't want to feel onerous nor want to be told how they ought to think or feel.” https://www.wsj.com/...
Georg Szalai / The Hollywood Reporter:
UMG partners with AI music startup Klay Vision to create an “ethical” AI model for AI-generated music; Klay plans to launch out of stealth in the coming months — The music major is focused on “ethical solutions for artists and the wider music ecosystem, advancing generative AI technology …
Discussion:
James Murtagh-Hopkins / UMG: UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP ENTERS INTO A STRATEGIC COLLABORATION WITH ETHICAL AI MUSIC COMPANY, KLAY
Mary Kate Carr / AV Club: Universal Music Group partners with an “ethical A.I.” company
Marie Solis / New York Times:
How feminist media, a robust part of the ecosystem in 2016, has faded in the 2024 US election: many outlets are closed, and others now don't focus on politics — The robust feminist blogosphere of 2016 is all but gone. Some of the creators are missing its perspective. — It was 2016, and the future was female.
Sam Bradley / Digiday:
The Players' Tribune owner Minute Media says the site publishes four to five articles averaging 500K-600K views/month, as it expands into print and IP licensing — Though fans have always been fascinated by the people who made up their chosen team, few outlets have put personality on a pedestal like The Players' Tribune.
Discussion:
Simon Owens / @simondowens@threads.net: The Players Tribune proved early on that pro athletes could forge a direct connection with fans — a bet that drew skepticism when it was first founded but seems rather anodyne now that we have so many popular athlete-hosted podcasts. Now its new owner is expanding into print and also attempting to license its IP to major Hollywood studios. …
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