Top News:
Benjamin Mullin / New York Times:
The Atlantic plans to hire ~12 journalists, including from WaPo, to bolster its political coverage under Trump; source: it added ~100K subscribers since March — The magazine is recruiting from a crosstown rival, The Washington Post, to bolster its political staff.
Max Tani / Semafor:
News media personalities including Andrew Ross Sorkin, David Remnick, Rachel Maddow, Mehdi Hasan, and Bari Weiss reflect on the things they got wrong in 2024 — The News — The news media is wrong all the time — though not exactly as its loudest critics claim.
Discussion:
The Present Age, @chrislhayes.bsky.social, @jryedinak, @madrid_mike, @elletwocache, @souljagoytellem, Fox News, RedState, @tomscocca.bsky.social, @lawrencehurley.bsky.social, @tomscocca.bsky.social, @jayrosen.bsky.social, @colbyhall, @mikeisaac, @drboguslaw, @adriana_lacy, @mikeisaac, @startledn, @julito77.bsky.social, @drewsav, @jrrosenb, @stryker1, @ericnewcomer, @maxwelltani, @wilson__valdez, @metrauxjulia.bsky.social, @kevincollier.bsky.social, @dorajfacundo, @semaforben, @mikeisaac, @those_who_fail, @timodc, @shawnhils, @10hourmix4sleep, @manicghosts, @jamellebouie.net, @thekennymiles, @imavip, @tiagodf.bsky.social, @nkulw, @simonowens.bsky.social, @conorsen.bsky.social, @ericnewcomer, @nkulw, @dorajfacundo, @emily_sundberg, Rolling Stone, @karlbode.com and Daily Caller News Foundation
Hanna Park / CNN:
Aaron Brown, the CNN anchor who gained prominence for his coverage of the Sept. 11 attacks and his role in shaping CNN's evening news format, died Sunday at 76 — Aaron Brown, the renowned CNN anchor who gained prominence for his coverage of the September 11 attacks and his pivotal role …
Discussion:
The Hill, HuffPost, New York Times, New York Post, TVLine, The Wrap, TVNewsCheck, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Daily News, ABC News, @bmccandless, @edlavacnn, @samstein, @markhalperin, @brianstelter, @vaughnhillyard, @brianstelter, @jeffreytoobin, @brianstelter, @theamberharding, @rmgaustad, CityNews Halifax, The Desk, Newser, Deadline, TV Insider, The Sun, @essexjp.bsky.social and Daily Caller News Foundation
Dareh Gregorian / NBC News:
A federal appeals court upholds a $5M judgment against Trump after a jury found Trump liable in 2023 for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll — A jury handed down the award after finding Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming the writer
Discussion:
New York Times, Deadline, Inc.com, Reason, NPR, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, TMZ.com, Hollywood Life, The Gateway Pundit, @itsalexberg.bsky.social, Wall Street Journal, Wonkette, One America News Network, @htownjenny.bsky.social, Benzinga, Raw Story, UPI, CNN, @blu2b4u.bsky.social, @chitownhustler.bsky.social, @jassaskott.bsky.social, Civil Discourse …, The Post Millennial, The Hill, @jonzoidberg.bsky.social, CBS News, New York Post, Rolling Stone, Axios, ABC News, New York Daily News, Washington Examiner, The Wrap, Fox News, HuffPost, San Diego Union-Tribune, Daily Mail, CNBC, Forbes, Scripps News, New Republic, Politico, Washington Times, Bloomberg and Mother Jones
The Guardian:
Tortoise Media reports a pre-tax loss of £3.8M for 2023, down from previous year's loss of £4.6M, after reducing spending and cutting some staff — Company that has agreed to buy the Observer reports a pre-tax loss of £3.8m for 2023 after shedding some roles
Discussion:
@shattenstone.bsky.social, Financial Times, @tmgeor and @carolecadwalla.bsky.social
Inside Radio:
Salem agrees to sell its seven contemporary Christian radio stations to Educational Media Foundation for $80M and repays all $159.4M of its long-term debt — Moving to shore up its balance sheet, Salem Media Group has agreed to sell all its remaining contemporary Christian radio stations …
Callum Parke / London Evening Standard:
UK High Court documents show hedge fund manager Crispin Odey is seeking at least £79M from the Financial Times in libel damages over sexual assault allegations — Mr Odey is suing the publication over allegations that he had sexually assaulted multiple women, which he denies
Discussion:
The Times and The Independent
Reuters:
Iran confirms the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala; Italy declines to say whether the case might be linked to the arrest of an Iranian in Italy — Iran confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for “violating the laws of the Islamic Republic”, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported on Monday.
Etan Vlessing / The Hollywood Reporter:
Howl CEO Li Haslett Chen steps down from WBD board, opening the way for a high-profile addition to the board in 2025 amid plans to spin off TV assets — The tech exec's exit could open the way for a high-profile addition to the studio's board of directors in 2025 amid plans to possibly spin off its legacy TV assets.
Daryna Antoniuk / The Record:
Telegram blocks access to channels belonging to major Russian state-owned news outlets, including Rossiyskaya Gazeta and RIA Novosti, across much of Europe — The messaging app Telegram has blocked access to channels belonging to major Russian state-owned news outlets across much of Europe …
Discussion:
@florian4gamers, @durov, @therecord_media, Agence France-Presse, The Guardian and The Kyiv Independent
New York Times:
How the Epoch Times promotes Shen Yun, a touring dance group that is a moneymaker for the Falun Gong religious movement, with 17,000 glowing articles since 2009 — A publisher that rose to prominence promoting right-wing conspiracy theories has also served as sword and shield for the dance group and the religious movement behind it.
Discussion:
Raw Story
Rachel Hall / The Guardian:
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy urges YouTube, TikTok, and other streaming services to promote higher quality educational content to children — UK culture minister says government wants to ‘open a dialogue’, but will intervene if platforms do not comply — The UK culture secretary …
Discussion:
UnHerd, @seatradelaw and @nickcope4