Top News:
Trishla Ostwal / Adweek:
Perplexity's head of advertising and shopping Taz Patel has left after nine months; its ad business reportedly generated only about $20,000 in Q4 2024 — Perplexity push into advertising has so far brought in modest revenue as the company eyes new growth and faces mounting legal battles
Discussion:
@glenngabe, The Information and Trishla Ostwal on LinkedIn
Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
Sources: Google is set to face a modest EU antitrust fine over adtech practices, in an investigation triggered by a complaint by the European Publishers Council — Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google is set to face a modest EU antitrust fine in the coming weeks for allegedly anti-competitive practices …
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Mastodon says it does not “have the means to apply age verification” to its services and it's up to server admins to observe local laws in places they operate — Decentralized social network Mastodon says it can't comply with Mississippi's age verification law …
Discussion:
@art@mastodon.sdf.org, @AAKL@infosec.exchange, @literalgrill@sakurajima.moe, @TechCrunch@mstdn.social, @cdarwin@c.im, @kim_harding@mastodon.scot, @jdp23.thenexus.today, @kentindell.bsky.social, @profcarroll@federate.social, @jenbanim@mastodo.neoliber.al, @laurenshof@indieweb.social, Dexerto, Pixel Envy and Los Angeles Times, more at Techmeme »
Todd Spangler / Variety:
YouTube TV and Fox reach a new carriage deal for Fox News, local Fox stations, Fox Sports, and other channels — A YouTube rep said, “We're happy to share that we've reached an agreement with Fox to keep their content on YouTube TV, preserve the value of our service for our subscribers and offer more flexibility in the future.
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Cord Cutter Weekly, Android Police, The Streamable, StreamTV Insider, UPI, Sports Business Journal, Streaming Better, Decode TV, Ukrainian National News, Advanced Television, ClutchPoints, 9to5Google, TheDesk.net, The Wrap, Reuters, Media Play News, Awful Announcing, Washington Times, MediaPost, Yahoo Finance, Barrett Media, Techdirt, The Hill and Los Angeles Times
Mike Masnick / Techdirt:
US representatives James Comer and Nancy Mace want Wikipedia to hand over editor identities and internal communications; the Wikipedia Foundation should decline — from the congress-shall-make-no-law dept — Congress has absolutely zero constitutional authority to investigate a private website for its editorial decisions.
RELATED:
Jon Allsop / Columbia Journalism Review:
Hurricane Katrina's 20-year anniversary prompts at least seven new documentaries, as well as reflections on criticisms of the press coverage after the storm — Race, climate, and the media legacy of an “unnatural” disaster. — Twenty years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina slammed …
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution plans to end its print edition at the end of 2025, despite being profitable; AJC has 115K paid subscribers, 75K digital-only — The publication says the time is right to pour all of its resources into its online news operation and get its journalism “in front of the most people.”
Discussion:
Poynter, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Poynter, Andrew Morse on LinkedIn, Media Nation, PR Daily, Leroy Chapman Jr on LinkedIn, Ryon Horne on LinkedIn, CNN, @kevinrothrock@infosec …, WAGA-TV, @benhoffmannyt, @knowmysongwell, @andrewcomstock0, @murphyajc, Simon Owens's Media Newsletter, UPI, WXIA-TV, @lexalexander.bsky.social, Atlanta Business Journal, Inside Radio, Rena A. Whitehouse on LinkedIn, Washington Times, @dicktofel.bsky.social, Nic Dawes on LinkedIn, Sharif Durhams on LinkedIn, Newser, Axios, @dankennedy.net, KSTP-TV, Jim Beck on LinkedIn, Tim Franklin on LinkedIn, NewsMax.com, @bradfordpearson.bsky.social, @jeffjarvis.bsky.social, Fox Business, @pressgazette.co.uk, @Barbramon1@mas.to, @horadam.bsky.social, Atlanta News First, @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social, @bgrueskin.bsky.social, @thatbootlegguy.bsky.social and r/Journalism
Matthew Keys / TheDesk.net:
The FCC rejects a proposal by broadcasters and others to impose cable-style regulatory fees on streaming services, tech companies, and pure broadband providers — Key Points: — The FCC rejected proposals from NAB, Telesat, Iridium and state broadcaster groups to expand regulatory fees to large tech and broadband firms.
Discussion:
@tdogmedia.bsky.social and Broadband Breakfast, more at Techmeme »
Columbia Journalism Review:
Analysis: in Trump's second term, the number of articles published by the White House included in Google News has soared, a tactic to reach audiences directly — The Trump administration is publishing articles that are top-ranked on Google News. — A few days ago, we searched for the latest news …
Phil Hoad / The Guardian:
An inside look at how Netflix's use of data led to generic “algorithm films” intended for broad appeal, with AI set to further entrench the production style — When the streaming giant began making films guided by data that aimed to please a vast audience, the results were often generic, forgettable, artless affairs.
Scott Nover / Washington Post:
A district court judge blocks the Trump administration from firing Michael Abramowitz as Voice of America's director, weeks after Kari Lake tried to remove him — Michael Abramowitz was given an ultimatum: Relinquish his post or be fired. A judge ruled the Trump administration lacks the authority to remove him.
Dr. Anya Schiffrin / Columbia Journalism Review:
Q&A: Rodney Benson, one of four authors of How Media Ownership Matters, on which ownership models for news lead to strong journalism and business outcomes — In the early 2010s, the Christian Science Monitor, a Boston-based newspaper owned by the Church of Christ, Scientist …
